Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands

Institutional strengthening of beach management capabilities in the organisation of
 eastern Caribbean States and the Turks and Caicos Islands   

4. RESULTS 

Appendix III contains a series of tables listing the details concerning each island’s beach monitoring programme and the activities undertaken during the visit to each island, including: 

The following section of the report (4.1) discusses the characteristics of the beach monitoring programmes island by island.  Many islands experience the same or similar problems, so some repetition is inevitable when describing the programmes in each island.   

4.1  Beach Monitoring Activities in the Individual Islands 

4.1.1    Anguilla 

The Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources is the main counterpart agency and three persons from this agency were trained in the data analysis and are considered competent in the use of the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme. One of the persons trained was the Department’s secretary who was also introduced to the field techniques during the visit. In the smaller islands with small agencies and few staff, data entry is often delegated to secretarial staff.  Thus ensuring that these staff members are also experienced in field techniques helps to ensure interest, involvement and accuracy of data entry. 

During the visit all the outstanding field data were entered on computer and the database is now up to date to January 2000.  Anguilla has a substantial database with continuous coverage over the period 1992-2000, which includes the effects of four hurricanes and one tropical storm (H. Luis 1995, T.S. Grace 1997, H. Georges 1998, H. Jose 1999, H. Lenny 1999). 

One of the major problems encountered is the loss of profile reference points during hurricanes, even when they are located a considerable distance inland from the vegetation line.  When this happens, new reference points have to be located, which obviously interrupts the data trend for that particular site. 

            The beach change database was also installed at the Department of Planning and demonstrated to two planners there.  However, further training will be necessary, since these officers have little knowledge of beach monitoring and beach dynamics.  The recent addition of an environmental planner to the Department of Planning may be of assistance in this area. 

The beach change database obviously has the potential for use in the design of sea defence/beach rehabilitation measures.  Following Hurricane Lenny in 1999 (and with the permission of the Anguillan authorities) beach profile data for Maunday’s Bay and Rendezvous Bay were supplied to Applied Technology and Management Inc. of South Carolina, USA, who were advising individual property owners on beach restoration measures. Data were also provided (again with the permission of the Anguillan authorities) to the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, who had been asked by the insurance company of Cap Juluca to investigate the erosion at Maunday’s Bay. 

An increase in hard structures (sea walls, rock revetments etc.) on Anguilla’s beaches has been noted since Hurricane Luis in 1995.  These will inevitably compound the erosion problems already being experienced.  The need to implement the coastal development setback guidelines developed in 1996 (Cambers, 1996) cannot be over emphasized.

Awareness about beach changes, hurricane impacts, and coastal development is an area that needs continual emphasis as beachfront development continues in Anguilla. The narrow sandy barriers separating salt ponds from the sea are prime sites for development.  During Hurricane Lenny many of these barriers were breached illustrating their fragility, their vulnerability and their unsuitability for permanent buildings.  

The need for coastal engineering expertise within the Public Works Department and/or the Department of Planning’s Building Division was identified.  

4.1.2    Antigua and Barbuda 

The Fisheries Division is the main counterpart agency and two persons were trained in the data analysis and are considered competent in the use of the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme.  Both these persons have university degrees and they plan to produce an assessment report detailing beach changes since 1996.  The last assessment report covered the period 1991-1996 (Black et al., 1996) and was prepared by the COSALC Coordination Centre, this new report will be prepared by the Fisheries Division.  Besides beach monitoring, the Fisheries Division is developing the capacity for environmental monitoring, they have started wetlands monitoring and plan to start seagrass and coral reef monitoring shortly.  

During the visit all the outstanding field data were entered on computer and the database is now up to date, to February 2000.  Antigua has a substantial database with continuous coverage over the period 1991-2000, which includes the effects of four hurricanes and one tropical storm (H. Luis 1995, T.S. Grace 1997, H. Georges 1998, H. Jose 1999, H. Lenny 1999).  The Barbuda database covers the period 1995-2000.  

As in Anguilla, one of the major problems encountered is the loss of profile reference points during hurricanes, even when they are located a considerable distance inland from the vegetation line. When this happens, new reference points have to be located, which obviously interrupts the data trend for that particular site. Antigua plan to fix the position of their beach profile reference points with a geographic positioning system (GPS) and while this may alleviate this problem, since lost reference points can be located spatially after a hurricane with a fair degree of accuracy, changes in the height of the point will not be reflected.  

