News
CCMI AnnouncesPlans to Open Little Cayman Field Station
Cayman Style ArchitectJohn Doak's, rendering of proposed Field Station.
The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI)will be unveiling plans for their new facility this Thursday ata formal reception to be hosted at Pedro St. James. Presentersat this event, sponsored by The Lighthouse Restaurant, includeCCMI Chairperson Dr. Carrie Manfrino, and Dr. Jerome Hall, CCMIFounding Board Member and President of the Institute of NauticalArchaeology at Texas A &M University. Presentations that eveningwill include a discussion regarding the important link betweenthe cultural and natural heritage of Cayman.
"Our mission is to sustain and improvemarine resources for future generations in the Cayman Islands,"says Dr. Manfrino. "The CCMI aims to provide unique and outstandingopportunities for the youth and residents of the Cayman Islands.Our immediate goal is to build a state-of-the-art facility fortropical research and educational initiatives that will accommodateour programs and our youth."
Planned for development in Little Cayman,this facility will become a reality with the help of architectJohn Doak of Cayman Style. "We are pleased to be a part ofthis tremendously exciting prospect for the Cayman Islands,"explains Mr. Doak. "From an architectural standpoint, themost inspiring aspect of this project has been the challenge todesign an essentially land-based development whose purpose concernsthe ocean and the marine environment."
"Given its relatively natural conditionand distance from continental influences, Little Cayman offersan ideal environment for educational and research efforts in thetropical marine sciences," says Dr. Manfrino. "The fieldstation will include a two-story Cayman-Style building with livingquarters, a multi-media classroom, a library, and an open-airwet laboratory with flowing seawater and aquariums." Theproposed facility calls for sustainable design principles to beapplied to all aspects of the development including climate responsivedesign, resource efficient and recycled content construction techniques,energy efficiency, responsible storm and waste water management.
The CCMI intends for the facility to becomean interactive learning center that provides an overview of thecoral reef environment, conservation issues, and will illustratehow humans can all exist symbiotically while enjoying this environment.Their plans will premiere scientific samples of outstanding studentresearch, as well as educational booklets about the reef environmentand sustainable living that visitors can take home.
CCMI was incorporated as a Cayman Islands non-profit organizationlate last year. Affiliated with the Marine Environmental ResearchInstitute, the CCMI's primary goal is to develop exemplary educationand training programs for Cayman's youth that will work to empowerthem with knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Their longer-term plan is to develop anoceanography and meteorology weather station in partnership withthe U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),developers of Coral Reef Early Warning Systems (CREWS).
Discussions are already underway with NOAAwho has agreed to install the instruments, train CCMI personnelin maintenance, and monitoring these high technological measuringdevices and who will manage the data collected. For more informationplease contact Dr. Carrie Manfrino at 948-0107 or email info@reefresearch.org.