350th Anniversary of Sir Hans Sloane's Birth, His Time in Jamaica and Current Blue Lagoon Restoration Efforts

 The Blue Lagoon Restoration Project was honored to receive the following letter from Ian Foster requesting permission to highlight the efforts around restoring Blue Lagoon during the anniversary celebrations of Sir Hans Sloane's birth by the British Natural History Museum. Naturally, we gave our enthusiastic agreement to this request. According to the Natural History Museum website, "In 1687, Hans Sloane was a young man just beginning a career in medicine. He was invited to go to Jamaica as personal doctor to the island’s new English governor, the 2nd Duke of Albermarle. His journey would have huge influence on his life and indeed the nation. Sloane stayed in Jamaica for 15 months and spent all his free time exploring the island collecting hundreds of specimens. He made note of how the plants were used locally for food, medicine and in many other ways." See the Natural History Museum for more on Sir Hans Sloane in Jamaica and on Jamaica's plant heritage.

Letter received from Ian Foster:

Dear Ms Duperly

I am writing with regard to the Blue Lagoon Restoration Project:

I am currently in London, England where I am involved in a project highlighting the life and work of a character named Sir Hans Sloane. 2010 was the 350th anniversary of his birth and he is remembered as the founder of the British Museum, Natural History Museum, British Library and president of the Royal Society and Royal College of Physicians. This anniversary has never been celebrated in the UK before and last year's numerous events have largely focused on his time in Jamaica from 1687-1689 which was the basis of his book 'A Voyage to Jamaica' which is a landmark publication in natural history.

With my personal efforts for the recognition of this valuable and important character I am seen as an authority on the subject which has led to invitations to give lectures at the Natural History Museum, Royal College of Physicians, Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, Chelsea Physic Garden and numerous other locations. see http://350.royalsociety.org.

Now in 2011 the momentum is building and events are now scheduled at Windsor Festival see www.windsorfestival.com and numerous other locations. I have been invited by the community of Chelsea in London to continue to work with them in promoting the history as well as the various UK and international museums and scientific institutions. My focus is largely Sloane's fascination with nature and his relationship with Jamaica which is the area of his life that people generally find most interesting. I am now launching a number of initiatives that will build on the work of Sir Hans Sloane particularly in the areas of sustainability and tourism.

I would like to propose that the Blue Lagoon Restoration project be highlighted as a component in upcoming presentations at the British Museum and elsewhere which will highlight the present day importance of Sloane's valuable observations on the Jamaican natural environmment and how that can be translated into a benefit for the environment in the present. The Natural History Museum and others have already committed to working with myself on the Sloane project and I have attached an article I wrote recently for their magazine 'Evolve'. With this widespread recognition for Jamaica's role in the history of ecology and environment through Sloane's work and recognised importance, there is a great opportunity to attract positive attention for Jamaica and the Blue Lagoon project would create an ideal showcase for the importance of conservation of the natural environment and would benefit from the media interest that is likely to be generated internationally. This in turn would be an aid in generating the necessary funds to facilitate the safe-keeping and preservation of the balance of nature at the Blue Lagoon.

I hope this is of interest and I would be happy to provide further information. I look forward to hearing any thoughts you may have on my proposal.

Kind regards

Ian Foster

The following is the article referred to in the letter by Ian Foster that was printed in the Natural History Museum's Evolve magazine:

Foster Sloane