I recently had the chance to visit Shell Beach Protected Area with the team from the Protected Areas Commission. It was one of those trips that stays with you because of the people, the stories, and all the moments in between.

For our team at the Protected Areas Trust, this was a great opportunity for us to get out of the office and into the field. It was also the first time our new Grants Coordinator and I, as the Communications Specialist, got to see firsthand what life is like on the ground in Region 1. We spend so much time behind the scenes writing, planning, and coordinating that it’s easy to loose sight of the real-world impact of what we do.

We flew from Georgetown to Mabaruma, drove to the Kumaka front , and then hopped on a boat that took us through winding mangrove channels,navigating the Barima/Waini Rivers to Almond Beach on the Atlantic coast, home to one of our Ranger outposts. The mangroves were filled with birds as we rode down the channel, and the whole ride felt like an adventure ride.

Life on the Beach

We met the Ranger team as soon as we arrived. They live on the beach, working around the clock to protect the area. They’ve built a schedule that includes both conservation work and moments of community. One of my favourite things was watching them during their down times, play cricket on the sand.. Bowling on the wet beach gives the ball extra speed. It was fun to watch and even more fun to join in.

That night, we joined the 8 PM patrol. It was our first real look at what the Rangers do. We saw green turtles, including hatchlings and one adult that came ashore to lay eggs. It’s wild to think that the turtles we’re protecting now won’t return to nest for another 25 to 30 years. That kind of long-term thinking is hard to wrap your head around, but it’s the reality of conservation.

Challenges and Conversations

One big concern for the protected area is beach erosion. The coastline has been retreating steadily over the past decade. Some say it’s part of a natural cycle, but it’s hard to know when or if it will reverse. Do we wait and hope, or act now to protect what’s left? 

We also learned that one of the Rangers has been taking wildlife photos in his spare time. Having someone on the ground who can help tell the story of Shell Beach through images is incredibly valuable. We talked a lot about how to support that kind of storytelling and even ran a short photography workshop to help the team sharpen their skills. It wasn’t about making them pros. We just wanted to give them a few tools to capture what they see every day.

Learning about Shell Beach

We spent time with two Rangers,, who will be featured in some of our upcoming posts. Their stories were powerful. They spoke about their families, their connection to the land, and what it means to protect a place they’ve known all their lives. Most of the Rangers come from nearby Indigenous communities. Even if they didn’t grow up working in conservation, they carry a deep understanding of the land. That kind of knowledge can’t be taught in a classroom.

We also visited the new research station at the mouth of Waini River. It’s a small outpost, powered by solar energy and equipped with rainwater collection systems. It’s designed for visiting researchers and local partners, and it’s already ready to be used for monitoring and data collection. 

While we were there, we helped PAC with the administration of Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) assessment. It’s a way to measure how well a protected area is being managed. Listening to the team reflect on their progress and challenges was eye-opening. It reminded me that conservation isn’t just about wildlife. It’s about people, systems, and the constant push to do better.

There were so many moments that stood out. Sunset walks with the Rangers, long conversations about what’s working and what’s not, and of course, the food. The onsite Chef, Ron one of the Rangers, cooked every meal for us. Fresh bakes, roti, curry, crab, fish, you name it, he made it, and it was all incredible.

More than anything, this trip reminded me why we do this work. It’s easy to get caught up in reports and deadlines, but being at Shell Beach brought everything into focus. The people there are doing something extraordinary, often with limited resources and little recognition. They deserve to be seen, heard, and supported.

• Suneel Mistry
  • Communications Specialist.
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