Barbados??? shores past and present are now on show at the Coastal Zone Management Unit???s (CZMU) Warrens Tower II, Warrens, St. Michael, headquarters.
The coastal exhibition will run until Friday, November 7, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. under the theme: Why Coastal Zone Management.
Research Officer in the Coastal Planning Department of the CZMU, Sadie-Ann Jones, explained that the exhibition looked at the progress of coastal zone management over the last 30 years and the impact which it has had on the island???s coastlines.
She noted that the exhibition focused on the island???s west, south, south east and north coasts. ???We did not focus on the East Coast because it is not heavily developed so there are no major issues there,??? she said.
Ms. Jones noted that the exhibition also highlighted some of the early pioneers of the unit, and the Richard Haynes Boardwalk ??? then and now.??
In addition, persons viewing the exhibition will also have an opportunity to see the consequences of building too close to the shoreline, with a picture outlining a cliff failure at Foul Bay, St. Philip, where a person???s fence ended up in the sea.
???There are also photos of Carlisle Bay after Hurricane Ivan, where the waters were hitting the walls of the buildings by the Liquidation Centre and the Boatyard,??? the Research Officer noted.??As a result, one of the key features of the exhibition is highlighting the importance of setbacks and buffer zones.
The marine environment also features prominently in the exhibition, as officers from the CZMU increase their education efforts on the importance of the island???s coral reefs, and how climate change and other stressors like poor water quality could result in coral bleaching.
Ms. Jones noted that the exhibition was the lead up to a series of lectures, the first of which comes off on Saturday, November 8, at the Richard Haynes Boardwalk, entitled: Boardwalks: Adapting to Change, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The second lecture will be held on Saturday, November 29, at the Holetown Concrete Walkway, Holetown, St. James, also at 4:30 p.m. Persons attending this lecture are asked to note that that they should meet at the Folkestone Park and Marine Reserve.
Speakers for the lectures are Acting Director of the CZMU, Dr. Lorna Inniss; Acting Coastal Planner, Fabian Hinds; and former Deputy Director of the CZMU; now Acting Director of the Drainage Division, Antonio Rowe. All are invited.
julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb