What should come of the notorious military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, if it closes? Researchers proposed turning the naval base into a marine research center and international peace park as part of the easing of relations between Cold War enemies Cuba and the U.S.
"Guantánamo could become the Woods Hole of the Caribbean," explained Joe Roman, a conservation biologist at the University of Vermont, referring to the famous U.S. ocean science center in Massachusetts. "This could be a powerful way for the Obama administration to achieve the president's 2008 campaign promise to close the prison - while protecting a de facto nature reserve and some of the most important coral reefs in the world."
Last month, President Barack Obama announced plans to close the facility. However, whether or not he'll be able to is still in question. The researchers' proposal comes just days before the president is set to become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba since 1928.
"As a result of this accident of history, wildlife has been thriving there, and that is sort of what prompted me also to put forward this idea - we don't want to lose that," Roman said.
Roman and study co-author James Kraska, an ocean law professor at the U.S. Naval War College, explained that their proposal is designed to attract both sides and could unite Cuba and the U.S. in joint management, rather than serve as a wedge between them.
Cuba has more than 3,000 miles of coastline, home to some of the most pristine mangrove wetlands, seagrass beds and tropical forests in the region - not to mention "unparalleled" coral reefs, fish diversity and marine life.
"Almost all the scientists I've spoken with, whether they are in the United States or are in Cuba, are excited about the idea that there could be a place in the future where we could work together," Roman added.
In their proposal, the researchers wrote: "As U.S. involvement in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq winds down, and detainees are released or subject to criminal trial, perhaps the most compelling reason for the Pentagon to possess the base disappears."
Furthermore, the base's other missions, including anti-drug operations or search-and-rescue work, could move to the naval station at Key West, Fla., only 90 miles away.
However, some U.S. politicians have recently called for the prison to remain open indefinitely. In contrast, the Cuban government has considered the U.S. presence in Guantánamo illegal since the 1960s.
That's why researchers call their proposal "a third path." Since the Obama administration has made it clear that it is not yet ready to return the Guantánamo base to Cuba, researchers argue that an international peace park and research station suits both countries' interests.
The idea is that if Gitmo were to become a research center, it would give global recognition to Cuba's conservation efforts and strong stance on climate change, all while providing financial support and up-to-date facilities for environmental work.
"Cuba has great conservation scientists," Roman said. "They just don't have money or equipment."
If the proposal is a success, most of the land and sea could be given to threatened Cuban manatees and hawksbill sea turtles, while the existing buildings could be converted into labs and meeting rooms, partly powered by four large wind turbines already in place.
For now, the future of Cuba is very uncertain. Researchers wrote: "For the next generation, the name Guantánamo could become associated with redemption and efforts to preserve and repair the environment and international relationships."
The new proposal was recently published in the journal Science.
