Topic: environment
Enormous recovery for green sea turtles
Green sea turtle nests have registered an enormous recovery on Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts, as well as, according to Cayman’s Department of the Environment, on local beaches.
CCMI scientists share research with top ecologists
Central Caribbean Marine Institute researchers recently joined some 400 top marine ecologists at the 45th Benthic Ecology Meeting in Portland, Maine, to present their findings on Cayman’s marine ecosystems.
Coral restoration expert joins CCMI
A coral restoration expert has joined the Central Caribbean Marine Institute in Little Cayman to help the research organization as it works to protect coral reefs and discover ways to help restore those ecosystems.
Mangrove planting proposed to help tackle Kaibo erosion
The Department of Environment is proposing to plant mangroves in a bid to stop erosion of Kaibo Public Beach, attendees of last week’s North Side District Council meeting heard.
Talk sheds light on mangroves
A hands-on presentation on the local mangrove population was one of the latest events taking place on Cayman Brac marking Earth Month.
A busy Earth Month ahead for Cayman Brac
Earth Month activities kicked off on Cayman Brac with a cleanup at Public Beach.
Smallest-ever lionfish caught in tournament
Lionfish cullers braved windy conditions over the weekend to pull in a near-record haul, including the smallest lionfish ever caught in Cayman’s waters.
Cuban boat abandoned and decaying on Beach Bay
El Arca landed at Beach Bay Jan. 31. More than 30 people squeezed aboard the estimated 24-foot wooden sailboat for the journey from Cuba to Honduras, where the refugees could travel north by land to the United States.
CCMI: Reefs face bigger threats than Allen’s yacht
Damage caused to a Cayman Islands coral reef by Paul Allen’s mega-yacht is troubling and ironic, but it is far from the greatest threat facing the fragile ecosystem, according to the head of Little Cayman’s Central Caribbean Marine Institute.
Nature Cayman offers up the best of the Brac
Rustic and charming Cayman Brac, first settled in 1833, offers up an array of activities for visitors to experience.
National Trust social a chance to meet the Council
The Little Cayman District for the National Trust is hosting a social open to existing members and also those interested in finding out more about the Trust’s work.
Killing Cayman’s coral
When will the government do something to prevent the destruction of coral and the environment in the Cayman Islands?
Mega-yacht owner plans reef restoration
Representatives of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen say he has developed a remediation plan to help restore damaged reef impacted by his 300-foot mega-yacht Tatoosh.
Bird food raises money for blue iguanas
Visitors who hand fed birds at the Cayman Islands Turtle Farm have helped raise $1,324 for the Cayman Blue Iguana Recovery Program.
Trust sets sights on Cayman Brac’s parrot habitat
The recent launch of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands’ Land Reserve Fund campaign will focus on conservation of dry forest land.
Researchers keep tabs on grouper sites
The numbers of Nassau grouper seen at protected spawning sites around the Cayman Islands are slowly increasing, according to researchers working on an ongoing monitoring project.
Environmentally friendly office building opens at Camana Bay
The grand opening of a new Class A office building at Camana Bay, called 18 Forum Lane, was celebrated with a reception and ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday night.
EDITORIAL – Equal environmental justice for everyone
We in the Cayman Islands should exercise great caution not to turn an environmental issue into a “class warfare” issue.
Billionaire’s yacht blamed for coral reef damage
An area of around 13,000 square feet of coral reef habitat within a marine park was impacted by anchor damage from the mega-yacht Tatoosh, according to a survey by Department of Environment divers.
EDITORIAL – Power lines: Our stance on ‘green’ energy
We (and no doubt our readers) were cheered by all aspects of the headline that appeared in Thursday’s Cayman Compass: “Oil, solar contribute to...
Stingrays make Sandbar home base
A resident population of stingrays has made the North Sound Sandbar their long-term home, population data from the latest stingray census indicates.
Volunteers and scientists...
Prices to rise on some fruits, vegetables as supplies stall
Foster’s Food Fair IGA is warning customers that produce may be in short supply – and pricier than usual – as weather patterns disrupt...
Police to get hybrid vehicles
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is adding two hybrid vehicles to its fleet.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs,...
