Will Changes to Four Seasons Resort Spare the Endangered Grenada Dove?

Public pressure over the fate of one of the world's rarest birds has caused Four Seasons hotels to modify its plans for a new resort on the island of Grenada. Questions remain, however, as to whether the revised plan for Mt. Hartman National Park and Mt. Hartman Estate will guarantee the survival of the largest and only viable population of the critically endangered Grenada Dove, which numbers fewer than 100 individuals.

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During the summer of 2007, following the release of the project's Environmental Impact Assessment, and apparently in response to criticism about the plan, the developers agreed to support a dove survey. They hired a leading expert on the Grenada Dove to conduct a detailed, range-wide assessment of the dove population and to provide feedback to the developer about the plan design. The surveys concluded that the Mt. Hartman population of the dove is by far the most significant, and failure to conserve it could be disastrous for the species.

The resort plan has gone through several iterations since the summer. The most recent retains the proposed golf course, but decreases the number of villas from 200 to approximately 100 on the mainland portion of the estate where the doves are found. The current proposal, which has now been approved by the National Parks Advisory Council, will maintain the total protected area of Mt. Hartman at 155 acres. Significantly, this will all be in one contiguous block, unlike the three unconnected blocks of habitat that exist now. The protected area would be fenced, and restrictions would be placed on pet ownership at the resort. However, eight dove territories (20% of the total) will be lost under the plan.

As mitigation, the government of Grenada has made a public commitment to protect important dove habitat at another locality called Beauséjour. If the area and number of territories protected is sufficient, this could provide the win-win situation that stakeholders have been looking for.

A trust established to provide ongoing support for the costs of management could result in greater long-term security for the protected area than currently exists. Negotiations are still underway among developers, environmental groups, scientists, and the government of Grenada.