Management Plan - Glover's Reef Marine Reserve

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Glovers Reef Marine Reserve – Management Plan eastern tip of the island – almost certainly as the result of less aggressive beach clearance activities (Walker, 2007). In the late 1990’s the island’s coconut trees became highly infected with lethal yellowing disease (Berlin & Quiroz 1998), and a total of 150 hybrid Maypan diseaseresistant coconut trees were subsequently planted to replace some of those that had died, near the facilities. On the remaining area of the island, the untreated trees died rapidly and many were removed (Bright 1999). A non-exhaustive survey of the flora of Middle Caye (Walker, 2007) demonstrated that, in the absence of the negative impacts associated with invasive coconuts, the native flora and vegetation assemblages are re-establishing very well, with native species assemblages being established over much of the island, greatly increasing the extent and condition of natural vegetation, and enhancing habitat quality for the fauna. A total of 31 species of plant were identified in the survey, not including most of the grasses, and not including at least one more unidentified herbaceous species. Species richness is evidently increasing as a direct result of the reduction of the coconut abundance, and as a result of more environmentally-friendly management. It would appear that overall species richness is rapidly returning to natural levels, though it can be expected that habitat structure will continue to change significantly over coming years as woody shrubs and trees extend the current limits of the littoral forest into some of the areas currently dominated by herbaceous beach flora. Current management (pruning of taller growth, to maintain a vista) of a significant portion of the northern portion of the island has provided a competitive advantage to two semi-woody shrubs: Ernodea littoralis and Erythralis fruticosa (Figures 22 and 23), the berries of the latter being an extremely attractive food source to the resident white-crowned pigeons, to the migrant birds passing through the Atoll in significant numbers, and to the healthy population of black iguanas. Tall red mangrove provides important habitat on the western side of the caye. Recent vegetation mapping by WCS is highly accurate. WCS owns the caye and has established a research facility on the cleared northern end of the island. This includes a dormitory for researchers, a laboratory, kitchen, manager’s house (Figure 24), staff quarters, showers and composting toilets, workshop, solar panels and back-up diesel generators, air compressor for filling SCUBA tanks, and a dock. WCS has also provided a location in this area for the headquarters of the marine reserve, administered by the Fisheries Dept. This includes accommodation for reserve staff, a kitchen, and an area allocated for a small visitor centre. Southwest I Caye Figures 22; 23; 24: Top: Ernodea littoralis Middle: Erithralisfruticosa Bottom: WCS Accommodation on Middle Caye The Southwest Cayes are located at the southern end of the Atoll, immediately east of the broad southern entrance to the atoll’s lagoon. Although it has been reported that the cayes were originally one large island, which was spilt in half during the 1931 hurricane (Gibson 1988), Stoddart (1962) records suggest that they have existed in their present state for at least two centuries. The sheltered bay between the two cayes forms a natural protected nursery area, though there are concerns that, following Hurricane Mitch and the closure of the reef cut Wildtracks / Wildlife Conservation Society, 2007 37
Glovers Reef Marine Reserve – Management Plan by coral rubble, reducing the water flow through the area, sedimentation is reducing the depth of the channel. Figure 25: Southwest I (WCS/S. Hoare) Figure 26: Isla Marisol restaurant / bar facility on Southwest I Southwest Caye I (Figure 25) is the larger and more easterly of the two cayes, with an area of 9 ha. It is comprised of coral rubble on its seaward shore, sand on the leeward shore, and an area of swamp in the interior. The vegetation is mainly coconuts and mangroves, though 40 plant species were recorded in the past by Stoddart (1962), Linhart (1980) and Stoddart et al. (1982). The island, however, was heavily impacted by Hurricane Iris in 2001, and some of the vegetation was affected. In addition the coconuts have suffered severely from lethal yellowing. The affected area has been replanted with resistant hybrids. Tourism development of Southwest Caye has been towards the clearance of white sandy beaches and the re-establishment of coconuts - native flora is very much in decline, with paraquat-based herbicide being used to suppress “weed” growth in