BNT Breaks Ground on Welcome Center at Exuma’s Moriah Harbour National Park

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EXUMA, BAHAMAS – It’s no secret that national parks play a major role in protecting the environment, acting as natural carbon sinks to combat climate change, and providing unfiltered water and clean air.

However, they can also boost local economies through sustainable ecotourism while serving as living laboratories for environmental education.

Over in in Exuma, the Moriah Harbour Cay National Park fits that description.

Last month, The Bahamas National Trust celebrated two major milestones there, the groundbreaking of a new welcome centre and the successful completion of a Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme Project.

Catherine Booker is the park manager at the Moriah Harbour Cay National Park.

Booker says the facility will serve as a hub for visitor services, environmental education, community engagement, and park operations.

Catherine Booker – Park Manager, Moriah Harbour Cay National Park

“The welcome center is going to be located in The Ferry, Little Exuma. Right after you cross the bridge in Great Exuma, and you reach the other side, you’re going to see this really nice building with a wrap-around porch.”

“We’re going to have docks there so people can access from the water, and it’s a great spot for the park because its really central to the park as a whole.”

Last month’s ceremony also marked the close-out of the park’s GEF Small Grants Programme Project, which was implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme.

Thanks to that funding, Booker says phase one of the project has been completed.

Catherine Booker – Park Manager, Moriah Harbour Cay National Park

“That actually allowed us to put in solar, so we have a solar system that’s already operational on the sight. We’re catching rainwater off the roof of one of our small buildings that’s there. and that’s going to allow us to really build sustainably.”

The Exuma Park Manager adding that the initiative has also helped strengthen the management of the 22,833-acre Exuma park through habitat restoration, invasive species management, and improved navigation measures.