Fixing of the profile reference points with GPS will, however, allow for linking of the beach monitoring programme to the geographical information system (GIS). Several agencies in Antigua: the Fisheries Division, the Development Control Authority and the Environment Division, are interested in this area, and the Fisheries Division in particular has the expertise to develop this linkage further.  

The beach monitoring activity used to be a joint activity of the Fisheries Division and the Development Control Authority. However, due to staff changes and difficulties with coordination, the involvement of the Development Control Authority (DCA) ceased. Discussions were held as to ways to re-involve the DCA, since it is recognized that the benefits of monitoring go beyond data collection, and include observation and assessment of new structural developments, changing beach uses, restriction of beach access, the nature of beach dynamics etc. So officers involved in monitoring become knowledgeable about all aspects of their island’s beaches and can thus play an active role in beach management and the enforcement of regulations.  

One of the problems present in many countries is the sectoral nature of government and the difficulties this poses for fields such as integrated coastal management.  While there has been much talk about the sharing of information (findings, conclusions, applications) the difficulties involved in actually sharing data have yet to be fully discussed.  For instance, while many agree that the public should have to pay for such information (e.g. information for environmental impact assessments), the question arises whether the information should be freely given to other government agencies.  These issues of data ownership and the value of data need further discussion. 

Beach sand mining continues to be a problem in Antigua, this activity is controlled by the Ministry of Communications and Works. Involvement of this agency in this project and other related activities is essential in order to provide for effective beach management, particularly the control of beach sand mining.

            The proliferation of hard structures, particularly vertical sea walls, on the beaches in Antigua is another serious problem, and one that needs addressing.   However, it will need a concerted effort involving several agencies.  The implementation of the building setback guidelines developed in 1998 (Cambers, 1998a) would be an important first step in this direction.  

4.1.3    British Virgin Islands  

The Conservation and Fisheries Department is the main counterpart agency in the British Virgin Islands. Beach monitoring data were collected between 1989 and 1994, however, then the monitoring ceased.  Monitoring in other areas of the environment e.g.  mangroves and coral reefs also ceased around this time due to staff changes and concentration on other priorities. 

Since around 1996, the Conservation and Fisheries Department have expressed the wish to proceed with a more accurate form of beach monitoring, using an automatic level or theodolite.  Obviously if the Department has the equipment and capacity for improved levels of measurement, this is to be commended.  However, it is perhaps unfortunate that beach monitoring has ceased in the interim (1994-2000) during which period the British Virgin Islands has experienced several hurricanes. 

At present the Department has expressed a reluctance to re-start environmental (including beach) monitoring until problems are solved relating to the geographical information system (GIS) base maps needed for a coastal inventory project.  Once this matter is resolved they propose to restart beach monitoring using more accurate equipment and to use the COSALC methods for their public awareness and school programme activities. 

The new software, ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ was installed on computer at the Conservation and Fisheries Department and one officer was trained in its use. 

The Department did express the wish for assistance with a workshop on beach monitoring methods to be held later this year. 

4.1.4    Dominica  

The Forestry, Wildlife and National Parks Division is the main counterpart agency and one person from this agency was trained in the data analysis and is considered fully competent in the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme.  It is anticipated that the training will be extended to other persons in the Division. 

Between 1994 and 1996 two communities, at Scotts Head and Portsmouth, were involved in beach monitoring through the Environmental and Coastal Resources (ENCORE) Project of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Natural Resources Management Unit.  However, when this project ceased, so too did the community involvement in beach monitoring and their sites had to be taken over by the Forestry Wildlife and National Parks Division.

During the visit all the outstanding data were entered on computer and the database is now up to date to the end of 1999.  Dominica has a substantial database with coverage over the period 1987-1991 and 1994-2000, this includes the effects of several hurricanes (H. Hugo 1989, H. Luis 1995, H. Georges 1998, H. Jose 1999, H. Lenny 1999). 

The Forestry, Wildlife and National Parks Division have a history of environmental monitoring (rivers, wildlife) and this may have been an important factor influencing the continuation of the beach monitoring since 1987.  In addition the same officer has been involved in the monitoring programme since 1987 and now has considerable expertise in many aspects of beach management.  For instance an assessment report was produced after Hurricane Lenny (Forestry, Wildlife and National Parks Division, 1999).  It is anticipated that in the future such reports can be greatly enhanced using profile graphs showing the ‘before and after hurricane’ situation which can be easily prepared with the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ software programme. 

