This year marks the National Trust for the Cayman Islands’ 35th Anniversary. 
What is unique about this milestone?

The National Trust for Cayman Islands (NTCI) is honoured to have preserved several heritage sites and critical ecological habitats over the past 35 years. Our duty is to maintain and protect these assets of the Cayman Islands, the majority of which are accessible to the public, in perpetuity for all to cherish and enjoy. One of the beautiful preservation elements is maintaining our connection to our historic and natural heritage. Coincidentally, a 35th anniversary is symbolised with coral and jade both reflecting strength, longevity, courage, justice, and compassion – attributes that the NTCI honours through our work.

How have you been celebrating your 35-year legacy?

The NTCI is delighted to be celebrating our 35th anniversary. We began our anniversary with the creation of a special 35-year logo and hosted our first-ever National Trust Week created to inspire our community with a series of outreach events that included a conference led by local and international guest speakers; a Mangrove Lunch & Learn to highlight the value and importance of mangroves and how to incorporate them into the built environment for sustainable development; and a day devoted to bespoke tours of our protected natural and historic sites. Additionally, local businesses and schools were invited to show their support with a dress down for the National Trust on Earth Day. 

What programmes are you excited to be working on this year?

We are proud to announce the launch of our Historic Preservation Fund, set up to address the vital need for funding to protect treasured historic structures, which in many instances require a substantial amount of maintenance and care. The NTCI currently safeguards 12 historic sites across all three islands, made possible by financial contributions from the community and local businesses that support the programme.

This year also marks the 90th anniversary of the Eldemire House, a heritage site in Cayman Brac. The NTCI will continue its restoration project and return this Brac landmark to its former glory and make it accessible to visitors. 

We are also celebrating a new partnership between Island Offsets and Mangrove Education, a US 501(c)3 non-profit organisation dedicated to mangrove education. This relationship will allow for tax-deductible donations towards our Land Reserve Fund to help us purchase and protect mangrove wetlands, an extremely vital ecosystem for our islands. 

Finally, we are excited about launching our educational tool kits for educators. These will provide an assortment of classroom materials on subjects ranging from birding to national symbols and will allow us to reach classrooms with our heritage conservation messaging, even if we cannot physically visit the schools. 

What critical ecological and heritage sites have the NTCI recently acquired?

Thanks to generous donations, NTCI has acquired several critical habitats and environmental sites across our islands. 

We are now the custodians of Sylvia’s Reef in Cayman Brac, a stunning snorkel and dive site teeming with marine life. In Little Cayman, we purchased a small parcel of land in the Mahogany Bay/Phosphate Park subdivision at the west end of the island that contains three immense, old-growth mahogany trees. These magnificent trees have been a prominent landmark in Little Cayman for many years, and we are proud to preserve this beautiful ecological habitat for all to enjoy. Lastly, in Grand Cayman, donations to our Land Reserve Fund enabled us to purchase a significant parcel of land which contains an untouched ancient forest near the entrance to the Botanic Park. 

What future programmes does the NTCI aim to grow?

Last year, we launched our Youth Stewardship Programme, and we look forward to continuing this educational opportunity this year. The young Caymanians who took part in the programme had a unique opportunity to train with local experts and acquire skills and knowledge in environmental and historic preservation. This equipped them to become exceptional ambassadors for the NTCI and Cayman.   

From June to August of this year, we will continue our Internship Programme for high school and university students. Interns will work with our dedicated team to develop their abilities in areas of personal interest and gain valuable work experience. 

How can the community support your ongoing conservation efforts?

Our community can support us through donations to our Historic Preservation Fund, Land Reserve Fund, Blue Iguana Conservation Fund or by contributing to the organisation to ‘give where it is needed.’

How can the community contribute to your legacy? 

The simplest way for our community to join us is by becoming a member of the NTCI. We have a variety of membership packages available, including individual, family, student, senior, and lifetime members. We are encouraging student memberships as we recognise that many young people are passionate about the future of the Cayman Islands, and we want to encourage them to be inspired and grow with the National Trust.