The Bermuda National Trust has called for a freeze on all development by environmental offenders at Devonshire Marsh.

The call ? which was supported by the Opposition Shadow Environment Minister ? came after two Planning applications were made this week to develop near the wetland which is an important refuge for birds and plants.

Geronimo Trust applied to build a new warehouse on lot No. 3, off Middle Road, Devonshire.

And Bermuda Shipping and Refinishing wants to place 27 storage containers for a temporary period at No's 89 and 95 Middle Road, Devonshire.

But BNT said industrial pests have been eating into the fabric of the marsh for years and it is now under threat of being encroached by industrial use.

"The ecological integrity of Devonshire Marsh has been undermined by the practices of its industrial neighbours for years," BNT director Steve Conway said. "Several of the businesses that operate in the Marsh Lane area have ignored stop orders and remediation orders and shown complete disdain for the Planning process."

Mr. Conway said the recent Planning applications would only do more damage to the area and called for a freeze of such development.

"Two recent applications, one by Geronimo Trust and Bermuda Stripping and Refinishing, would continue this practice and accelerate the degradation of the area," Mr. Conway said. "The Bermuda National Trust calls for a moratorium on all new development in the Marsh Lane area by entities or their successors and agents operating under stop orders or remediation orders until all past infractions have been absolutely discharged."

The Trust said businesses in the area had failed to adhere to Development Applications Board orders to keep building materials and industrial activity away from a mandatory 15-foot setback from the Marsh.

Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons said he agreed fully with the Trust and argued it is clear Planning enforcement laws need to be given more teeth to prevent illegal development.

"We can't have a repeat of what happened with Rodrigues," Mr. Simons said, referring to a debacle four years ago when Paul Rodrigues of Rodrigues Trucking and Excavating and the Department of Planning were at loggerheads over dumping in the marsh.

In 2001, the Department of Planning claimed the company did not have the right to dump, while Mr. Rodrigues said it has been a dump for more than seven years.

"These industrial sites are stealthily creeping into the marsh one inch at a time with their aggregate and garbage doing damage to the site," said Mr. Simons.

He said Bermuda needs to protect Devonshire's wetland habitat because it is on a migratory path for birds and plays a key role in the Island's ecological balance.

However, Mr. Rodrigues said yesterday he had never heard of the Geronimo Trust and did not know "off the top of his head" exactly where Lot 3 in Devonshire Marsh was.

"It wasn't me," Mr. Rodrigues said.