Galion Beach
Saint-Martin was preparing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its natural reserve and had not invited Irma to join the festivities. In a few hours, the winds of nearly 360 km / h of this unprecedented cyclone have destroyed the fruits of 20 years of work.
Since September 6, Saint Martin has suffered. France quickly sent large numbers of military and humanitarian forces. Clearance operations, cleaning of neighborhoods and roads, resupply of the population continue.
For our natural heritage, the damage is considerable. The mangroves have been wiped out.
Mangrove of the Pond of Cul-de-Sac
The seabed and in particular the corals, which were already suffering from the effects of climate change, have been ruined.
A multitude of waste, carried by the winds, pollutes all the protected areas of the coast and the ponds. The facilities put in place in recent years no longer exist or are badly damaged: the whale observatory at Galion, 4 bird observatories, 2 trails in the mangrove swamp, dozens of informative panels, 5 carbets, 8 delimitation buoys, around thirty mooring buoys, a nesting raft, an underwater path, coral nurseries, artificial underwater habitats, coastal reforestation projects ... The Maison de la Réserve, in Anse Marcel, was flooded and two vehicles, fortunately insured, are out of order.
Résidence les Acacias House of the Natural Reserve
Unfortunately, there is no insurance for natural areas and the damage is estimated at around 850 euros for the development alone. More than half of the reserve's budget is based on its ability to self-finance up to 000 euros per year, thanks to the economic and ecotourism activities authorized to work on its most beautiful sites.
It is clear that tourist traffic will be non-existent at the end of 2017 and almost zero in 2018.
This self-financing will be reduced to zero, while the reserve needs more than ever funds to rehabilitate its damaged heritage.
The island of Tintamare, Ilet Pinel, Creole Rock, Galion Bay, Petites Cayes and Wilderness were the natural gems of Saint-Martin and its natural reserve, the last protected areas of the French part, dear to the population of the island and its visitors.
The degradation of this natural heritage thus has serious consequences on ecotourism and nautical activities ...
Anse Marcel
With your help, the nature reserve will be able to save its biodiversity and regain its original beauty. The first is to clean up land and sea spaces. We must then put all the equipment back in place and we need to call on outside companies for this.
“Alone and without means, the task is colossal… Impossible. "
Pond of the Grand-Case Cemetery
The Saint-Martin nature reserve is asking for your financial support to restore, reconstruct and rehabilitate the last protected areas on the island! Our goal is to reach 500 Euros. An ambitious figure, but commensurate with the investments that the reserve team alone must make, in addition to the aid from our usual partners.
Follow our actions:
• Facebook :
https://www.facebook.com/Reserve.Naturelle.StMartin
• Web:
https://reservenaturelle-saint-martin.com/
http://www.reserves-naturelles.org/saint-martin
The law of August 1, 2003 grants French tax residents:
• A reduction in income tax of 66% of the amounts paid, up to an annual limit of 20% of taxable income.
• If the 20% ceiling is exceeded, the benefit of the reduction can be carried over to the next 5 years.
Your donation of € 100 as a patron therefore costs you only € 34 after tax benefits on income tax! We will send you the receipt certifying your donation.
These elements are governed by article 200 of the General Tax Code.
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