Bulletin

NASSAU, BAHAMAS (June 21, 2011) — The Ministry of The Environment of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in conjunction with the Bahamas National Trust and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) announce a one-day conference at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort (West Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas) on Friday, July 8, 2011.

An international and local group of practitioners, scholars, and legislators will address current environmental strategies and imagine future scenarios for the sustainable development of the Exumas, the chain of Bahamian islands that includes the Exuma Cay Land and Sea Park. The intention for this first exploratory event is to identify key issues and goals for a possible multiyear research initiative that will analyze the Exumas from environmental, social, economic, design, and planning perspectives.

The conference program will feature presentations by The Rt. Hon. Hubert Alexander Ingraham, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, The Bahamas, and The Hon. Earl D. Deveaux, Minister of The Environment. The list of speakers also includes national and international experts on sustainability and planning and a number of Harvard University faculty.

Mohsen Mostafavi, Dean of the Harvard University GSD, who will speak at the conference, explains that “Planning for the future of the Exumas presents the challenge of fostering the wellbeing of the region’s people while preserving the unique ecology and natural beauty of the islands. We hope that questions raised at this conference will prompt significant research to address this challenge.”

The morning session will focus on a range of environmental obstacles that the Bahamas is currently facing. Neil McKinney and Eric Carey will represent the Bahamas National Trust. Robert Reiss of the Bahamas Society of Engineers and Erich Muller of the Perry Institute for Marine Science will speak about their current work and research. They will be joined by other experts including Elizabeth Thomas-Hope, Chair of Environmental Management at the University of the West Indies and Director of the Centre for Environment; Joyce Rosenthal, Assistant Professor in the GSD’s Department of Urban Planning and Design; and Herbert Dreiseitl, a water artist and designer from Germany who will present a range of site-responsive urban hydrology and environmental engineering interventions that demonstrate innovative uses of water to solve environmental challenges.

The afternoon session will concentrate on methodology and examination of examples of international projects. GSD Professor Spiro Pollalis will present current research on sustainable development in the Persian Gulf. In a talk entitled “Touching the Ground Lightly,” Padraic Kelly, Managing Director of London-based Happold Consulting, will present an Integrated Development Planning methodology. Dean Mostafavi will outline a range of international architectural projects with a focus on sustainability.

Participation is free, but registration is required by June 30.

Please email Brooke King at: events@gsd.harvard.edu

For updated conference information, please see: www.sustainableexumas.org

Corporate and other private enterprises may wish to offer a tax-deductible donation to the
Bahamas National Trust: bnt@bnt.bs

Click here to Read / Download this news article in PDF Format