The Cayman Islands Department of Environment’s mission is to facilitate responsible management and sustainable use of the natural environment and resources of the Cayman Islands through a variety of environmental protection and conservation strategies and programmes.
While the soul of any country is her people, the body of a country is its natural resources. However, without knowledge, those natural resources cannot be used and preserved to bring enjoyment and wealth to future generations of a country’s soul. The Department of Environment is dedicated to studying and preserving the Natural Resources of the Cayman Islands. We undertake a wide range of research projects on a variety of species and ecosystems.
Threatened and Endangered Species
Threatened and endangered species, such as conch, lobster, turtles and grouper require stringent management based on sound scientific knowledge to preserve them in the face of man’s inclination to over harvest them. Different environments around Cayman, such as the mangroves, reefs and turtle grass beds are environmentally and economically valuable and fragile. Without continuous research into these areas we wouldn’t know how to manage them or to tell when overuse requires a tightening of management practices. Even the very water which surrounds us needs to be monitored. Every minute of every day there is the potential for use and abuse of this water, from people going swimming to runoff from the shore brining pollutants into our marine environment. At one time, many members of the public suspected that the commercial activities in and around George Town Harbour were inadvertently introducing pollution to our wonderful water. A multi-year study of the water quality in George Town Harbour by the Department of Environment, with assistance from Environmental Health and the Water Authority have shown that this, thankfully, is not the case. But the study continues to make sure that the situation never changes. Cayman’s Natural Resources should never be taken for grants and deserve constant monitoring and protection.
Formerly known by another name
An earlier name for the Department of Environment was the Natural Resources Lab and Research into our Natural Environment is still the foundation of everything that we do.
