Twenty Students Graduated Snorkel Club
PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Nature Foundation Snorkel Club came to an end recently with the graduation of some twenty students.
The Nature Foundation, in a continued effort to educate the youth on conservation issues and stress the important role the youth plays in the future of nature conservation on this island, established the Snorkel Club program in 2010 with the aim of educating local youth in snorkelling skills and marine conservation. Children were given a number of lessons with each lesson consisting of both theory and practical elements. "Educating the youth on the environment is one of the most important tasks of the Nature Foundation. It is through educating the children that will eventually inherit this island that we can ensure true development in the sustainable sense while conserving our natural environment," read a Nature Foundation statement.
The students snorkelled and hiked on Tintamarre where they learnt to identify shells and sea turtles. They were taken on a tour to the various diving sites and learnt how to patrol the lagoon. The students hiked through Genève Bay en route to Back Bay. They also hiked from Guana Bay beach to Gibbs Bay during which they learnt how to identify sea turtle tracks and nests. The students snorkelled at Little Bay and around the Tiki Hut and went on an excursion to the sewage plant. They also received a presentation on how to identify fish and practiced doing so by means of a pop quiz. Snorkel club concluded with an introduction to scuba diving in the swimming pool at IGY Marina.
The St. Maarten Nature Foundation would like to thank Elle Si Belle Agency for generously providing the transportation to and from hiking and swimming activities, Isle de Sol/IGY Marina for the use of their swimming pool, Aqua Mania and Scuba Shop for their generous donation.
"Introducing the youth to the environment and conservation activities is something that we will continue to do. We look forward to next year's snorkel club." Tadzio Bervoets, manager of the St. Maarten Nature Foundation.
