DCNA Management Success Report

January - December

2008Dutch Caribbean Islands

ContentsCONTENTS.................................................................................................................. IITHE DUTCH CARIBBEAN..............................................................................................IIIPREFACE.....................................................................................................................VPURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT....................................................................................VIUNDERSTANDING HOW A PROTECTED AREA WORKS.....................................................VICONTEXT...................................................................................................................10

BACKGROUND................................................................................................................................... 10VALUES............................................................................................................................................ 13HABITATS.........................................................................................................................................14THREATS..........................................................................................................................................20VISITOR NUMBERS..............................................................................................................................22

CAPACITY..................................................................................................................23INCOME............................................................................................................................................ 23HUMAN RESOURCES...........................................................................................................................23PHYSICAL RESOURCES.........................................................................................................................26LEGAL RESOURCES.............................................................................................................................29INFORMATION SOURCES.......................................................................................................................31

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT.....................................................................................33WORKING WITH CONSTITUENTS.............................................................................................................34

ACRONYMS...............................................................................................................35GLOSSARY.................................................................................................................37

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The Dutch CaribbeanWith their population of less than 300, 000 and land area of 800 km2, the Dutch Caribbean islands are remote, tiny and as a consequence easily overlooked. But their natural heritage is rich and diverse making them the ‘hot spot’ for biodiversity. The Dutch Caribbean boasts a range of unique, threatened and endangered habitats and species ranging from primary rain forest to magnificent coral reefs. The islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao alone are home to over two hundred endemic species and subspecies which live nowhere else in the world.

The islands form two distinct groups which are not only separated by more than 900 km of open water, but are also linguistically, culturally, geologically and ecologically divided. The Windward Islands of St Maarten, Saba and St Eustatius are volcanic in origin with lush vegetation ranging from seagrapes and aloe in the coastal areas to ferns and mountain mahogany trees at altitude. There are coral reefs, pinnacles, patch reefs and fringing reefs around the islands and St Maarten also has numerous salt ponds and mangrove stands.

Location of the Dutch Caribbean Islands

By contrast the Leeward Islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao have semi arid vegetation consisting largely of cactus, acacia and other dry loving trees and plants. Bonaire and Curaçao are unique in being true oceanic islands as they are separated from mainland South America by a deep water trench. Aruba on the other hand was formerly part of the South American mainland. Bonaire’s reefs are considered some of the very best and healthiest in the Caribbean. All three islands have fringing coral reefs, seagrass and mangrove stands as well as extensive bays and salinas (salt ponds).

ConservationNature conservation is nothing new to the Dutch Caribbean. The first land park was established on Bonaire over thirty five years ago in 9th May 1969. The park proved successful and was followed in 1978 with the Christoffel Park on Curaçao and in 1979 by the creation of the very first marine protected area in the Dutch Caribbean, the now famous Bonaire National Marine Park. Other islands quickly followed suit and have tried to create at least one land and one marine park on each island with the goal of protecting and preserving the island’s natural heritage whilst allowing wise and sustainable use of these resources, particularly by tourism.

Common constraints on the parks include limited and at times unreliable government support and the main threat in various disguises is the escalating pressure from tourism related development particularly in coastal areas. There are also threats from invasive species such as overgrazing by free roaming goats, sheep, cattle and donkeys and overgrowth of native plants by species such as Corallita and The Rubber Vine. There are entrenched local issues over land tenure and persistent over harvesting of marine resources such as grouper, lobster and conch.

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Park Management OrganisationsEach of the Protected Areas of the Dutch Caribbean is managed by a not for profit non governmental organization or foundation which has a co-management arrangement with stakeholders. Details of these and further details of the Protected Areas of the DCNA can be seen in the table below.

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PrefaceThe Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) aims to support the land and marine parks on each of the islands of the Dutch Caribbean, to promote the parks and nature conservation and to fundraise including attracting grantors, major donors and corporate sponsors with a view to creating a Trust Fund for nature conservation. The islands have already attracted considerable funding from, amongst others, WWF NL, Stichting DOEN and the Dutch National Postcode Lottery. A critical component of effective fundraising is the ability to demonstrate success. For this reason DCNA has developed a detailed data collection and analysis system, based on the IUCN ‘management effectiveness framework’. This system not only captures baseline data but also acts as a tool for analysing the conservation success, institutional progress and management effectiveness at each of the protected area sites. This report presents the information collected during Phase V of the management success project.

