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NEW NATURE TOURISM INITIATIVE ON CAYMAN BRACPATRICIA E BRADLEYNature Tourism Consultant to Cayman Brac, Cayman IslandAWARE THAT NATURE TOURISM had become thefastest growing branch of the industry in the Caribbean,in 1998, the Cayman Islands Government decidedto develop a land-based initiative on CaymanBrac. The project has been designed to be of lowimpacton the small population of 1600 Brackers,who retain their flourishing cultural and architecturalheritage, and on the relatively unspoiled natural forestsand wildlife. In the first phase, completed in December2000, some 35 “heritage sites” were chosento show the most representative natural features ofthe Brac; all are described in an illustrated brochuremapand identified by roadside location and interpretativesigns. Six large hand-painted porcelain panels,placed at the most visited locations, describe the lifehistories of birds, faunal biodiversity, and wetlandsecology. Aimed at hikers, naturalists, bird watchers,botanists and photographers, the majority of heritagesites are old trails and walks along wetlands, shores,marine cliffs, and through endemic forests. As well,several large caves with deep chambers are listedtogether with those used as historic and modern hurricaneshelters. Caves that house owls and the mainbat colonies have been left off the map.As in many other West Indian islands, nature tourismis seen as a way of offering some protection forthe natural resources and biodiversity of CaymanBrac (where there are no protected wetlands and only180 acres of protected forest) by giving them a dollarvalue as nature tourist attractions. Land prices skyrocketedin the Brac in the late 1990s and it is nowtoo expensive for the National Trust to purchase landfor conservation. Low impact tourism is feasible onthe Brac because of the small resident population,only 400 tourist rooms, no cruise ship visits, andabout 70% of land area covered by forest and shrubland.Marketing is being directed at tourists in thehigher income bracket, who require peace and tranquilityin unspoiled, safe natural surroundings wherethey can be self-guided; organized tours and nightlifeare not a feature of the Brac! Nevertheless, we areaware of the dangers to the island’s biodiversity―thatthis was how many eco-tourist destinationsbegan, later to be spoiled by their success, withGrand Cayman a case in point. But there is also aneed to keep the Brac sustainable for the people, aswell as the wildlife, and jobs must be created for theyoung to prevent them leaving the island. Thus, weare putting our forests, wetlands, fauna, and flora towork. As a corollary, the goals of this initiative (i.e.,sustainable development) have been incorporatedinto the schools’ curricula, along with a wetlandsecology unit devised by the West Indian Whistling-Duck Working Group. The teachers are enthusiasticallyorganizing field trips, and the walks and trailsclose to the schools are being used as a natural laboratory.It is hoped that by these early education andawareness programs the younger generation will developan understanding that the natural world on theBrac has its own intrinsic and cultural value.The topography of Cayman Brac is dominated bya central limestone plateau know as “The Bluff,”which is flanked by narrow coastal plains to thenorth and south. Before roads were developed, theonly access between the north and south coasts wasby a series of footpaths across the Bluff. By the endof the 20th century, only a few footpaths remained,because most had been turned into roads or incorporatedinto building sites. Fortunately, six footpathshave been secured as public rights-of- way. Theymake superb hiking trails with surfaces upgraded forsafer walking and a series of steps constructed up theface of the bluff to allow access from the north coast.Five of the trails pass through endemic tropical forestand are excellent places for all types of naturalists,especially bird watchers, butterfly experts, and botanists.The Brac parrot is our flagship species, protectedwith a 180-acre breeding reserve, but also ofornithological interest are the endemic races of theVitelline Warbler, Thick-billed Vireo, and the RedleggedThrush. Over 180 species of birds have beenrecorded on the Brac, 79% of which are NorthAmerican migrants, and most are surprisingly approachableallowing good nature photography.Boardwalks have been built on the small wetlands inthe southwest, close to the tourist hotels, and anotherwetland is being restored following it stint as thepublic dump. Whereas to date only a lagoon and theParrot Reserve are protected areas, a Brac family hasoffered the National Trust land that contains the onlyheronry on the island. Other sites (e.g., the forest oneither side of the hiking trails) are dependant on theEl Pitirre 14(1) Page 35