Dear Editor,
The island of St. Martin is rich in unique nature. It is home to species that live nowhere else in the world, including lizards, insects and plants. If these plants and animals disappear from St. Martin, they are lost to the world.
Over 70 per cent of the biodiversity of Europe is actually in overseas territories like St. Martin. Europe and France have committed to protecting unique habitats and the species that live there. These include the preservation of habitat, the restoration and sustainable management of habitat, preventing the extinction of threatened species, integrating biodiversity values into national and local planning and poverty reduction strategies, and significantly increasing financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems. These commitments are all outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Over the last 50 years, St. Martin has experienced very rapid development and population growth. Many wild spaces have been lost. There is much less land remaining where St. Martin’s unique nature can be preserved. During this same period, dispute over the land owned by the Beauperthuy family has kept significant parts of this land undeveloped. Although this dispute has been a heavy burden on these local families, it may provide an opportunity to preserve and protect local nature.
We recommend an immediate pause in the sale and development of these properties in order to assess the ecological value of this land. The secondary forests on these hillsides may harbor unique species found only on St. Martin or new species unknown to science. This habitat could also be important to threatened species. Biodiversity surveys should be funded to better understand the value of these habitats. It is possible that such a pause might also create an opportunity to come to a more just solution to the underlying land dispute.
In the long term, much more land should be preserved on St. Martin. This should be done to preserve biodiversity. It should be done fairly, so the interests of landowners are respected. All levels of government, the Collectivity and the Prefecture, will need to work together to make this a reality for the benefit of the planet and the local population. It is an obligation that has already been accepted by the EU and France. It should be honored.
The preservation of wild spaces has many benefits to the people of this island. It preserves natural beauty and provides natural protection against hurricanes. It can create jobs in science, conservation and eco-tourism. Wild spaces often include sites of historical and cultural value that should be preserved. Funding is available from Europe that can support preservation on St. Martin while also boosting the local economy. Time spent in nature improves individual health and mental health. The natural heritage of St. Martin is a priceless legacy that belongs to all St. Martiners.
Along with hundreds of other people, we have been working as volunteers to develop a free museum, Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House. We have no financial stake in this project, but we have a deep love for this irreplaceable heritage site and the lands that surround it. We have hosted scores of school visits for thousands of local students there. We have seen their reaction to spending time in nature there. We have hosted biologists there as they work to better understand the unique nature of St. Martin. We don’t own this site, but we know it, and we know St. Martin can’t afford to lose it.
Mark Yokoyama
Jenn Yerkes
