August 2018


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Nestled between the main ridge of the Northern Range and the North Coast of Trinidad lies the charming and isolated coastal community of Grande Rivière. Despite continuous population decline since the 1930s, every year from March to August, the village is a hive of activity, welcoming visitors averaging more than the actual resident population.

They come to see one of the most enduring and remarkable creatures of the oceans, the giant leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) (Figure 1). These turtles cross oceans to return to the place of their birth to spawn new generations.

From the anticipation at night as the large leatherbacks slowly emerge from the rumbling coastal shores, to the fresh local food, fish and therapeutic nature walks, Grande Rivière is a captivating and peaceful getaway.

Despite its recognition as a unique site of ecotourism, its existence continues to be precarious given its vulnerability to the impacts of natural and anthropogenic forces. The beach where the turtles nest is constantly subjected to cyclic high-energy wave and river channelling events, causing erosion and loss of or damage to turtle eggs or hatchlings.

Episodic extreme flooding of the Grande Rivière River has led to the shifting of the river mouth and resulted in backshore beach erosion, with the most recent recorded event in 2012. It is anticipated that the magnitude and frequency of extreme events may increase. Furthermore, sea-level rise on the north coast of 1.3mm per year (EMA, 2007) has implications for beach erosion and nesting success.

Grande Rivière offers us a “living laboratory” to measure and study topics such as the cost of inaction, the benefits of timely interventions, the impacts on people and planet and the challenges to and opportunities for good sustainable management and effective governance. Studying this area can promote better decision-making in similar areas globally.

Against this backdrop, our team at The UWI’s Department of Geography is working on a research project at Grande Rivière, which we call "Society, turtles and environmental change in Grande Rivière – towards sustainable management of a vulnerable community."

One objective is to understand the dynamic nature of the beach habitat. The project evaluated beach impacts and recovery in response to river discharge and the hydrodynamic conditions of the bay under extreme and episodic tides and storm events.

We also collected data on turtle nesting and analysed it against the changing beach morphology. Turtle nests were GPS-located and then mapped and analysed using GIS software. Historical turtle nesting data was used to analyse nesting trends and assist in the discussion of the eco-tourism potential and its sustainability. The ecosystem services provided by Grande Rivière were investigated alongside a baseline community-based assessment to determine perceptions on the future of development in Grande Rivière.

Environmental Challenges

The Grande Rivière beach is subject to a high wave energy environment year-round with the highest waves occurring between November and April. This wave energy results in a highly dynamic beach with frequent changes on the beach such as the presence of a berm, scarp or even the river charting a new channel (Figure 2). The beach sediment reflects these changes in the sorting of the sediment.

Turtle nesting is concentrated at the eastern end of the beach during the early nesting period (Figure 3) but expands westward as the season progresses. Nesting is concentrated adjacent to the river mouth, however, loss of these nests occurs during high river discharge in the rainy season as the river widens and sometimes shifts the position of its mouth (Figure 4). The research has yet to fully analyze the relationship, if any, between turtle nesting, beach morphology and sediment characteristics on the beach.

Social Challenges

Research indicates that the population in Grande Rivière is currently decreasing. While this suggests a positive ecological future on account of a reduced human influence, it leaves less human resources for community development. However, the fact that young women became caregivers for the elderly, while young males emigrated for employment but send remittances back home to support families, shows a psycho-social commitment to the community as a home. Having to leave to provide a better economic future, or having to stay to take care of those who were once the caregivers themselves, suggest a stake in Grande Rivière.

Community mapping revealed a total of 165 buildings in the community, 26 of which were commercial enterprises and 139 were residential. Of the residential buildings, 23% were abandoned houses scattered around the village. Despite the high numbers of tourists (approximately 10,000 visitors according to the Forestry Division in 2016), and the employment of additional employees by establishments to cater for their needs, several respondents agreed that employment opportunities from the eco-tourism sector are still lacking.

Survey data collected on sources of income for Grande Rivière community dwellers revealed that 12.6% of respondents were involved in tourism-related activities, 43.4% were employed in non-tourism-related activities and 44% of respondents were unemployed.

The Turtle Village Trust (TVT) and the Grande Rivière Nature Tour Guide Association are the main entities which organise activities such as tour guiding, beach patrolling, turtle data collection and conservation initiatives in Grande Rivière.

As a result, only few jobs are available and the short-term, seasonal nature is unattractive for those who are able to seek higher-paying, permanent jobs elsewhere. It was also found that 16% of surveyed households are highly dependent on governmental pension as the main source of financial support for the family unit.

Nesting turtles on the beach at Grande Rivière have become a typical aspect of life in the community. There are many residents who feel particularly connected to nature and their God by the presence of these marine turtles, while there are those who, during the nesting season, remain completely disconnected from the beach, disgruntled by tourist behaviours.

An overarching understanding exists of the instrumental value of nesting turtles to the community despite personal interests, a point which may hold the key to the development of Grande Rivière.

"Society, turtles and environmental change in Grande Rivière – towards sustainable management of a vulnerable community." This project from The UWI’s Department of Geography is being led by Dr Junior Darsan (Coastal Geomorphologist) and postgraduate students Christopher Alexis and Sayyida Ali.

For more information contact: junior.darsan@sta.uwi.edu or visit: http://sta.uwi.edu/ffa/geography/society-turtles-and-environmental-change-grande-Rivière-bay-towards-sustainable-management