As in the other islands, the infrastructure damage, especially to roads and buildings, resulting from recent hurricanes is a major problem.  Several beaches, (e.g. Toucarie) which in 1987 were wide sandy stretches, are now narrow strips of stones and boulders, thus Dominicans have lost important recreational resources, and roads have lost natural barriers which protected them from storm waves.  

These problems, and others relating to sand mining and the need for adequate coastal development setbacks, were discussed with the Physical Planning Division.

4.1.5    Grenada

The National Science and Technology Council is the main counterpart agency in Grenada, this agency coordinates the beach monitoring programme with the Fisheries Division, the Lands and Surveys Division, and the Land and Water Resource Unit.  Six persons from these agencies were trained in the data analysis, four are considered competent in the use of the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme and two need further training. 

In addition to these agencies, the Hillsborough Secondary School in Carriacou is involved in the monitoring programme.  Since 1996, students from the third and fourth forms have been collecting data on a regular basis, the data are then sent to the National Science and Technology Council for analysis.  The activity is coordinated by the Fisheries Division representative in Carriacou.  It is planned to install the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme in the school and to provide training to the students during phase 2 of this project, so that then the students will be able to derive the maximum benefit from their work. 

During the visit, about 50% of the outstanding data for the period 1996-1999, were entered on computer, and it is anticipated that the trained officers will complete the outstanding data analysis shortly.  Grenada has a substantial database with coverage over the period 1985-1991, 1993-2000.  The monitoring programme was originally set up with assistance from the Organization of American States, and this agency has continued its involvement in the activity over the years, e.g. in 1994 they supplied computer equipment and training to the National Science and Technology Council. 

Database management was one of the main issues that arose in Grenada.  With five agencies involved in data collection, questions regarding location of the database and responsibility for its update arose.  It was decided that the database should be stored at two agencies: the National Science and Technology Council and the Fisheries Division.  Responsibility for collecting and analysing data from the south, west and north coasts should remain with the National Science and Technology Council, the Lands and Surveys Division and the Land and Water Resource Unit.  Responsibility for collecting and analysing the data for the northeast and east coasts would remain with the Fisheries Division.  At the end of each year the databases at the National Science and Technology Council and the Fisheries Division should be updated with the other agency’s information. Logistics regarding database management still have to be finalized. 

The west coast of Grenada experienced serious erosion during Hurricane Lenny.  In many ways this was a wake-up call for Grenada, the previous hurricane to hit Grenada was Hurricane Janet in 1955.  Thus, unlike the northern islands, the database in Grenada does not reflect frequent hurricanes.  Furthermore, the Grenadian authorities did not have the experience of previous hurricanes so they did not know that their beaches would show significant recovery after the hurricane event.  As a result there was considerable local concern about vital tourism beaches such as Grand Anse. 

Responding to this concern, a visit was made to Grenada two weeks after Hurricane Lenny to assess the damage and make recommendations for rehabilitation.  (This visit was funded by this project and the Organization of American States).  Following several meetings a report was produced (Cambers, 1999a) advising the Grenadian authorities not to rush to construct remedial structures but to wait for natural beach recovery.  After the visit, a committee was organised, comprising the Board of Tourism, the Forestry Department, the National Science and Technology Council, the Organization of American States, several hoteliers and others, to implement the recommendations of the report, which included a beach planting programme and the removal of certain damaged structures.  As expected, the beach has recovered following the hurricane, this can be seen visually and in the monitoring data, although more time will be required to determine whether the beach recovers to its pre-hurricane size. 

4.1.6    Montserrat

The main counterpart agency in Montserrat was the Agricultural Engineering Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade and Environment.  However, during the volcanic crisis (1995-1998), beach monitoring ceased as many people fled the island.  Following a visit in 1998, the monitoring programme was re-established in December 1999 with the Fisheries Division as the main counterpart agency.  Additional field monitoring equipment (Abney level) was supplied to the Fisheries Division through the UNESCO-CSI regular programme. 

