In the Friday 20 November 2009 edition of The Anguillian, an article was written regarding “mass erosion at Shoal Bay.” This letter is a direct response to a statement that was made in that article by an individual about the Anguilla National Trust, its position on sand mining, and the role that the organisation plays in enforcement.

Sand mining is clearly a destructive activity. It involves the extraction of an essentially non-renewable resource and the results of such activities in Anguilla have been both striking and devastating. Dunes that were once over twenty feet high, that spanned the length of Windward Point beach, have now been reduced to practically nothing; they have been mined to bare rock. Sand mining activities have also been taking place at the dunes that line Savannah Bay. Sile Bay beach had also been mined and after Hurricane Luis, little has been left of the beach. A concrete breakwater is an artefact of those activities. Even still, pocket mining continues to occur at this site. The beach at Forest Bay has also been affected by individuals moving and removing sand. Crocus Bay and Cove Bay have also felt the brunt of sand mining activities, although at a smaller scale than what has taken place at Windward Point.

Sand mining is not sustainable. Unlike the natural movement of sand that takes place with ocean currents and even grounds seas and hurricanes which involves moving sand off- and on-shore, continuously building and eroding beaches, and moving sand particles from one beach to another, sand mining takes sand out of the system. Once it is removed, it is gone forever. And the impacts are not mild.

Sand dunes and beaches act as natural barriers for the land from storm surges, hurricanes, and erosion; they provide habitat for coastal plants and animals; and they are important recreational and cultural areas for both residents of and visitors to this island. Sand mining destroys all of these.

The Anguilla National Trust has always maintained its position that sand mining – at any scale – should not be allowed or ignored. Anguilla’s laws also support this position. According to the Beach Protection Orders, 18 of Anguilla’s beaches are “protected.” The Beach Protection Act, itself, states:

Removal of sand, etc., from beaches and foreshores prohibited
3. Any person who digs with the intention of taking away or, takes or carries away, or aids, or assists another in doing so, any sand, stones or gravel from any protected beach is guilty of an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $5,000 and to imprisonment for 12 months and in case of a continuing offence to a fine of $500 for each day upon which such offence continues.

The ANT, however, does not have the ability to enforce these laws/legislation. The agency can only report sand mining activities to Government authorities. Over the years, the ANT has made numerous complaints about sand mining activities at Windward Point, Sile Bay, Forest Bay, Crocus Bay, and Savannah Bay, with the latest report being made on 1 September 2009. Some of these complaints stem from calls that are made to the Trust office by concerned citizens. The ANT has also partnered with the ALHCS Environmental Club on their own anti-sand mining campaign which included letters to the Chief Minister and a petition that was signed by almost 400 individuals calling for an end to such destructive activities. The ANT has also given school presentations, written articles, and spoken on radio programmes about the issue. It has also called on the public to voice their own concerns to the appropriate Government departments: many voices are sometimes more effective than one.

The ANT considers sand mining to be a serious problem that will have long-lasting effects on the health and well-being of this island and its residents. This is a position that the ANT has always maintained.

It is important to note, however, that in addition to sand mining, Anguilla’s beaches are also vulnerable to other anthropogenic (human-based) stressors, including coastal development. Beaches and sand dunes are often held together (on the landward side) by the root system of the vegetation that grows on the sand. When this vegetation is cleared for built development, that natural beach support system is removed and the beach becomes even more vulnerable to erosion. Setting buildings back from the vegetation line could therefore help maintain the structure of the beach, make it more resilient to ground seas, and protect the actual buildings that constructed close to the coastline. This becomes increasingly important as we are forced to consider the potential impacts of climate change: rising sea levels and more severe storms and hurricanes which could in turn lead to higher storm surges.

Understanding how nature operates, respecting it, and trying to work with it, instead of working against it or trying to control it, could save a significant amount of money, time, and heartache.

The ANT would like to reiterate that it is important for the public to continue to report sand mining activities to the appropriate authorities, that we encourage the public to become involved in environmental programmes and discussions, and that the organisation remains committed to conserving, protecting, and promoting Anguilla’s natural and cultural heritage.

Farah Mukhida
(Executive Director of the Anguilla National Trust) & the Anguilla National Trust Council

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News