EDITORIAL – Yellow plates, green energy
While we rarely comment on commentary that is submitted to us, today we will make an exception for two letters — one on vehicular...
Response to Jan. 6 editorial
The Cayman Renewable Energy Association (CREA) wishes to address the editorial of Jan. 6, entitled “Cayman’s combat with climate change: A bunch of hot...
Discovering East End’s hidden treasures by bike
Plenty of visitors flock to Seven Mile Beach for its spectacular sunsets, and if Shane Edwards has his way, they’ll soon be just as eager to trek out to the East End around sunrise.
Weather Service: Climate change making Cayman hotter, drier
The average temperature in the Cayman Islands has risen steadily for the past four years due to the effects of global climate change, according to National Weather Service Director John Tibbetts.
Humane Society friends get moving for a good cause
Lots of tails were wagging in excitement as the Cayman Islands Humane Society's annual Walk and Wag 5K walk/run at Camana Bay on Sunday,
‘Serenity’ now!
The art gallery in the bridge of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman will be launching its new show on Tuesday, with works from a whole slew of resident and local artists.
Longtime liquor licensing chairman replaced in board shake-up
A new Liquor Licensing Board is ushered in, along with a new regime for local liquor-related businesses.
Central Mangrove Wetland is Cayman’s heart and lungs
The district of Bodden Town is home to the Central Mangrove Wetland, considered by some to be the ecological heart of Grand Cayman, home to a wide range of animals, birds and aquatic life.
Brac hotel owners told to clean up site
The owners of the Divi Tiara Beach Resort on Cayman Brac have been served with an enforcement order requiring them to demolish dilapidated buildings and clean up the site.
The hotel, vacant for almost a decade, has become an eyesore on the island, and planning officials are concerned that the site is unsafe.
Cayman’s combat with climate change: A bunch of hot air
Any second that Cayman spends on attempting to combat climate change will constitute a waste of time, energy and money.
New energy, climate change policies planned
Government is planning a review of its draft energy and climate change policies early this year in light of ambitious new targets established at a world summit in Paris last month.
A month-by-month roundup of Cayman’s 2015 news stories
Top stories of 2015 in the Cayman Islands
East Ender reminisces about tourism’s early days
Having spent 45 years in the tourism business, East Ender Doralee McLaughlin has a treasure chest of memories to share, stretching back to the industry’s early days.
In Memoriam: Obituaries of 2015
Obituaries of nine people who died in 2015 and who received Queen's Honours during their lifetime.
Top stories of 2015: The year of the report
The theme for government in 2015 may well have been “The Year of the
Report.” Ministers and civil servants have been going through a yearlong
review of the EY Report, which calls for numerous government reforms.
Three-year grant for Little Cayman research center
The Central Caribbean Marine Institute has received a three-year grant from the Dart Foundation to support programs at its Little Cayman research center.
Top stories of 2015: Cruise plan divided Cayman in 2015
Plans for a new cruise terminal in George Town harbor dominated the headlines and divided the Cayman Islands community throughout 2015.
Drug addiction does not take a holiday
The Drug Rehabilitation Court and informal mental health court use a team approach to work with defendants even over the holidays.
'The Beast' to recycle Christmas trees
The Department of Environmental Health will be putting its new wood grinding machine, nicknamed “The Beast,” into action in the New Year’s to recycle Christmas trees.
A Christmas blessing for West Bay crew
The community cleanup is bringing pride, opportunity and Christmas cash to unemployed workers in West Bay.
Corals harvested for beauty products
A U.S. cosmetics company has been granted rare permission to harvest small amounts of soft corals in Cayman’s waters for use in beauty products.
Teen certified as one of few local dive instructors
Teenager Andrew Schirn has joined an exclusive club after passing his exams to become a dive instructor.
London Philharmonic ensemble at Cayman Arts Festival
Early bird ticket deadline for the Cayman Arts Festival is Dec. 31, and offers a general pass to all events for $100 for adults.
Welcome to the Robot Factory
Tinybop Inc. has won the much coveted App of the Year for its The Robot Factory app, which allows adults and children to build robots to their hearts' content.
From the National Conservation Council
National Conservation Council responds to Compass editorial.
