The environmental transformation at the New Providence Ecology Park (NPEP) has fostered a bird sanctuary at the site, with the now revitalized Park serving as a home and breeding ground to dozens of bird species.

On a recent visit to NPEP, birders Elijah Sands and Chris Johnson of the Bird Club of New Providence spent several hours identifying, counting, and photographing the Park's diverse bird population.

"This site was once considered an environmental hazard. The fires that would occur and the scenes were always the topics of major national discussions," stated Sands in a social media post. "Bahamians passionately advocated for something to be done with this area...the new team responsible for its management completely transformed it."

According to Sands, the number of shorebirds at NPEP is unmatched compared to any other inland New Providence site. "Laughing Gulls breed here and can be seen in tremendous numbers, this site is [also] home to undoubtedly the largest concentration of Black-Crowned Night-Herons."

Birds play an essential role in the proper functioning of the world's ecosystems. Many birds are important in plant reproduction, and some are keystone species as their presence in or disappearance from an ecosystem affects other species indirectly.

In addition to the many species that have made NPEP their home, this rejuvenated ecosystem has also attracted various feathery visitors making a pit stop during their yearly migrations.

Sands noted that the pair "spotted a Wilson's Phalarope, a shorebird on its way to South America. This would be the second documented record of this species in The Bahamas, making this a very rare find," in addition to "a huge flock of migrating swallows."

NPEP remains intentional and systematic in its journey to develop a 160-acre ecology and industrial Park. The organization's commitment to delivering world-class waste management solutions extends to cultivating an environmentally sound Park that serves as a natural habitat for native flora and fauna to thrive.