Our Vision
Conservation through Science and Education
St. Lucia is home to an extraordinary diversity of ecosystems—from coral reefs and coastal habitats to tropical forests and mountainous landscapes. These environments support a rich and unique array of species and provide essential ecological, cultural, and economic value.
At the same time, they face increasing pressure from climate change and human activity, highlighting the need for locally grounded and forward-looking conservation approaches.
Our vision is to strengthen long-term conservation capacity by combining accessible scientific tools, conservation education, and meaningful community engagement.
We believe that conservation is most effective when people feel personally connected to their natural environment and are empowered to understand, experience, and actively contribute to its protection.
By bringing people closer to nature and making scientific approaches more accessible, the Great Isles Initiative aims to foster innovation, education, and shared responsibility as foundations for lasting conservation impact.
Our Mission
What we're about
The Great Isles Initiative aims to strengthen biodiversity conservation in St. Lucia by connecting science, education, and community engagement.
Through innovative approaches, hands-on learning and citizen science we aim to support long-term, locally grounded conservation efforts across ecosystems.
Conservation
• Explore community-based and citizen science approaches to support biodiversity monitoring
• Develop concepts for collecting and analysing ecological data
• Contribute to a better understanding of pressures on ecosystems, such as habitat degradations
Education
• Promote awareness of biodiversity and its ecological importance
• Create opportunities for young people and communities to engage with their natural environment
• Encourage respectful interactions with wildlife among visitors
Our Team
Who are we
The Great Isles Initiative is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to strengthening biodiversity conservation in St. Lucia.
It is guided by the belief that innovative and accessible scientific approaches combined with community engagement can meaningfully support data collection and research.
The Great Isles Initiative was founded by Greta Blome, M.Sc. Originally from Germany, she has worked in research and conservation contexts in St. Lucia and developed a strong commitment to supporting locally grounded conservation.
Board of Directors
Advisory Board
Legal information
Great Isles Initiative is a registered non-profit organisation in Germany and has been recognised as a tax-exempt charitable organization.
Legal Name: Great Isles Initiative gUG (haftungsbeschränkt).
Commercial Register: HRB 12205, Local Court of Hamm (Amtsgericht Hamm).
Saint Lucia: Great Isles Initiative is actively operating in Saint Lucia. Registration as a local nonprofit organisation is currently in progress.
Transparency
Download our latest Mid-Year Report and learn more about our activities and organisational development.