Country: 
Bahamas
Organizational Focus: 
Conservation, Education/Outreach, Marine Protected Areas, Restoration
Region: 
Latin America/Caribbean
Range of Work: 
Local, National
Organization Type: 
Marine Protected Area/Park/Reserve
Keywords: 
Children's Education, Community Involvement, Coral Reef, Education, Funding (grants), Islands, Management, Mangroves, Marine Protected Areas, Ocean General, Public Awareness, Seagrasses, Threats & Solutions
Description: 

The mission of Andros Conservancy and Trust (ANCAT) is to protect, preserve, enhance, and restore the natural resources of Andros Island and its marine environment through education, conservation and management. What does that really mean? It means teaching people about the environment so that they will understand why it needs protection and how to protect it. It encompasses protecting areas that need special attention as well as managing surrounding areas to maintain a healthy environment.

(ANCAT) is a Bahamian, non-profit, conservation NGO, informally started in 1997 and officially founded in 1999, which is working toward protecting the marine environment and natural resources of Andros Island in the Bahamas. Its purpose is to protect, preserve, enhance and restore the ecological environment on Andros Island through education, conservation, and management.

Andros Island is of great importance to the preservation of natural resources in the Bahamas because it is a naturally functioning giant ecosystem. At 2300 square miles in size, it is perhaps the largest tract of unexplored land in the Western Hemisphere and provides a habitat for endangered birds, iguanas and crabs, as well as more than 40 known species of wild orchids. A large part of the ecosystem encompasses one of longest and best-preserved barrier reefs in the world. Andros Island also has the highest known density of blue holes in world and holds the largest reservoir of fresh water in the Bahamas.

Because of its stellar work on Andros Island, ANCAT has captivated the attention of the conservation community nationally, regionally, and internationally. Together with local stakeholders, the Bahamas National Trust, the Bahamas Reef and Environment Education Foundation, and The Nature Conservancy, they succeeded in getting the Bahamian Government to establish the Central Andros National Park in April 2002. This Park covers almost a half million (330,000) acres of Marine, Wetlands and Forest in five distinct park areas on Central Andros. The park will be co-managed by the Bahamas National Trust and ANCAT. ANCAT is also working with local stakeholders to develop a proposal for creating a park area in South Andros.

Website: 
www.ancat.net
Contact Info
First Name: 
Peter
Last Name: 
Douglas
Email: 
Phone: 
242- 368-2286
Address
Fresh Creek,
City: 
Andros Island