Beausejour

Overview

Beausejour is a small, enclosed basin mangrove wetland on Grenada’s northeast coast. Basin mangroves develop where tidal exchange is limited, leading to calm, sediment-rich conditions. Despite its small size, Beausejour is important both as an ecological habitat and as an archaeological site connected to Grenada’s earliest Indigenous settlements.

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Ecological Monitoring

Vegetation surveys show that Beausejour is dominated by white mangroves (Laguncularia racemosa), with red (Rhizophora mangle) and black (Avicennia germinans) mangroves absent. The stand is low and uniform, reflecting the limited water flow typical of basin systems.

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In 2025, mangrove leaf samples were collected for stable isotope analysis. These tests will clarify the mix of freshwater and seawater influencing the wetland, but results are not yet available.

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Archaeology

Beausejour is listed in Dr. Jonathan Hanna’s archaeological surveys as an early Indigenous settlement. Surface finds include pottery fragments, shells, and animal bones that show people once cooked and lived here, making use of the wetland and nearby coastline for food.

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Archaeological evidence suggests the site was occupied before about AD 900, during what specialists call the “Ceramic Age,” when clay pottery became widespread. This means Beausejour is part of Grenada’s early village history. For more detail, see Dr. Hanna’s Archaeological Site Inventory of Grenada (ASIG).

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Significance

Beausejour’s value lies in both its ecology and its history. The living mangroves shelter wildlife and stabilize the shoreline, while beneath the soil lie traces of Grenada’s first communities. Protecting the site ensures that both natural and cultural heritage are preserved for the future.