It is here again, for the second time this month at the Norman Manley Beach Park this Wednesday, May 25, 2011 from 7 am-6 pm there will be wholesale farmers’ market. There will be some great deals on a wide variety of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables. If you cannot find it, remember the Park sits right behind the Negril Community Centre and the Negril Craft Market.

In our drive to promote sustainable living, NEPT will have eco-friendly market bags on sale at our booth, just look out for us. You cannot afford to miss this one. Remember, support Jamaica by buying Jamaican!

Come on out to the Norman Manley Beach Park this Wednesday, April 20, 2011 from 7 am-6 pm for a second wholesale farmers’ market. There will be some great deals on a wide variety of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables. If you cannot find it, remember the Park sits right behind the Negril Community Centre and the Negril Craft Market.

In our drive to promote sustainable living, NEPT will have Eco-friendly market bags on sale at our booth, just look out for us. You cannot afford to miss this one. Remember, support Jamaica by buying Jamaican!

NEPTune April 2011

Enjoy!

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Yellow Boa in particular is a very useful snake, especially for farmers. They eat rats, mice, birds and other animals that destroy many crops. And they won’t trouble you if you don’t trouble them!

The Jamaican Boa is also a protected species in Jamaica, and it is endangered. The Yellow Boa is endemic to Jamaica, meaning it’s found in Jamaica and no where else in the world! So if we aren’t careful about protecting this harmless snake, there will be none left in the world. So next time you see one, just let it go on it’s way and take care of the rodents you don’t want around anyway.

Or, if you want it off your property, you can do what one conscientious farmer did. He caught it and brought it to the NEPA office in Negril in a croucus bag!  The NEPA officer, with assistance from us at NEPT then took it and released it into a safe habitat, far from people and other predators. The snake slithered away under a rock straight away, so hopefully it likes it’s new home!

The Yellow Boa curled up in the crocus bag awaiting its release

The snake slithering away to it's new home underneath a warm rock.

This year was the 40th Anniversary of the Ramsar Convention, which recognizes the importance of wetlands around their world and their role in the overall environmental health of the world. For more information on Ramsar and their work, please visit their website here.

NEPT decided to take a hands on approach to celebrating World Wetlands Day this year, and hosted a clean-up in the Negril area. Together with some students and community members, we cleaned up the Norman Manley Sea Park as well as the area across the street from Hammods. Afterwards, we assisted NEPA with a mangrove planting on the banks of the South Negril River. It was a great day and we are already looking forward to World Wetlands Day 2012!

Students from Rusea's High planting mangroves on the bank of the South Negril River

 

About half of the trash that was collected in downtown Negril, which was only one of our two sites!

Thanks to all of our sponsors:

Rockhouse

Juicy J’s

Hi-Lo Negril

NEPA

And of course, thank to our participants:

Couples Negril

Rockhouse

Rusea’s High School

Little London High School

Main responsibilities:

• ·Manage the programme budgets including writing and delivering invoices for properties
• Plan and manage events such as the Blue Flag raising ceremony, National Jury meeting, Green Key Steering Committee meetings, etc.
• Conduct two yearly control site visits to each Blue Flag property and Annual site visits for Green Key properties
• Attend yearly Blue Flag & Green Key National Operators meetings
• Compile yearly Blue Flag applications for potential properties and present the Blue Flag applications and properties to the National Jury
• Communicate with all relevant stakeholders, keeping them up to date on any pertinent information
• Monitor water quality and/or manage the water quality monitoring system at Blue Flag properties and report results to hotels. This includes conducting water-sampling bi-weekly
• Ensure that potential Green Key and Blue Flag properties are on target to meet all necessary criteria by appointed deadlines
• Conduct Blue Flag and Green Key trainings
• Continue to enhance the Green Key & Blue Flag programmes by attracting new properties

Requirements:

-The ideal applicant should be self motivated, communicate effectively, and be responsible with good attention to detail

-Ability to complete strict time sensitive tasks

-Must possess some qualifications in the field of environmental studies and have a passion for coastal management

-Experience in this area is not required, but would be an asset

Applications must be submitted by email to nept_negril@yahoo.com no later than February 7, 2011, and addressed to:

The Executive Director,

Negril area Environmental Protection Trust

P.O. Box 2599

Negril,

Westmoreland.

While we acknowledge all applications, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

This article in the New York Times illustrates the importance of ridding our region of the lionfish, and details some efforts being made by fisherman in Florida to do so:

Florida Keys Declare Open Season on the Invasive Lionfish

Some interesting facts from the article:

- Each fish can produce 30,000 eggs in a single spawning event, and can spawn as frequently as every four days

- Researchers examined more than 1,000 lionfish stomachs and found more than 50 species of fish inside, including juveniles

- In the Florida area, the first fish wasn’t discovered until January 2009, when a single female was found and immediately removed by scientists from a reef in Key Largo. Despite this, the fish is now taking over the entire area.

Fell free to come out and support our runners. We will have booth on display where u can find out how to support NEPT and other organizations.