One of Barbados’ most ambitious climate resilience projects, Walkers Reserve, is taking root in the Scotland District, where a former sand quarry has been transformed into the Caribbean’s largest regenerative hub.
Now a national model for sustainable development and ecological restoration, its leaders are calling for increased collaboration and financial support to expand its reach across the region.
The St Andrew site, managed by the Walkers Institute for Regenerative Research, Education, and Design (WIRRED), has evolved into a bioregional hub showcasing what officials say is the power of green engineering and community-based restoration.
“What we really had envisaged for Walkers is that it can showcase a diversity of green engineering styles and restoration techniques and conservation platforms that people can then learn from here and convert into other places throughout Barbados and the Caribbean—and even the world,” said Project Coordinator at WIRRED, Georgina Thornton.
Walkers Reserve now features expansive reforested lands, a thriving mangrove area, wetland ecosystems, and agroforestry plots that yield pineapples, peppers, tomatoes, and other crops.
These elements not only increase biodiversity but also contribute to food security, climate cooling, and carbon capture.
“Reforestation is a huge element of that. Planting trees really helps to build biodiversity, but also creates those microbiomes that help to cool the island and increase rainfall,” Thornton said.
She added that the mangrove systems have proven especially effective noting, “Our mangrove area has just really thrived over the last 10 years.
“That’s been a huge benefit in helping to protect us from storms and sequestering carbon.”
Thornton told Barbados TODAY that the reserve also plays a vital educational role with schools and youth groups regularly touring the site, engaging in hands-on experiences with sustainable farming, conservation practices, and biodiversity monitoring.
Though noting that the initiative receives support from the government, Thornton said more can be done to assist the effort.
“We do get some support, and that support is very much appreciated. But there can always be more,” she said.
“There are many different projects that need to come together to keep this going. As the centre of the Barbados Parks and Open Spaces, it’s a really important place for the government to be supporting too.”
UK Climate and Environment Attaché for the Caribbean, Alex Gozney, hailed the project as a benchmark in regenerative development.
“What’s impressive is that they turned a productive sand mine into something not only sustainable and good for biodiversity, but also climate resilient,” he said.
“Rather than just being a biodiversity project, it’s profit-making, which is fantastic and very important for islands like Barbados to be able to develop in a sustainable way.”
Gozney added, “Hopefully this can be replicated across the Eastern Caribbean. That would be the real legacy of what’s happening at Walkers.”
(SM)
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