{"id":268906,"date":"2026-03-05T16:41:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T20:41:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=268906"},"modified":"2026-03-05T16:41:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T20:41:18","slug":"esfn-concludes-world-wetlands-day-activities-with-successful-ramsar-site-ecological-tour-to-barbuda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/esfn-concludes-world-wetlands-day-activities-with-successful-ramsar-site-ecological-tour-to-barbuda\/","title":{"rendered":"ESFN Concludes World Wetlands Day Activities with Successful RAMSAR Site Ecological Tour to Barbuda\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The EcoShores Sustainable Futures Network (ESFN) is proud to report the successful completion of its youth-centered ecological tour to Antigua and Barbuda\u2019s RAMSAR Site established in 2005, the Codrington Lagoon National Park. This tour, held in recognition of World Wetlands Day 2026, brought together seventy (70) participants from Antigua and Barbuda, including environmental enthusiasts, students, and teachers from the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS), as well as members of local environmental organizations such as IHO Nature Rangers, Scrub Life Cares, and Adopt-a-Coastline. Twenty-four (24) Barbudan Youth Participants joined in the activity and shared their media expertise by capturing the momentous occasion. For many Antiguan participants, it was their first time to the sister island. <\/p>

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This immersive educational experience was centered on the Codrington Lagoon National Park, a wetland of international significance and one of the Caribbean\u2019s most important ecological and cultural landscapes. Participants explored the lagoon and its surrounding wetland ecosystems, including seagrass beds, gaining insight into the dynamic role wetlands play in biodiversity, climate resilience, and community well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tour included a guided visit to the Magnificent Frigate Bird Sanctuary, where community members laid eyes on the nesting colony for the first time. As the visit was conducted during mating season, the male frigate bird could be easily seen with its red gular pouch poised to allure a female mate. Nest-building by male frigate birds, and white fluffy new-borns from the single egg laid were a sight to behold. It was a moment of awe, which additionally prompted many eager questions from participants. <\/p>

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ESFN, dedicated to conservation activities, noted from stakeholders the need for additional research and data gathering on the Magnificent Frigate Bird Colony and will be engaging community members in Barbuda to fill this gap. Community members noted that while groups visit and conduct research, data is rarely shared back for local knowledge. ESFN is hoping to change this through citizen science interventions. <\/p>

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Additional stops included the Pink Sand Beach, which had experienced ground swells, demonstrating the impact of coastal erosion on the shoreline. Upon being alerted, an expeditionary group visited the second breach that has now occurred in Barbuda. Additional research and monitoring will be needed to guide feedback to partners and stakeholders on this new development. The previous, longstanding breach would have taken place in 2017 following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Irma and has remained open since then causing environmental concerns for this delicate ecosystem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other notable stops included the BarbudanGO project areas of the restored Ownly Well, and Low Pond areas, where a mangrove nursery is constructed to support environmental protection by the community. Through these experiences, youth learned firsthand about the lagoon\u2019s ecological features, wildlife conservation, and the natural processes that shape Barbuda\u2019s coastal landscapes.<\/p>

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Aligned with this year\u2019s World Wetlands Day theme,\u201cWetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage,\u201d<\/em> the RAMSAR Site tour integrated lessons on the cultural, economic, and historical significance of these ecosystems to Barbudan and Antiguan communities. Through discussions and direct engagement, participants explored how traditional knowledge can guide conservation practices and inspire sustainable stewardship of natural resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The community engagement aspect is grounded in themes of:<\/p>

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