Some members of the public have contacted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) with concerns regarding the removal of casuarina trees on Cooper’s Island, especially along Mercury Road between Long Bay and Well Bay. DENR has been managing different parts of Cooper’s Island (particularly the peninsulas south of the water catchment) since 2008, focusing on the removal of numerous invasive plant species and replanting with salt tolerant natives and endemics in an attempt to restore the area to a more natural state. At present, 64 acres of land on Cooper’s Island is designated as Nature Reserve. Nature Reserves are described under the National Parks Act as protected areas managed for the benefit of special or fragile natural features (typically wildlife). It is important to understand that they are different to lands zoned as Amenity Park or Recreational Park – which were created to be used for enjoyment by the general public (e.g. Clearwater Beach).
Aerial image showing Cooper’s Island prior to the creation of the Kindley Field Airport in the 1940s.
Cooper’s Island is a very important area not only for its outstanding natural beauty but because it is home to a variety of rare and unique animals which struggle to live across much of Bermuda. These animals include skinks, cahows, leafcutter bees, and land hermit crabs. The beaches on Cooper’s Island are used by migratory shorebirds and even by the occasional nesting sea turtle.
The Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve Management Plan explains that ‘extensive culling of invasive species will be undertaken (on the beaches of Well Bay and Long Bay) followed by the replanting of native and endemic plant species suitable for dune habitat.’ Consequently DENR personnel, with assistance from numerous volunteers, are steadily working from the southern tip of Cooper’s Island and moving northwards removing hundreds of casuarinas. We understand that some of the mature casuarina trees provide beach users shade from the summer sun, but this species is considered to be locally invasive and the trees on Cooper’s Island are a large source of seeds that sprout seedlings on all the islands within the Castle Harbour Islands Nature Reserve (including Nonsuch Island). The seeds come from small prickly pine cones, a feature that also makes them unpleasant to walk on when barefoot. Therefore, the benefits of removing the casuarina trees outweigh those of leaving them in place.
DENR has planted young buttonwood and bay grape trees along the back of Long Bay beach to replace the casuarinas that were removed, and it has also pruned some of the more mature bay grape trees to create areas of shade for visitors to Well Bay and Long Bay. Furthermore, DENR has dispersed hundreds of native plant seeds in the area to encourage dune binding vines and shrubs such as seaside morning glory, bay bean, beach lobelia, and scurvy grass to grow.
Long Bay beach before Casuarina tree removal
Long Bay beach after Casuarina tree removal
The casuarina trees that were removed were chipped and trucked to the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) where they are used as ground cover in a number of animal exhibits. Creating our own high quality wood chips, instead of buying them, saves Government money. DENR gratefully acknowledges Narciso Daponte of Landscape Gardener’s Ltd. who generously provides the chipping service at no cost to the public.
When planning your 2021 summertime visit to these beaches please don’t forget to bring beach umbrellas, sun shirts, wide-brimmed hats, and a high SPF number sunscreen.
Radiated tortoises at BAMZ enjoying some breakfast on a fresh bed of new casuarina wood chips