Fort Shirley, at the Cabrits National Park, is now an international field research centre for heritage and ecology studies. The first group to use the facility is Operation Wallacea International Field Studies. Their Dominica programme can be viewed at http://opwall.com/sixth-form-high-school/locations/dominica-school-expeditions/
On Saturday the students completed a week of marine education and scuba dive training. They spent the first week at Springfield Clemson University Centre studying forest environments. Four other groups, totaling 112 students, will be guests at the Fort Shirley facility every week for the next five weeks.
The students are lodged at the recently completed Fort Shirley Hostel, which is housed in what was once soldiers’ barracks. The visitors are catered for by Mrs. Hilma Marie at her Prince Rupert’s Tavern within the park. The dive and marine education centre is operated by Jorge Camarra of JC Sea Adventure Dive and his local team of dive instructors and assistants. The marine centre occupies another restored building on the Cabrits seashore that was formerly in ruins. It was restored by the National Parks Division in 2011 with funds from the OECS OPPAL project.
Local coordinator of the Cabrits field study programme is Dr. Lennox Honychurch, who has been directing the restoration of Fort Shirley for many years with this in mind, working with the National Parks and Forestry Division and the Ministry of Agriculture. He negotiated with Operation Wallacea to come to Dominica and use the Cabrits as a field station.
According to Dr. Honychurch, this can be seen as ‘Academic Tourism’. He noted that these visits occur during the ‘off season’ and bring in much needed foreign exchange directly into the community through rental of the facility and income to food caterers, dive instructors, tour guides, hostel staff, transportation and purchase of souvenirs among other services. Operation Wallacea will be using the Fort Shirley centre each summer for the foreseeable future.
“There has been great feedback from this first group,” the historian noted, “and we expect the word to spread so that Fort Shirley can be self supporting while earning extra income for the National Parks.” Use of the hostel will be based on local, foreign and community group rates so that it will be affordable while at the same time cover its costs.
great job
Good JOB. We need more like that.
oh yes! one of our gems for real. the only time you hear all the good that he has done is when he moves on to another world.
good job Dr, Honeychurch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
keep up the good work!
Great idea. Just one suggestion. We should try to incorporate some of our local students into the program so that they can learn from these students and learn along with them.
That’s such a great idea things start small and grow just like human beings Dominica has so much to offer to the world am happy to see the people see the potential in our land.
Dr. Honychurch is a true patriot working behind the scenes all in the interest of Dominica. From what Cabrits was to what it is today, its a tribute to Dr. Honychurch. I understand he is leaving Dominica though to take up a similar job in the Caribbean – the OECS. That would be a crying shame
Very good thing coming to this island to study hope some day it will be just like Ross. Jah Bless
Very good thing coming to this island to study hope some day day it will be just like Ross. Jah Bless
Wonderful Development….. Mr Honeychurch, you continue to be one of Dominica’s Gems. Lets give the man his flowers while he is alive.