Barkers area
The Barkers area of West Bay is an ecologically valuable coastal ecosystem with diverse features and natural beauty worthy of protection and conservation measures to ensure its sustainable use for present and future generations. For this reason it has been proposed as Cayman’s first National Park. The proposal is strongly supported by the West Bay District Development Plan Review Subcommittee, whose Vision for 2011 includes “developing a large national park with absolutely no development at the Head of Barcus (Barkers).”
Currently less than 5% of land on Grand Cayman is protected. The establishment of Barkers National Park would add 277 acres of terrestrial habitat adjacent to 865 acres of already protected marine habitat.
Why a National Park?
National Parks are established for many reasons, including:
- To safeguard native species and habitats.
- As a means of ensuring the sustainable use of our natural resources, being fair to past, present and future generations.
- To study and celebrate our natural heritage.
- To contribute to regional and global conservation efforts.
- To encourage ecologically sound and appropriate use, understanding and enjoyment of the area.
Vision 2008
The National Strategic Plan, commonly known as Vision 2008, contains the expressed wishes of the people of the Cayman Islands regarding their preferences for the future of development in these islands. In terms of the natural environment, the people wish among other things:
- To establish a system of Environmentally Protected Areas in the Cayman Islands.
- To protect the coral reefs of the Cayman Islands from further adverse human impacts.
- To protect wetlands of ecological importance other than the Central Mangrove Wetland in Cayman.
The establishment of Barkers National Park would go a long way toward meeting these expectations.
In 2011 the Barkers National Park project was taken on by the Office of the Premier and the Ministry of Tourism. While the Department of Environment is still committed to the creation of a National Park as part of a system of environmentally protected areas questions regarding current activities by the Government in the Barkers area should be directed towards the Ministry of Tourism and the Office of the Premiere.
