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Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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CSI papers 1
Effects and Implications of Sand Mining in Tobago
Charmaine O'Brien-Delpesh,
Institute of Marine Affairs, Trinidad & Tobago
Abstract
Beach sand mining is a serious problem affecting coastal areas of Tobago. During the last fifteen to twenty years, there has been an increase in the construction industry, as a result of population growth and rapid development in the tourism sector. Unfortunately, Tobago lacks naturally occurring deposits of sand and gravel, which has resulted in a shortage of buliding aggregates. Historically, beach sand was the accepted source of aggregate. This practice is no longer acceptable, but has been difficult to stop. Within the last five years sand has been removed from beaches in increasing amounts to alleviate aggregate shortage. Several beaches such as Great Courland, Richmond, Goldsborough, Little Rockly and La Guira have been mined for sand and as a consequence have all undergone severe erosion. Even though beach sand mining has stopped at some of these beaches, few have been able to recover. Several alternatives to beach sand mining are being considered, with the importation of aggregate from Trinidad being the most viable option.
