The National Conservation Commission is responsible for managing parks, beaches, and protected areas across Barbados. It has several departments that maintain facilities, provide lifeguard services, and oversee commercial activities. The Commission also engages in projects like reforestation initiatives and beach management to promote environmental conservation and public access to recreational spaces in Barbados.
13. Social Commitment - (Parks/Open Areas/Public Gardens) PAID SERVICES MANAGEMENT OF BEACH SERVICES IN BARBADOS COMMERCIAL SERVICES PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES
14. History of the National Conservation Commission formerly the Parks & Beaches Commission The Government very wisely decided early in 1970 to set up a separate Statutory Authority, which was charged with the preservation and beautification of the Island’s public parks and beaches. Legislation was prepared and subsequently enacted by Parliament. The Parks and Beaches Act of 1970 duly received the Governor General’s assent on the 31st of March 1970. The Government placed under the authority of the Commission not only the public parks such as Queen’s Park, Farley Hill and King George V Park, but also other public areas worthy of beautification such as Rockley Beach, the seaside of the East Coat Road, Bay Street Esplanade and Folkestone Park.
15. About Us The NCC a department of the Ministry of Environment, Water Resources & Drainage, has as its directorship, a Board of Management. The Board, headed by a Chairman, consists of eleven members. It meets monthly to determine policy and to discuss the overall operations of the Commission.
16. The Functions of the Commission are: To conserve the natural beauty, topographic features, historic buildings, sites and monuments of Barbados; To control, maintain and develop the public parks, public gardens and beaches of Barbados; To develop and maintain public access to the beaches/windows to the sea To provide a Lifeguard Service at such of the beaches of Barbados as it sees fit Provision of beach facilities as the need arises and to maintain existing ones Development of a network of protected areas, both marine and terrestrial
18. This department oversees all human resources and personnel functions on behalf of the employees as well as selected administrative activities. These include training and development, performance management, grievance handling and disciplinary matters, the management and maintenance of employee records, responsibility for the mail registry, the processing of applications for the use of Parks, beaches and open areas.
20. The Internal Audit Department consist of three members of staff; one Internal Auditor and two clerical Officers. The department is responsible for ensuring that all procedures and controls are adhered to by all employees of the organization. The objective of the department is to make the necessary recommendations to management to assist in the decision making process.
22. This department looks after the provision and coordination of transport services for all departments in the organization; the maintenance and repair of the Commission’s vehicles and equipment, the maintenance, repair and construction of play park equipment and the provision of general welding services
24. This department manages the construction of buildings and other infrastructure; the repair and maintenance of such buildings and infrastructure, the construction repair and maintenance of recreational equipment and furniture and the manufacture of other items including concrete pavers & plant pots.
26. This department is responsible for handling all financial matters which include the preparation and processing of wages on behalf of staff and former employees, the processing of payments for suppliers of goods and services to the Commission and the processing of internal requests for goods & services.
28. This department is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of parks, beaches, open areas and beach facilities around the island. Some members of staff assigned to this department are deployed to work over the seven day work week
30. All Lifeguards were certified to the Bronze Medallion Level prior to 1998. However, the minimum certificate for lifeguarding in Barbados was upgraded from the Bronze Medallion Certificate, to the Bronze Cross Certificate, which is issued from the Royal Life Saving Society of Canada. In 1990 Canadian Representatives also advanced the service to equip members with The Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation – B.C.L.S – Level C Certificate. This level is the same prerequisite required by Emergency Medical Technicians for employment
31. The list of lifeguard-supervised beaches is as follows: Bath , Bathsheba, Batts Rock, Paradise Beach, Brandon’s Beach, Browne’s Beach (N) Browne’s Beach (S), Maxwell, Crane Beach, Dover Beach, Enterprise Beach, Folkestone Beach, Graves End/Pebbles Beach, Heywood’s Beach, Holetown Beach, Royal Pavillion, Needham’s Point, Rockley Beach.
34. To ensure safety and security to users of the beaches, parks and staff at the designated areas
35. Staff are required to ensure that the users and visitors to the various beaches and terrestrial parks behave in a respectable & responsible manner that the relevant laws are respected and upheld
36. To deter crime and work in partnership with the Police and the Community.
37. To support community liaison by dealing with complaints and providing advice and assistance to the public on site.
38. To secure all buildings, vehicles, plants, and other properties under the aegis of the National Conservation Commission
42. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Folkestone Park, operated by the National Conservation Commission provides a number of facilities for the enjoyment of the public. There is a Museum and Visitor’s Center; a snorkel equipment rental shop; souvenir shop; picnic tables; children’s playground, tennis and basketball courts; washroom and changing facilities and car park facilities. The Folkestone Marine Reserve was established in 1981 by an Act of Parliament and is the first and to date, the only legislated Marine Protected Area in Barbados. It extends from just north of the Coral Reef Club Hotel for a distance of 2.1 km to the southern edge of the Sandy Lane Hotel property in the south. Its width varies between 650 and 950 meters from shore.