However, the reduced population of Montserrat (around 5,000 people) is a serious constraint that may influence the long term continuation of any monitoring programme, especially since there has been recent volcanic activity – in December 1999 there were reports of a growing dome on the volcano. 

During the visit, the beach monitoring programme was re-established.  Further training was provided in the field measurement techniques and sites were re-established and measured.  Training was provided to two persons in the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme, one of whom is considered fully competent in the use of the programme. Montserrat has a substantial database covering the period 1990-1996, this includes the recovery period after Hurricane Hugo in 1989, as well as the impacts of the 1995 hurricanes.  Monitoring has now been re-established since December 1999. 

The Physical Planning Unit has always maintained an interest in the beach monitoring programme, particularly during the period 1992-1995, when a programme was established to stop the mining of beach sand at all beaches except Farms Bay and to use quarry sand for all construction purposes except the final plastering/finishing of buildings.  However, due to the volcanic crisis, people have had to relocate to the northern third of the island.  There is considerable new construction taking place and the supply of sand has become a major issue once again, especially since the quarry is in the ‘unsafe’ part of the island.  The monitoring of beaches again becomes an important tool to effectively manage the sand supply situation. 

The ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme and the beach change database were also installed at the Physical Planning Unit and demonstrated.  However, further training will be necessary, since planning officers have little knowledge of beach monitoring and beach dynamics. 

Montserrat have also expressed an interest in tying in the beach monitoring programme with the geographical information system (GIS).  A start could be made once the geographical positioning system (GPS) was running (anticipated for the first half of 2000), then coordinates could be obtained for the profile reference points. 

Montserrat, like the other islands, had also experienced extensive beach erosion as a result of Hurricane Lenny. 

4.1.7    Nevis 

The Nevis Historical and Conservation Society is the main counterpart agency in Nevis and three persons from that agency were trained in the data analysis and are considered competent in the use of the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme.  However, these persons were all interns, working temporarily with the Society, so the skills will need to be transferred to other persons. 

During the visit all the outstanding field data were entered on computer and the database at the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society is now up to date (to November 1999).  Nevis has a substantial database with continuous coverage over the period 1988-2000, which includes the effects of five hurricanes (H. Hugo 1989, H. Luis 1995, H. Georges 1998, H. Jose 1999, H. Lenny 1999) as well as several lesser storms. 

One of the major problems encountered is the loss of profile reference points during hurricanes, even when they are located a considerable distance inland from the vegetation line. When this happens, new reference points have to be located, which obviously interrupts the data trend for that particular site. 

Nevis is the one island where a non government organisation (NGO) is the main counterpart agency for the COSALC project.  In several other islands NGOs are involved in the COSALC project, but only in Nevis does an NGO run the beach monitoring programme.  This illustrates the important role that a dedicated NGO such as the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society, through its members, can play in environmental management.  Over the years a series of volunteers have collected beach monitoring data.  For the past three years two volunteers have been solely responsible for data collection. The role of the Society’s management in continuing and coordinating the monitoring effort must also be commended. 

The Nevis Historical and Conservation Society works closely with government agencies in the beach monitoring effort, in particular the Physical Planning Unit and the Fisheries Division.  Now that the Society has the capacity to analyse the data they will be able to supply results when needed, e.g. in post hurricane assessments.  (The beach change database was utilized after Hurricane Lenny by the engineers working for the Four Seasons Resort). 

The Physical Planning Unit has been closely involved in the beach monitoring programme during the 1990s.  As in other islands, there has been a proliferation of hard structures on the beaches, which together with the frequent hurricanes are compounding the erosion problems and restricting access along the beaches (Hanley, 1998).  Concern about this problem has been voiced for several years, and several management options were discussed in a position paper in 1998 (Cambers, 1998b).  New coastal development setback guidelines were also prepared in 1998 (Cambers, 1998c), and while these are being implemented ‘informally’ the setback distances have not yet been included in planning regulations.  However, the problem goes beyond the need for regulations, as illegal unapproved sea defences are being constructed. (An assessment of several unapproved coastal defence structures in Nevis was prepared for the Physical Planning Unit early in 1999 (Cambers, 1999b). 

Thus the beach erosion problems in Nevis and other islands, call for action on several fronts:

Meetings were also held with the Physical Planning Unit and the Fisheries Division, and it is planned to install the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme and the beach change database in these agencies in phase 2 of the project. 

