Nature Reserve located at Cap Estate
Did you know there is a Nature Reserve located at Cap Estate? It is a designated 18-acre site known as the Morne Pavillon Nature Reserve site which has a rich and interesting history as part of what is now the 3,000-acre highly developed Cap Estate area.
The site’s name was derived during the 1700s when the French Civil Commandant, Baron de Longueville, developed a cotton plantation at the northern end of St. Lucia and planted his flag on the Morne Pavillion area. He also built a port at nearby Anse Becune.
Prior to the establishment of the current Cap Estate, the property belonged to the Floissac family, who leased a major portion of Cap to the U.S. government in 1942 for the construction and operation of a military base on upper Cap, including a two x 155mm shore battery and supporting structures with over 200 men. This initiative was undertaken due to German submarine presence in the Caribbean and the sinking of two ships in Castries harbour. The facility was installed to protect the US Air Base at Reduit and St. Lucia from possible invasion and use of Martinique by German submarines.
When the war situation became focused on Europe, the base was eventually determined to be unnecessary and was evacuated in April 1943. The land was returned to the Floissac family who sold it to Col. Harrison about 1956 who had intended to establish a cattle ranch and an up-market residential estate.
After his death it was sold to a syndicate who began development of the 3,000-acre Cap Estate.
The 18-acre Morne Pavillion site at the top of Cap Estate was sold to Herbert Lutz in 1966 who made an effort to build a vacation home on the site. However, the home was never completed and when Mr. Lutz died in 1983, his son Christopher Lutz of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA inherited the property.
Following the loss of the adjacent green belt to development of Mount du Cap in early 2002, a group of interested Saint Lucians and Cap residents collaborated to initiate an effort to preserve the Morne Pavillion site. This effort resulted in the decision by Christopher Lutz to donate the property to the Saint Lucia National Trust for a Nature Reserve and Heritage site. This effort was successfully concluded in December 2010.
The group of residents who initiated the discussions with Mr. Lutz has formed a group called Friends of Morne Pavillion, and continues to collaborate with the Trust to help develop and manage the property.
St. Lucia News Online welcomes our readers to this new feature which will run every Tuesday and Thursday. It is written by daughter of the soil Anselma Aimable, a former agricultural officer and former correspondent for Caribbean Net News, who has a deep interest in local culture and history. Send ideas and tips to Doublea@candw.lc.