Land Habitat
Little Cayman airport plan risks drastic change
(CNS): The proposal to move the airport on Little Cayman to a site owned by the Cayman Islands Airport Authority in the centre of this least developed island could have far-reaching implications for its fundamental character, according to a document prepared by the Environmental Assessment Board Subcommittee of the National Conservation Council.
Blue iguanas begin working on the next generation
(CNS): The blue iguana nesting season has begun, the experts at the Blue Iguana Conservation (BIC) facility at the Botanic Park said in a press release a week before International Blue Iguana Day. Lady Pop, a 33-year-old blue Iguana, has begun excavations for her nest and, along with her younger partner, 17-year-old Iggy Stardust, have […]
$250k raised for Trust to buy a slice of primary forest
(CNS): A local couple hosted a private fundraising dinner for the National Trust for the Cayman Islands and raised a quarter of a million US dollars, which will go towards acquiring a piece of primary forest identified by the Trust. While this is the largest-ever contribution to the Land Reserve Fund, it is still only […]
Analysis of alternative routes for EWA underway
(CNS): The National Roads Authority has created a website explaining the environmental impact assessment process for the controversial East-West Arterial Road extension. Officials said the site, Your EIA in action, provides information to the public about the EIA, such as why it is being conducted and what topics it is studying.
Geospatial image update captures changing landscape
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Department of Lands and Survey, using a specialist private company, has completed an updated aerial image survey of the three Cayman Islands showing the state of the landscape, as captured in February 2023, including topographic data such as buildings and roads. The project used state-of-the-art technology to capture orthomosaic imagery, which […]
DoE stresses problems with current coastal setbacks
(CNS): The Department of Environment has undertaken a review of properties damaged by last week’s powerful Nor’wester, which brought high seas and near galeforce winds. The damage to these coastal structures caused environmental, financial and personal loss, and the DoE has received footage and inquiries about the vulnerability of these properties. In many cases, when […]
Trust backs NCA as development outpaces conservation
(CNS): The National Trust for the Cayman Islands has hit out at those claiming development is being fettered by conservation legislation. The long-established non-profit organisation, which has a permanent seat on the National Conservation Council, has said that it is difficult, if not impossible, to see how the National Conservation Act is stopping development, given […]
DoE director continues to fight misinformation
(CNS): The director of the Department of Environment is continuing to correct misinformed critics of the DoE and the National Conservation Council who accuse them of delaying development. Gina Ebanks-Petrie has said, again, that the issues relating to planning delays are a result of the Central Planning Authority’s inaccurate interpretation of the National Conservation Law […]
Colourful African lizard poses new threat to natives
(CNS): The Department of Environment is issuing an alert over the first recorded sighting of a red-headed rock agama (Agama agama) on Grand Cayman. The small invasive lizard, which is a native of sub-Saharan Africa, was spotted last Thursday in the industrial centre of George Town, next to the container yard where international shipments have […]
MPs use fund to pay for DoE’s general budget
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government is disputing allegations it raided the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), which is paid for by fees collected from tourists and ringfenced for conservation, to fund part of the Department of Environment’s general operating budget over the next two years. Despite the denial, MPs did vote to use the fund in […]
New law tightens protection for local flora
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has successfully steered the Plant Protection Act, 2023 through parliament in order to tighten the rules around importing plants that may harbour pests and threaten the local flora. Cayman’s native plants and trees are at risk from a range of new plant pests, such as the ever-present mealybug to the […]