Paris climate deal prompts call for action in Cayman
The Cayman Islands must set more aggressive targets on increasing renewable energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the light of the Paris agreement on climate change, green energy advocates have said.
Economic impact of Cayman Enterprise City continues to grow
Cayman’s special economic zone, Cayman Enterprise City, reported that companies operating in the zone and their staff had a $23.6 million impact on the local economy this year.
Beachside trash yields treasure – and then some
The GREEN team organized a high schol beach cleanup on 21 November.
Golf resort now apartment complex
First sold to investors as a luxury housing development around a golf course, a long-discussed project near Rum Point has gone through another metamorphosis as it works its way through the planning process.
The Council: Conservation consternation
It's difficult (but not impossible) to give the protection of the environment a bad name, but the National Conservation Council is making some headway.
Enterprise City campus gets zoning approval
Zoning approval has been granted for Cayman Enterprise City’s proposed campus on a 70-acre site in South Sound.
Cayman fashion designer goes global
Isy B. designs will now be made globally available, thanks to a recent partnership with Nineteenth Amendment, an online sales platform and retailer.
Soto biography book signing at Book Nook
A book about Bob Soto's extraordinary life, aptly titled "Extraordinary Adventures" will be launched on Dec. 15 with a book signing on Dec. 18.
Cayman cemeteries face grave problem
Two Cayman Islands districts face looming problems with cemetery space, with the problem in West Bay district being the most severe and East End looking to close one of its cemeteries next year.
Cayman to host One Young World leaders in 2016
The Cayman Islands will host hundreds of young world leaders next year at a special international summit on the topic of sustainable finance.
Golf stars swing in for pro-am
Former world number one David Duval and fellow major winner Rich Beem feature in a star-studded lineup for the Cayman Islands Golf Invitational at the North Sound Club this weekend.
Cruise anchor reef scare in George Town harbor
A patch of coral reef in George Town harbor suffered damage from a cruise ship anchor Wednesday, sparking concern among scuba divers and environmentalists.
Spectacular homes net design awards
A spectacular contemporary home on the waterfront in Rum Point and a tranquil beach house nestled among sea grape trees in Little Cayman share the 2015 Governor’s Award for design and construction excellence.
Despite their contrasting styles, both homes impressed the judges at the biennial awards ceremony because of their harmony with the surrounding natural environment.
Workshop set for micro and small businesses
Micro and small businesses are invited to a free workshop, “Financing Options for Micro and Small Businesses,” at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Chamber of Commerce in Governors Square.
700 hired for seasonal work program
Seven hundred Caymanians have been selected to take part in the government’s Christmas work program.
Designs unveiled for Beach Bay resort
Dramatic and futuristic designs for a planned US$250 million luxury resort in Bodden Town were unveiled Saturday at an event in Miami Beach.
Beach Bay Land Ltd. announced TEN Arquitectos of Mexico City and New York as the winner of its design competition for work on the resort at St. James Point, Beach Bay. The firm’s concept designs show hotel and condo buildings curving along the coastline.
New dump excavators delivered
The Department of Environmental Health took delivery on Dec. 3 of two new excavators for the George Town landfill.
Landfill conundrum: ‘Location, location, location’
In irony almost beyond words (but not quite), the government's "solution" to the George Town dump site is to make it permanent.
Lobster season gets under way
Lobster season opened this week, giving free divers a three-month window to catch the coveted but protected species.
Wolves will get bigger and faster
Such is the lure of triathlon and outdoor, individual sports generally, there is always constant growth and evolution.
Animal tethering practices in Cayman questioned
Roni Wildoner was traveling along the eastern coast of Grand Cayman in October when she spotted a bull tethered on the side of the road near Breakers. She investigated and found that the animal was tangled in his rope. A plastic makeshift water trough, with jagged, sharp edges, was empty, save for a handful of leaves. Tethering animals on the side of the road is a traditional practice in Cayman, but some say it's time for the tradition to end.
Hotels help to broaden real estate investment opportunities
The new Margaritaville Beach Resort on Seven Mile Beach is exciting news for both Cayman’s tourism industry and its real estate industry – two sectors of Cayman’s economy which I believe have always been inextricably linked.