54. In response to a growing demand for instant landscapes,a grass Nursery was installed to the north of the existing Plant Nursery and Greenhouse. Sod has revolutionized the lawn business internationally and a sod lawn can now be established in a matter of hours once the preparatory work to the soil is completed
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59. Social Commitment “If men must love their country, we must first make their country lovely” (Edmund Burke) The National Conservation Commission is committed to adding social value in all its endeavours. We are of the firm belief, that the growth of any nation is dependent on the growth of the society as a whole. Ensuring that a nation’s recreational requirements are met is of primary concern, especially in a hectic work environment. The Commission’s social commitment to the Barbadian community is well established and its mandate in this regard is wide and varied.
60. Parks/Open Areas/Public Gardens The Commission is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all recreational parks, open areas & public gardens are maintained throughout the island. The scope of work includes but is not limited to landscape design/ installation, landscape maintenance and the maintenance of properties.
61. Some of the properties managed/maintained by the National Conservation Commission Codrington House Hastings Rocks Bay Street Esplanade The Montefiore Monument & Gardens Speightstown Esplanade 6. Culloden Farm 7. Government House 8. Illaro Court 9. Queen’s Park 10. Farley Hill Park 11. King George V Park
66. The Commission provides the following services: Fees are subject to changed in accordance with rates of pay for relevant categories of staff Use of electricity at identified facilities where electrical outlets are accessible (except River Bay & Bath) for servicing electrical apparatus to facilitate the preparation of food items. A Security Service in the event that the activity is determined by the Commission to require more than the assigned number of personnel who are on duty during regular hours or requires the assignment of personnel after working hours.
67. A Caretaker Service at sites where washroom facilities are located in the event that the activity is determined by the Commission to require more than the assigned number of personnel who are on duty during work hours or requires the assignment of personnel after regular work hours. A Lifeguard Service in the event that the activity is determined by the Commission to require more than the assigned number of personnel who are on duty during regular work hours, or in the event that the activity is being hosted at private establishments where pools are located. Applicants are therefore required to obtain a Lifeguard Service from the Commission for activities to be hosted at beaches which are expected to attract more than 100 persons. A Cleaning service by our general staff after regular work hours or on days on which staff are not usually assigned to work.
69. Dover Beach Hastings Rocks Maintenance of Beaches Over the years, the Commission recognizing that the beaches around the island are assets to the country, embarked on a sustained programme for the daily cleaning and maintain of approximately sixty (60) beaches, which are used by the general public and visitors alike.
70. Pebbles Beach Facility Washroom Facilities The Commission currently manages 24 washroom facilities located in both terrestrial and coastal areas, the most recent being Bath Beach facility. These facilities are equipped with shower and changing facilities and locker services are also provided at selected locations. Approximately forty (40) caretakers and acting caretakers ably maintain these facilities on a seven-day per week basis, ensuring that they are always clean and sanitary.
71. Beach Accesses The Commission is responsible for the development and maintenance of public beach accesses around the island. Pedestrian Access- Areas where the public access the beach, is a minimum width of six (6) feet Vehicular Access- Areas where the public can access the beach by a vehicle and there is provision of adequate parking for such. Pedestrian also utilize these accesses.
72. Kiosk at Rockley Beach COMMERCIAL SERVICES Beach Vending Activities The National Conservation Commission Act stipulates that any person who desires to operate a business of selling goods or services in a public park, in a public garden, on a beach or in a cave shall first obtain from the Commission a license for the purpose.
73. Snackettes/Restaurants The Commission originally maintained five (5) snackettes/restaurants, located at Holetown, Barclays Park, Bathsheba, Bath and Hastings Rocks. Those at Hastings Rocks and Bath have been reconstructed and are due to be operational in the near future while that at Barclays Park is also due to be demolished and reconstructed as part of a new complex earmarked for this location.
75. The Adopt-a-Park/Beach 1. What is the purpose of the Adopt-a-Park/beach programme? The National Conservation Commission’s Adopt-a-Park/beach Programme is intended to promote public & private sector involvement in the conservation, improvement and support of the islands public Parks & beaches through the fostering of strategic partnerships.
76. Barbados Beach Management Project: The National Conservation Commission in partnership with the Organization of American States (OAS) embarked on a three (3) year project to add a more structured and scientific approach to the management of beach resources. The Beach Management Project culminated in the preparation of a Beach Management Plan for the Commission thereby enhancing the capacity of this organization to carry out its mandate.
77. Capacity Building for Youth in Sustainable Land Management This project was launched in 2006, and was conceptualised to encourage our youth to become involved in more practical aspects of enhancing and preserving their environment. Approximately 80,000 trees will be propagated & planted primarily in the South District areas of the island as the National Conservation Commission in collaboration with the Organization of American States seek to significantly reforest the island especially areas prone to soil erosion.
78. The goals of the project were to contribute to sustainable land management in Barbados through reforestation and to create a sense of awareness, ownership and appreciation for the natural environment through the empowerment of the youth.
79. J. Sterling Morton ARBOR DAY “Each generation takes the Earth as trustees. We ought to bequeath to posterity as many forests and orchards as we have exhausted and consumed”J. Sterling Morton The History of Arbor Day National Arbor Day is an annual event in Barbados, held on September 22nd, to encourage persons to plant trees. On January 04, 1872, Sterling Morton first proposed a tree planting holiday to be called Arbor Day at a meeting of the State Board of Agriculture.
80. National Arbor Day (Barbados) The earliest records in Barbados however, report the first local celebration on the island on 1905. Many years later, on September 22 (Anniversary of Hurricane Janet), 1997, the National Conservation Commission re-launched National Arbor Day.
