Windsor Research Centre
Newsletter #1


- Summer 2002-

Introduction
Windsor has been a centre for biological research for nearly 150 years, so this Newsletter is just one small step in the "journey". From Harold Anthony's visit in 1920 (he discovered the first evidence of native monkeys on Jamaica right here!) through (Dame) Miriam Rothschild's ownership of the Great House in the 1950's (it was here that she conducted seminal research on mammalian ectoparasites in Windsor Cave) through Mike's purchase of the Great House in 1986 (Biologist Rudi Diesel was in residence), Windsor seems to have been destined as a Centre for research and is indeed seen as such by the Windsor and Sherwood Communities.

We first realized the need for a formal institution able to talk with authority on local biodiversity in about 1995 after a meeting on the Verandah between the Windsor Community, the now-defunct JADCO (Jamaica Attractions Development Company) and political representatives. JADCO proposed 26 tour buses a day...; "We'll build a village on the hillside". We have subsequently been involved with Cockpit Country Conservation, starting with the BirdLifeJamaica-sponsored Cockpit Country Workshop in spring, 1998 and continuing with the World Bank/GEF project (1999-2000) and now with the TNC "Parks-in-Peril" (PiP) Project. Though operating informally upto the late 1990's when we started operating as a "firm", we have now taken the plunge, with other founding members, to institutionalise our framework so that we can grow into our role in Cockpit Country conservation by contributing science-based knowledge, promoting research in the Natural Sciences and disseminating information to ensure the best-possible protection and management of Cockpit Country.

We are able to announce that finally Windsor Research Centre was incorporated, as a limited company, on 25th April, 2002 registered as Company No 65522. The Memorandum and Articles of Association can be consulted on our proto website 'http://wrc.cockpitcountry.com'.

The next news is that this newsletter will be published four times per year to ensure that our members and colleagues can participate in ongoing activities. It is intended to be brief and succinct but will have internet links so that any subject that particularly interests you can be explored in depth.

We held our first meeting of the Board of Directors on 8th June (see Minutes): key decisions were that Susan Koenig was nominated Director of Research and Michael Schwartz was nominated as Manager. Another key decision was to set the membership fee at J$1,000 or US$20. We hope this newsletter may encourage some of you to join WRC and participate in the development of our mission.

Activities

And that's pretty well what we have been doing during this quarter.
Activities coming up in the Autumn quarter will include:

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