Cayman Islands Protect Six New Natural Areas and Move to Ban Single-Use Plastics

Marking Earth Day on April 22, 2026, the government of the Cayman Islands announced a sweeping set of environmental commitments, headlined by the formal protection of six ecologically significant natural areas. Under the National Conservation (Protected Areas) Order 2026, the designations extend legal protection across a cross-section of the British Caribbean territory's habitats — wetlands, mangroves, coastal cays and forest — that sustain native and migratory wildlife.

The six sites span both Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. They include Tarpon Lake National Park on Little Cayman, a wetland that will remain open to the public via a boardwalk; the East Interior Nature Reserve, a rugged landscape of ponds, shrubland and forest with planned walking trails; and Sand Cay in Grand Cayman's South Sound, a seasonal nesting ground for least terns. Also protected are Duck Pond Little Cay and the Western Mangrove Cays Marine Park in North Sound, both safeguarding vital mangrove ecosystems, and an expanded Salina Nature Reserve that shelters the endangered blue iguana, Cayman parrots and migratory black crabs. A designation for the Cayman Brac Lighthouse bluff is also in progress.

“Under the National Conservation (Protected Areas) Order 2026, the designations extend legal protection across a cross-section of the British Caribbean territory's habitats — wetlands, mangroves, coastal cays and forest — that sustain native and migratory wildlife.”

The conservation order is just one part of a broader package. The government moved to ban eight single-use plastic items — including plastic bags, straws and polystyrene containers — through amendments to the Customs Tariff Act, tackling pollution at its source. It also announced a Cayman Forward Forum for June 2026 to align natural and built environment planning.

Officials framed the measures as long-term stewardship. "These Protected Areas are of ecological importance to our native and visiting wildlife, and hold cultural and recreational significance," said Minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, who leads the territory's environment portfolio. Premier André Ebanks added that the vision is "to build a stronger, fairer Cayman where sustainable development, environmental responsibility, and economic resilience go hand in hand." Management plans for each new area will go to public consultation before final approval — a reminder that designation is a beginning, not a finish line. For a small island nation on the front line of climate and development pressures, the announcement is a meaningful step toward keeping its natural heritage intact.