4.1.8    St. Kitts 

The main counterpart agency in St. Kitts is the Department of the Environment.  (Prior to the establishment of a Department of the Environment in 1995, there were two counterpart agencies: the Southeast Peninsula Board and the Fisheries Division, both agencies are still involved in the monitoring programme).  Two persons from the Department of the Environment were trained in the data analysis and are considered competent in the use of the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme. One of these persons is from a newly established Parks and Beaches Unit which has been set up to maintain and enhance the island’s parks and beaches. 

During the visit all the outstanding field data were entered on computer and the database is now up to date, to February 2000.  St. Kitts has a substantial database with continuous coverage over the period 1992-2000, this includes the impacts of four major hurricanes (H. Luis 1995, H. Georges 1998, H. Jose 1999, H. Lenny 1999) as well as several lesser storms.

The beach monitoring data are now collected by persons from the Parks and Beaches Unit, who had been trained in the monitoring methods.  However, personnel in such units often have little scientific background and thus supervision by persons with a scientific training is required especially at the beginning. 

The ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme and the beach change database were also installed at the Physical Planning Division.  Due to the earlier involvement of this agency in the monitoring programme, they were familiar with the type of information generated through beach monitoring. 

Like several of their neighbours, St. Kitts has also seen a proliferation of hard structures adjacent to beaches over the last few years especially since the 1995 hurricanes.  In particular, the removal of some low sand dunes and the construction of a seawall at North Frigate Bay in the second part of 1999 had caused considerable public concern as access along the beach was restricted during a seasonal erosion episode. 

During discussions with the St. Christopher Heritage Society, concern was expressed about this seawall and the possible remedial measures that it would necessitate.  Concern about a lack of transparency in the permitting and approval process was also expressed as well as a lack of public involvement in the process.  This and other issues, such as forward planning and the utilization of safe construction setbacks, need to be addressed in phase 2 of this project. 

Coastal development setback guidelines have recently been prepared for St. Kitts within the project ‘Planning for coastline change’ (Cambers, 2000).  Implementation of these guidelines will ensure that erosion problems are not compounded as new development takes place and will reduce the need for further hard coastal defence structures in front of new properties. 

4.1.9    St. Lucia 

The main counterpart agency in St. Lucia is the Department of Fisheries.  This agency has been monitoring several beaches in St. Lucia since 1994 with the assistance of various NGOs e.g. the Soufriere Marine Management Area and the St. Lucia National Trust.  Since the officer in charge of the monitoring programme is away on study leave (until the end of 2000) it was impossible to determine the recent status of the beach monitoring or to update the database during the visit.  However, the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme was installed on computer at the Fisheries Department and demonstrated to two other officers from the Department. 

While beach monitoring was started in St. Lucia in 1990, the activity was not continued mainly because of a shortage of staff at that time.  Monitoring was recommenced in 1994 after a workshop organised by the OECS Natural Resources Management Unit, and has been continued since then at several sites on the west and east coasts. 

In 1994, the first 12 month assessment phase of the Northwest Coastal Conservation project commenced.  In 1998 the second 2 year phase started and a project unit was established within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment.  This project started beach monitoring on the northwest coast of St. Lucia from Pointe du Cap to Roseau using the same methods as the COSALC project but more sophisticated equipment (automatic level), so their data are more accurate.  These data are analyzed using a customised Excel spreadsheet which is to be linked to the GIS.  It had been envisaged that phase 3 of the Northwest Coastal Conservation project would see the establishment of a Coastal Zone Management Unit, with the local staff who had been trained during phase 2 of the project forming the nucleus of such a Unit.  However, in March 2000, responsibility for the environment had been transferred to the Ministry of Finance and Planning, specifically to the Sustainable Development Unit, which had been renamed the Unit for Sustainable Development and the Environment.  Thus at the present time it is unclear how institutional arrangements for coastal zone management will develop.  Obviously any recommendations concerning beach monitoring activities must await the outcome of this reorganisation period. 

St. Lucia has seen a proliferation of hard structures on the beaches, particularly along the northwest coast, but also other areas in the south, and concern has been expressed about the effects these were having on beach dynamics.  Now that new coastal development setback guidelines have been prepared for St. Lucia (Cambers, 1999c), the next stage is to ensure that these guidelines are used by the Physical Planning Division of the Ministry of Finance and Planning so that ‘safe’ setbacks can be included as conditions for development approval. 

