A group of science students from The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Cave Hill Campus gained hands-on experience in ecological stewardship through an initiative between The UWI’s Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAGRI) and the Mount Gay Rum Distillery (MGRD).
The academic-industry collaboration enabled the students to document local biodiversity and establish a baseline for future conservation efforts. This short biological survey, dubbed a mini-BioBlitz, formed part of the course entitled "Ecology of a Changing Planet", and underscored the importance of practical conservation efforts in addressing environmental challenges.
Students recorded plant and animal species within a one-kilometer radius of the Mount Gay Distillery. Under the guidance of Dr. Linton Arneaud, an ecologist and lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), they observed and catalogued local biodiversity. Over a two-hour period, they recorded more than 80 species from over 200 observations across diverse habitats, including tree branches, open fields, moist gullies, and even along concrete surfaces. According to Dr. Arneaud, the event underscores the importance of fostering community engagement in conservation efforts.