Cave Hill and Mount Gay Team Up in Spirited Conservation Initiative
14 November 2024
Students from The UWI, staff from The UWI's CAGRI and Mount Gay Rum Distillery gather for a group photo to mark their collaborative effort in local biodiversity conservation
A group of science students from The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Cave Hill Campus gained hands-on experience in ecological stewardship through an initiative between The UWI’s Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAGRI) and the Mount Gay Rum Distillery (MGRD).
The academic-industry collaboration enabled the students to document local biodiversity and establish a baseline for future conservation efforts. This short biological survey, dubbed a mini-BioBlitz, formed part of the course entitled "Ecology of a Changing Planet", and underscored the importance of practical conservation efforts in addressing environmental challenges.
Students recorded plant and animal species within a one-kilometer radius of the Mount Gay Distillery. Under the guidance of Dr. Linton Arneaud, an ecologist and lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), they observed and catalogued local biodiversity. Over a two-hour period, they recorded more than 80 species from over 200 observations across diverse habitats, including tree branches, open fields, moist gullies, and even along concrete surfaces. According to Dr. Arneaud, the event underscores the importance of fostering community engagement in conservation efforts.
“Understanding and engaging with the environment is essential to addressing the global biodiversity crisis,” Dr. Arneaud stressed. “Simple yet impactful practices, such as invasive species management, ecological services guidance, and traditional environmental management, lay the foundation for sustainable development.”
Dr. Arneaud explained the initiative will support future efforts to monitor biodiversity shifts, which is increasingly relevant in a world affected by habitat loss and climate change. By collecting data on species such as the Ornate Bella Moth (
Utetheisa ornatrix), Domestic Cattle (
Bos taurus), the Silver-banded Hairstreak (
Chlorostrymon simaethis), Yellow Seed Pea (
Crotalaria retusa), and a common mushroom (
Panaeolus sp. aff.
antillarum) students gained practical experience in ecological research and developed a better understanding of the species' unique ecological roles.
This partnership not only benefited students but also reinforced the commitment of both UWI and Mount Gay Rum to environmental stewardship in Barbados. “The journey toward sustainability begins with cultivating the right mindset and fostering genuine interaction with the environment,” Dr. Arneaud said, reflecting on the goals of the BioBlitz event.
In addition to cataloguing biodiversity, students conducted surveys to assess public attitudes toward conservation, laying the groundwork for future studies on the human impact on local ecosystems. Insights from this survey will help CAGRI and FST develop targeted conservation policies that consider the influence of age and gender on conservation perceptions.
By choosing the Mount Gay area as their research site, CAGRI and MGRD demonstrated how conservation-focused initiatives could serve as models for other Caribbean islands facing similar environmental challenges.
This collaboration aligns with CAGRI and The UWI’s broader mission to champion environmental responsibility and support the island’s ecological future. The data gathered not only provides a foundation for future conservation initiatives but also reaffirms the role of academic research in promoting sustainable development in Barbados and beyond.
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