the Isla Marisol area. The caye is owned by the Usher family which has three small holiday homes located on the northern shore. Other infrastructure includes a building housing a kitchen and dining area and also some platforms for tents located on the eastern end of the caye and operated by Island Expeditions. This company specializes in kayaking trips. Mr. Eddy Usher has also constructed an expanding resort, Isla Marisol, with cabanas, and a bar/restaurant, constructed at the end of a dock (Figure 26), located on the northern shore. Southwest II Caye This caye (Figure 27) is the most southerly on Glover’s Reef and, unlike the other islands, it is mainly sandy with no swampy areas. It was once entirely covered with coconut woodland, with 40 species of plants recorded by Stoddart (1962), Linhart (1980) and Stoddart et al. (1982). Resort development, however, has reduced the natural vegetation, with clearance for development, leaving bare sand with coconut trees. The southern part of the 6-hectare island, owned by Figure 27: Southwest II Caye (WCS/S. Hoare) Wildtracks / Wildlife Conservation Society, 2007 38
Page 1 and 2: g Plan Photographs: Glover’s Atol
Page 3 and 4: Contents Glover’s Reef Marine Res
Page 5 and 6: Tables Glover’s Reef Marine Reser
Page 7 and 8: Maps Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve
Page 9 and 10: Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve - Ma
Page 11 and 12: Map 1: Glover’s Reef Atoll UTM Co
Page 15 and 16: 2.3 National Context 2.3.1 Legal an
Page 19 and 20: Environmental Services of the Prote
Page 25 and 26: 2.4 Physical Environment of Managem
Page 27 and 28: Glovers Reef Marine Reserve - Manag
Page 29 and 30: 2.4.3 Bathymetry Glovers Reef Marin
Page 31 and 32: 2.4.4 Tides and Water Movement Glov
Page 35 and 36: Map 3: Ecosystems of Glover’s Ree
Page 37 and 38: Peripheral Reefs Glovers Reef Marin
Page 39 and 40: Patch Reefs Glovers Reef Marine Res
Page 41 and 42: Map 4: Location of Cayes Glovers Re
Page 43: Glovers Reef Marine Reserve - Manag
Page 47 and 48: 2.5.3 Fauna Mammals Glovers Reef Ma
Page 51 and 52: Economically Important Species Ther
Page 53 and 54: Table 16: Conch catches from Glover
Page 55 and 56: Table 18: Maximum Nassau Grouper co
Page 63 and 64: 2.6.2 Archaeological Sites Glovers
Page 65 and 66: generally have dive guides resident
Page 67 and 68: 3. Conservation Planning Glovers Re
Page 69 and 70: Hawksbill Turtle Glovers Reef Marin
Page 93 and 94: Figure 52: Damage to Reef (Habitat
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3.2.5 Land development/habitat loss
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3.2.8 Dredging Dredging and Associa
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Glovers Reef Marine Reserve - Manag
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4. Management Planning 4.1 Manageme
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4.4.2 Management Zones Glovers Reef
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Map 6: Glover’s Reef Marine Reser
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Conservation Zone The Conservation
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Spawning Aggregation Site This zone
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Natural Resource Management Program
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Natural Resource Management Program
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Monitoring Activities 2007 - 2012 R
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4.5.4 Public Use Programme Glovers
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Public Use Programme Activities 200
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4.5.6 Administrative Programme Glov
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Table 27: Charges for licenses and
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References Glovers Reef Marine Rese
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IUCN (2007) Red List Glovers Reef M
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Measures of Success of Implementati
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Bird Species of Glover’s Reef Ato
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Table 22: Bird Species of Glover’
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Table 19: Fish Species of Glover’
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Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Glovers
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Caribbean Reef Shark (Carcharhinus
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3. Implement environmental monitori
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Management Plan - Glover's Reef Marine Reserve

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