The Saint Lucia National Trust continues its implementation of the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Project “Increasing the climate change resilience and public awareness of the Pointe Sable Environmental Protection Area and Pigeon Island National Landmark ecosystems”, with the commencement of rehabilitation works on one of the storm drains in Beanefield, Vieux Fort. As part of the aforementioned project, the Trust, in keeping with the donor procurement rules, has contracted the construction firm Heavy Machinery and Construction (HMC) Ltd to undertake the storm drain rehabilitation works.
The continued degradation of the coastal resources in the Pointe Sable Environmental Protection Area (PSEPA) has been an ongoing concern to the Trust. Blocked and degraded storm drains along the Beanefield area of the Castries-Vieux Fort Highway have been exacerbating the issues of coastal zone erosion and flooding. These storm drains are intended to channel waters to the sea and reduce the impact of floods and coastal erosion during adverse weather events. This intervention by the Trust under the EbA project is designed to minimise the extensive damage to road infrastructure, and the adjacent beach, coastal vegetation, sand dunes and marine ecosystems, as occurred during the 2013 Christmas Eve trough.
Two of the drains were rehabilitated under previous projects and the rehabilitation of the third Beanefield Storm Drain will improve the physical functioning of the drain, and increase the resilience of the drainage infrastructure to climate induced impacts. As part of this component of the project, the Trust has been working closely with staff at the Southern Office of the Ministry of Infrastructure, who are assisting with project oversight.
Funding for the SLNT EbA project is provided under grant agreement with the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) through its EbA Facility, with co-financing provided by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature, Conservation and Nuclear Safety (KfW).