Challenges of Field Work
Caribbean seabird field work is rarely without its challenges: rough seas, foul weather, impenetrable thickets of thorny bushes, and brutal heat. Now we can add festivals to our list! We do this vital work because we care about seabirds and want to ensure they are here for generations to come.
Cay-Hill Community Council hosts its first Community Cleanup
Updates about this project, student applications, and clean-up dates will be posted on EPIC’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/epicislands. Project coordinators Riddhi Samtani and Laura Bijnsdorp can be reached at projects@epicislands.org for enquiries and collaborations.
Annual Update on Activities, August 2022
Another year of activity related to the Black-capped Petrel, aka Diablotin, has come and gone. The conservation action plan calls for nine strategies to enable conservation and address threats. Analysis suggests that no single strategy can result in a population increase but, by pursuing a number of strategies in synergy, we can achieve a positive population trajectory into the future.
Free Monthly Hikes in Sint Maarten
EPIC will resume offering free monthly hikes with the first one on the Fleming property, Sint Maarten on Sunday 5th June. The hike starts at 6am at the Cole Bay end of the Causeway bridge and heads up to the UTS ball at the top.
EPIC: Taking Strides in Protecting the Environment
Earth Day press coverage of EPIC in the Daily Herald: the leading newspaper for St. Martin and the northeast Caribbean.
Discover Our 2021 Annual Impact Report
Thank you to our donors, volunteers, and staff for the many hours of work that included monitoring remote seabird colonies in the Grenadines, rebuilding a recreational birdwatching hut on Sint Maarten, and teaching children about healthy watersheds in Haiti. These inspiring activities continued during 2021, which was a very challenging year as we all navigated the effects of a global pandemic. Read our 2021 Annual Impact Report to learn more.
How to Find a Petrel
Dominica, West Indies – In May of 2007, a bus driver was leaving the Dominican village of Trafalgar heading towards the capital city of Roseau. Passing through the village of Padu, he noticed an odd-looking bird on the road. Curious, he stopped and got out to have a look. Upon closer inspection, this was a bird he had never seen in Dominica before. Something was off about this bird, perhaps it was injured or stunned in some way, so the bus driver picked the bird up, put it on his lap, and continued his bus route to Roseau.
EPIC Trains Volunteer Hike Leaders
A successful training session on Sint Maarten expanded the number of trained volunteer hike leaders and increased the island’s eco-tourism capacity. Twelve participants, including tour guides and educators, completed the training, hosted by Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) and funded by Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds (PBCCG). It was held in space donated by Samenwerkende Fondsen Cariben and Resources 4 Community Resilience on April 3rd.
Exciting News from EPIC Co-Founders Natalia Collier and Adam Brown
We’re sharing this message today in celebration of two big changes within our non-profit organization. EPIC now has a new logo and website. When we founded EPIC more than 20 years ago, we wanted to make a difference….
An EPIC New Year Ahead
Message from EPIC Executive Director Tabitha Stadler – I want to personally thank you for your continued support. 2021 was a tough year for us all, as we experienced the effects of a global pandemic. EPIC used this time for introspection and strategic growth. We are excited to share some new developments with you…
Tumultuous Times Brought by Haiti Earthquake
EPIC team members were visiting petrel nesting sites, high in the mountains of Haiti, when they received text messages on 14 August at about 8:30 a.m., that a massive 7.2 earthquake was rocking their homes. The team quickly made their way back to discover…
Haiti Relief Shelters for Les Cayes
THANK YOU to all the generous and caring supporters who responded to our request and donated towards Haiti Relief. We raised more than $4,000 and were able to ship supplies and shelters directly to Les Cayes, where EPIC teams live and work.
We are all so grateful. Thank you again.
3 Things that EPIC Does Really Well
Join our team of supporters on #GivingTuesday and give an EPIC gift because….
Putting Mammals On The Map
The Grenadines Seabird Guardians is a group of volunteers that travel to remote, uninhabited islands to monitor and protect seabirds and habitats in this vast archipelago that includes the nations of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Working Group Addressing Grenadines Conservation Issues
A working group, comprised of diverse stakeholders, is exploring conservation issues affecting the remote, uninhabited islands of the Grenadines and mapping out actions to protect the native wildlife found there.
Sint Maarten Hero Hikers
Tourism is the top employer and economic driver of Sint Maarten, which is an opportunity to expand sustainable tourism activities. Moving towards this goal, the EPIC Sint Maarten Foundation mapped and signed ten hiking trails and is now working to train on-island hiking guides and ecotour operators. But when coronavirus restrictions went into place around […]
Detecting Invasive Mammals on Offshore Islands
Throughout 2019-2020 Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) has focused efforts to build upon previous investigations in the Grenadines island chain to document invasive mammal species presence at offshore Grenadine islands. The uninhabited islands of the Grenadines are globally important for nesting seabirds and host regionally endemic and endangered reptile species, such as sea turtles […]
Take a Look, We Made an Impact!
This was a year of great changes for everyone. Despite these challenges, EPIC’s staff, volunteers and supporters continued working towards a sustainable future for the Caribbean region. In 2020, EPIC celebrated 20 years of Caribbean conservation and we’ve released our annual report for this past year. Join us in learning about EPIC projects, programs and people along with some of the fascinating history […]
Sunset Kayaking with EPIC Sint Maarten
We finally got out on the water on Saturday, November 7, with a group of 18 adults and older children who kayaked out of Simpson Bay Lagoon, Sint Maarten, and into the sunset. The waters in and around Sint Maarten were gorgeous! Kayaking out with the sunset was serene as the sun’s hues deepened above […]
Director’s Message
Thank you to all the volunteers and supporters who helped EPIC navigate the challenging waters of 2020. We are especially grateful to the members of the new Legacy Council who have the vision and confidence to support EPIC over the next five years. EPIC also celebrated the milestone of 20 years of successful Caribbean conservation […]
