The Tribune

THIRTY-TWO young people completed a week long “eco-experience” on the island of Andros as part of this year’s Eco-Camp.

The participants hailed from Abaco, Bimini, Cat Island, Central and North Andros, Eleuthera, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Inagua, Long Island, Mayaguana, Mangrove Cay, Nassau, San Salvador and South Andros.

The Eco-Camp was designed to develop an appreciation of the natural environment, facilitate the development of environmental stewardship and encourage a commitment to conservation.

The camp takes place over a six-day period and is an intense immersion experience as the students participate in classroom and field experiences in all of the Bahamian ecosystems – coral reefs, mangrove wetlands, rocky and sandy shore, coppice and pine forest.

Forfar Field Station hosts the young people for their camp experience.

In order to be selected, the young people have to write an essay detailing how the Eco-Camp experience will benefit them personally as well as how the experience can provide them with knowledge and information that will assist in creating environmental awareness at their school and on their island.

The students camped in the Blue Hole National Park.

Wilderness camp experience entailed the erecting of tents, preparing of meals and a nature hike to the Cousteau Blue Hole, where the students had a great time swimming and diving.

Snorkelling is a big part of Eco-Camp and the students explored the reef at Pigeon Cay looking for invertebrates and other marine organisms.

According to Portia Sweeting, BNT director of education, “Eco-Camp gets the young people out of doors and away from computer games. Some of the students were initially in a state of shock when we took away their phones and electronic devices.”

Learning about birds, and in particular shorebirds, was a focus of the camp this year.

Close to 20 per cent of the Atlantic population of the endangered Piping Plover winter on Andros or in the Nearby Joulter Cays.

Students did several bird counts at different coastal habitats as well as bird count in the Blue Hole National Park.

The campers also took the opportunity to survey residents of North and Central Andros to find out if they knew about the Piping Plover and the importance of the Joulter Cays as wintering habitat for the endangered shorebird.

The students were very pleased with their survey results as 140 persons out of the 175 surveyed left their contacts and indicated that they would like to learn more about shorebirds living on Andros.

The students were all enthusiastic and appreciative of the Eco-Camp experience.

The young people all enjoyed their camping experience and had great things to say about their Eco-Camp Experience.

Treyvon Curtis, of Exuma, said: “I benefited from the camp in many ways but the most important thing I learned was how to work together as a team.

“The wilderness camp really helped me understand the importance of teamwork.”

Candice Woon, of Grand Bahama, felt that “the opportunity to meet students from other islands and from all walks of life” was an important camp experience.

Daavia Nesbit, of Grand Bahama, said: “This camp not only benefits the students but the whole Bahamas. Learning about conservation and the need to protect endangered species taught me the importance of keeping our country the clean and beautiful place it has always been.”

Eco Camp is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year and was generously supported by a number of corporate partners. These included Atlantis, Cable Cares Foundation, Bahamas Ferries, Majestic Tours, Ministry of Youth, Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board, Wyndham Resort and Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association.