Nature Foundation raises fresh concerns over development threats to coastlines

GREAT BAY--The Nature Foundation St. Maarten is again raising concerns about environmental conservation and public access amid renewed development activity in and around Mullet Bay, Beacon Hill, and Little Bay. The organization said recent developments have intensified fears about the future of some of the country’s remaining natural coastlines and ecologically sensitive areas.

The Foundation noted that for nearly three decades, since its establishment in 1997, it has worked to protect St. Maarten’s coastlines, wetlands, and hillsides through environmental assessments, formal advice, and direct engagement with government. It stressed that the island’s natural ecosystems remain vital to wildlife, recreation, culture, the economy, and public wellbeing, yet continue to face mounting pressure from unchecked development.

One of the Foundation’s main concerns centers on Mullet Bay, where the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) recently disclosed that it is in court seeking to keep the coastal area in public hands. According to the Foundation, if Sunresorts Ltd. N.V., the owner of surrounding lands, succeeds in the case, it could create a precedent that places public access to other beaches at risk. The organization warned that such an outcome could open the door for private owners to restrict access through fencing or private security. While maintaining concerns about long-term beach management and the possible impact on nearby Mullet Pond, the Foundation stated that any privatization of public beach access is unacceptable.

The Foundation also expressed concern over recently approved building permits tied to an address linked to The Morgan in Beacon Hill, published in the National Gazette last week. It referenced earlier public reporting indicating that future phases of the project may include a breakwater and lagoon. The Foundation said the site remains highly sensitive given that a water rights request there was rejected in 2020 after residents publicly opposed plans associated with a proposed dolphinarium. In light of these developments, the organization reiterated its firm opposition to major coastal infrastructure moving forward without a full Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, describing such an assessment as an independent process needed to evaluate the effects of a project on both the environment and surrounding communities before construction begins.

At Little Bay, the Foundation said active heavy machinery has been observed along the shoreline next to Little Bay Pond in recent weeks. It recalled that earlier this year public attention was drawn to a proposed development marketed as “Lagune Bay,” which depicted buildings surrounding the pond and adjacent beach. The Foundation said it has repeatedly submitted negative advice on proposed development around the pond, citing the site’s ecological, cultural, and historical importance. Little Bay Pond is one of only four remaining ponds in a country that once had nineteen, and it is recognized internationally as an Important Bird Area because it serves as a fishing ground for the brown pelican, St. Maarten’s national bird. The Foundation also emphasized the pond’s historical importance, noting that it helped sustain enslaved people on nearby plantations for generations.

According to the Foundation, the issues surrounding Mullet Bay, Beacon Hill, and Little Bay reflect a wider pattern of development that is undermining public confidence and damaging the island’s natural heritage. The organization said sustainable economic growth and infrastructure development remain possible, but only through a national spatial plan, stronger construction approval standards, and genuine community input. Without that, it warned, the island risks losing habitats, public access, resilience, and quality of life, while placing further strain on roads, utilities, and other already pressured systems.

The Foundation said that, as a small non-profit organization, it cannot reverse decisions taken by the courts or the Government of St. Maarten, but it can continue to advise on what is in the best interest of the country’s people, wildlife, and future. It argued that too often that guidance has been pushed aside in favor of more permits, more construction, and more short-term gains, instead of better planning, better management, and better living standards. The organization called on residents and visitors to make their concerns known to elected officials, and urged policymakers to set aside partisan differences and act in the long-term interest of St. Maarten.

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