The coconut palm has come to represent a large part of the outside world's image of the French island of Guadeloupe in the West Indies. But now several palms will be removed, since they cannot prevent erosion.
Even tall palms have a small root system that reaches less than a meter from the base of the trunk. Therefore, they cannot prevent sand from being washed away by strong waves, according to the island's environmental authority.
At La Perle beach, some of the palms that line the turquoise water will now be removed over the next two years. They will be replaced with trees that have roots better suited to preventing erosion.
The hope is also that the new trees will be better able to withstand a disease that plagues coconut palms.
Not having coconut palms takes away a bit from the postcard image we have, but the sand and the warm sea are still there, say pensioners Liliane and Gary, who spent the Christmas holiday on Guadeloupe.
