Pictured from left (standing) are Bahamas National Trust Warden Steve Smith, North Andros High School Principal Edward Rolle, Jonathan and Ethan) and BNT education officer Liz Brace. From left, kneeling are Liz Richardson and Tyler Stubbly of the Forfar Field Station.

A top specialist from the Office of International Affairs of the U.S. National Park Service recently toured protected areas and other sites on Andros as a guest of the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) during a personal visit with his family. Jonathan Putnam is the World Heritage Programme Officer and Western Hemisphere specialist for the Park Service. He works to build networks of national parks to help protect migratory species, and to further conserve natural and cultural heritage.

"We stand to gain by engaging with international colleagues on the issues of large land (and sea) scapes and connectivity conservation," Putnam said during a photo opportunity. The BNT has enjoyed a longstanding co-operative relationship with the U.S. National Park Service since a memorandum of understanding was signed in 1995.

Putnam's Andros tour included visits to Blue Hole National Park, Cousteau's Blue Hole, the Forfar Field Station near Blanket Sound, and Westside National Park.

Talks were held with local BNT officials about bird guide training, community support for national parks, and school program like the Discovery Club.

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