‘Bubby Stone’ nature site launched

A rock pile which is said to resemble female breasts was declared an official site last Thursday.“Bubby Stone” is located in the Diamond Mountains on the windward side of St Vincent, at a height of 2,500 feet above sea level.{{more}}

The site was developed under a project: “Ecotourism and Biodiversity Protection Project for the Kamacarbou Mountain and the Diamond Village”.

Project manager Simeon Green noted that the project is geared at maintaining a livelihood for the Diamond Village community.

“What we are trying to do with this project…is try to find the very fine line between environmental protection and livelihood for the community,” he stated.

Funded by the Critical Ecotourism Partnership Fund, Green pointed out the three main areas of the project: a training programme for women to produce local dishes, using local produce, to be sold at the site; reforestation of surrounding lands and the construction of the trail to the unusual site.

Green explained that before trees shrouded parts of the rock pile, the actual breast like formation could be clearly seen, which is why ancestors referred to it using the colloquial term for breast – “bubby”.

“They sit on the spur like a young woman’s breasts sit on her chest,” Green said.

Minister of Agriculture and constituency representative Saboto Caesar thanked all the persons who worked on developing the site.

“It is a step in the right direction,” Caesar declared.

Caesar described the area as a prime piece of real estate and stressed that it should not be viewed as only a beautiful attraction, but as a path to sustainable and viable productivity in communities, to enable growth.

“It is definitely not far fetched for us to see in our minds, when we see the opening of the international airport and we see persons who would be staying in these communities…that on a morning, we can have five tour guides leaving the village, to journey up to this trail…” Caesar said.

The minister also said it is hoped that there would be persons at rest stops to provide local foods, water and other things to persons who will hike the trail.

“That is the kind of future that we envisage coming out of a project like this,” he said.

Ministry of Tourism representative Jay Belmar congratulated the group on successfully creating a trail that was simple enough for both younger and older generations to traverse.

“It’s not something that elderly persons can’t do,” Belmar noted.

“I know that when we have persons coming to St Vincent, hiking enthusiasts and nature lovers, they would not have a hard time doing this trail”.

Belmar, who compared the trail to the Vermont and Cumberland nature trails, also urged the community to experience the hike so that they can be aware of what their area has to offer the tourism sector.

She further pleaded with them to take care of their area and avoid littering along the trail.

“If you damage it, there will be nothing left for the future generations,” she said.

On the left and right sides of the major rest stop are two hiking trails that can be taken to the top of the mountain, where Bubby Stone is located.

Both trails have undergone development, including the planting of fruit trees and bamboo steps to make the hike manageable.(BK)