Another coastal problem in St. Lucia relates to beach sand mining, which again has become a serious issue.  Sand mining is controlled by the Ministry of Communications and Works.  Considerable efforts were made in the early 1990s to ensure that this Ministry was fully aware of the adverse impacts of beach sand mining.  However, with a very high staff turnover at this Ministry, such efforts have to be continued, so that the impacts of activities such as sand extraction at river mouths are fully understood and remedied. 

4.1.10    St. Vincent and the Grenadines

 The main counterpart unit in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the Seismic Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Labour.  One person from this Unit was trained in the use of the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme, however, further training will be necessary. 

Beach monitoring was established in St. Vincent in 1995 and data were collected for one year, during which time beach monitoring sites were also established in some of the Grenadine Islands e.g. Bequia, Palm Island.  However, the monitoring activity was not continued.   

Discussions were held with the Ministry of Agriculture and Labour as to whether another counterpart agency would be nominated for the monitoring activity, as yet no decision has been made.  The Ministry expressed their interest in the monitoring activity especially in view of the damage to the islands’ beaches and infrastructure caused by Hurricane Lenny.  The Physical Planning Department also expressed the need for such monitoring information and referred to the erosion at Lower Bay in Bequia, and the destruction of a coastal road at Hamilton, Bequia, both a result of Hurricane Lenny. 

In January 2000, beach monitoring was established in Bequia with the assistance of third form students from the Bequia Community High School and their teacher.  Training was provided in field monitoring methods and several sites were established and measured.  The ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme was also installed on computer at the school and training was provided in its use.  It is anticipated that these students will continue the monitoring activity over the next two years and through this activity they will learn about beach dynamics, scientific monitoring and environmental management, and at the same time establish a valuable data base which can be used by the country in the effective management of Bequia’s beach resources.   

Discussions were also held with third form students from the Emanuel High School in Kingstown concerning beach management and another COSALC activity, the ‘Sandwatch project.’  

4.1.11    Turks and Caicos Islands 

The main counterpart agency in the Turks and Caicos Islands is the Department of the Environment and Coastal Resources.  One person from this Department was trained in the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme and is considered competent in its use, in addition, the programme was demonstrated to four enforcement officers. 

Monitoring was started in the Turks and Caicos Islands in 1995 (in Grand Turk and Providenciales), however, the activity has not been continued and only two data sets exist (one set for 1995 and one set for 1997). 

In Grand Turk, the monitoring is conducted by the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources and the Department of Planning.  The ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme was also installed at the Department of Planning and one person trained in its use. 

Beach sand mining is a problem, especially in Grand Turk and South Caicos. Discussions concerning the control of this problem and alternative sources of sand were discussed with the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources officer in South Caicos. 

In Providenciales, the beach monitoring sites were established in 1995 by the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources, who also have an office in Providenciales. In 1998 a Coastal Resources Management Project was started with support from the U.K. Department for International Development, this is a 3-4 year project, which may ultimately develop into a National Parks Service.  The main goals of the project are to manage two national parks in Providenciales and one in West Caicos, public awareness, education, and the establishment of a park headquarters and interpretative centre in Providenciales.  All the beach monitoring sites in Providenciales are in the Princess Alexandria Park. 

The Coastal Resources Management project has expressed interest in undertaking the monitoring of the beach sites in Providenciales. During this present project, training in field methods was conducted and the ‘Beach Profile Analysis’ programme was installed at the Coastal Resources Management project and three persons were trained in its use. 

While the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources is the main counterpart agency, good coordinating mechanisms need to be established with the Department of Planning and the Coastal Resources Management project to ensure that beach monitoring activities are re-established and the data shared among all the involved agencies.  

The Turks and Caicos Islands, while receiving little damage from Hurricane Lenny in 1999, did receive considerable impact from other hurricanes in the 1999 season, e.g. Hurricane Floyd. Particularly in Providenciales, where coastal development is taking place at a very rapid rate, the need for ‘safe’ coastal development setback guidelines and control of hard structures on or near the active beach zone is of particular importance.  (As a positive sign, it should be noted that in 1998 construction setbacks had been increased from 60 feet from the high water mark to 100 feet from the vegetation line).

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