EAG Offers Tour of Redonda to Raffle Winners

Two Antiguans and a Barbudan will gain the opportunity of becoming one with nature in a tour of Redonda.

The Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) is hosting a raffle with the winners being able to gain access to the restored island for free.

Tickets are $10.80 and can be purchased from anyone on the EAG team in Antigua and at the BK Fuel Depot in Barbuda.

This is not the first time that the group has offered such an adventure.

In 2023, the three winners got to experience the island.

“They had an amazing time. We actually have a video of their reactions, what they expected, and at the end, what they thought about it. They enjoyed it. We really want people to get that opportunity to see Redonda for themselves,” Johnella Bradshaw, Reserve Coordinator explained.

The raffle is part of a drive by the group for the public to get on board, fully support and fully understand the importance of such a project and Redonda itself.

Situated approximately 50 km from Antigua, Redonda is a rugged, uninhabited volcanic island with a remarkable history, globally important seabird colonies and unique fauna and flora.

The work was piloted by local NGO, the EAG, in sync with the government and overseas partners including Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and in 2016, steps to restore Redonda’s extraordinary biodiversity, resulting in astounding changes to the island.

The mile-long spot was officially designated a protected area by the government in 2023, ensuring its status as a pivotal nesting site for migrating birds and a home for species found nowhere else on Earth is preserved for posterity.

Meanwhile, work continues over on Redonda as the EAG continues its restoration project.

Biosecurity checks will be conducted in the coming days to ensure there in an effort “to maintain its beauty, its ecological function and make sure its healthy”.

“Every quarter, our team also goes over, and we do a biosecurity check. That means we go over there, and we check the 39 bait stations that we have.  We make sure we’re not seeing any signs of any invasives over there. For us, if we’re seeing any signs, then we say, okay, there’s something going on. We have to take a next trip and fix it and find out what the solution is,” Bradshaw said.

Since its initial restoration, the EAG has been working over the years to ensure it remains protected and eco-friendly.

In addition to biosecurity checks, a team also flies over yearly for data collection.

“For us at EAG, everything we do, every decision that we make is based on science. We have to collect this data to understand what is happening on the island. For a week, every year, our team goes over to Redonda and we camp out there. No electricity.  No running toilet. No shower. No internet. Once that helicopter flies away, you and the booby and them. You are just over there.

“It’s actually wonderful for me. I love to be in that environment because it’s just you in nature. We have those activities, that trip that we have once every year. We count the birds. We count the lizards. We catch the invertebrates to see the different species, both the flying and the ones on the ground. We do soil testing. We’re doing it all. Also, it’s very important for us that Redonda remains rat-free,” Bradshaw added.

With the success of the project, the EAG has been pushing educational campaigns to aid in persons getting a clearer understanding of the importance of protecting this island.

The group has travelled to Barbuda earlier this year. They are hoping to travel to Montserrat and Nevis.

“So, in February, we were so excited to have the opportunity to spend a couple of days in Barbuda going into the schools. We had a public screening of the documentary, the first ever in Barbuda, which was so great. We got to go to the stage table, invite everybody to come along. It was a great opportunity. We were so happy to connect Redonda to the people of Barbuda and share the work that we’re doing,” Bradshaw concluded.