As the project continues, valuable time series data are obtained every year as the capture sheets used to gain the information are updated. This time series information established in 2004 will reflect changes in the priorities of the PA’s as the time distribution between core management tasks changes as well as the emphasis on different projects and research being carried out.

The Dutch Caribbean Islands of Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao accommodate countless different habitats and species that are protected by 5 marine and 5 terrestrial protected areas (listed in the table below). These are home to a total 173 of internationally endangered plants and animals currently living in and around coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, dry forest and lush rainforest. There are 6 internationally recognised Ramsar sites on the islands – 5 on Bonaire and 1 on Aruba.

The environments on the islands play an essential part in the lives of the species they support as well as providing livelihoods and income for the diverse background of humans that inhabit the islands. Life on islands is inherently linked to the sea through fisheries and tourism, and the wellbeing of marine resources is dependant on the activities on land. The management bodies of the protected areas on these islands face pressures from development, pollution, invasive species, over fishing and tourism which all have the potential to irreversibly damage the islands’ natural heritage and economy.

The ability of the Nature organisations to deal with the pressures they face comes down to their management capacity. This report outlines the level of the following elements of the management capacities of the organisations of the islands; information availability, governance and institutional affairs, stakeholder relationships, human and physical resources and finances.

Management success

A desired outcome of the Management Success project is to be able to repeat the data collection process and develop an effective set of time series data on the success of management. In this way the success and effectiveness of any change in management practice or policy should be detectable and accountable. The definition of ‘effective management’ of protected areas is currently under debate within the international conservation community, although the following definition is often used by those involved with PA management; “The efficient and orderly use of human and material resources on a planned basis directed to achieve management objectives” Deshler, W.O. (1982)1.

This project will continue to develop criteria for defining effective management within an adaptive management framework where successes can be judged against clearly defined goals and objectives for each of the protected areas. In January 2008 a consultant was used to collect the data for the project within a 2 week time frame. This provided the first full set of data, a valuable snapshot of the park management for 2007 and crucial feedback for the data collection process directly from the Parks involved.

1 Deshler, W.O. (1982) A systematic approach to effective management of protected areas in ‘World National Parks Congress, Bali, IUCN Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas’

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Purpose of this documentThe information contained within this document should be used by interested parties to raise awareness about the management activities taking place within the DCNA and the local, regional and international significance of the protected areas. If more information is required on any aspect of this report, the initial capture sheets for the Island of interest should be referred to prior to contacting the organisation responsible. It should be noted that this report is part of a work in progress and some data may be unavailable. This report, contains all of the data collected for the Management Success project that is comparable between islands. This report should be consulted along side the separate reports for each of the Dutch Caribbean Islands that detail a number of aspects of the PA’s, including the values and the Operational Management activities that have taken place within 2008.

Understanding how a Protected Area works.The following generic information on park context, capacity and operational activities is provided for guidance and to help explain the scope of the operational work of Protected Area’s. A Protected Area is managed within some defined physical and management characteristics that represent the ‘Context’ of the Protected Area. . Three main aspects of context have been identified;

Background Values Threats

The characteristics of the context of the Protected Area define how the Protected Area is likely to be managed. The management tasks that take place within a Protected Area depend on the resources available to the park. If the resources are not available or are restricted, the ‘Capacity’ the park has to carry out management tasks and the success of the Protected Area are limited. The main elements of capacity are:

Financial resources (income) Legal resources (legislation, policy, permits) Human resources (staffing) Physical resources (equipment) Information resources (maps, data)

The ‘Operational management’ of protected areas has been quite clearly defined2. Achievements of the Park can be divided between the elements of park operational management which are:

Administration (management, office and field maintenance) Monitoring and research Law enforcement Information, education and outreach Travel and training

2 Feasibility Study of a Protected Areas Trust Fund: sustainable funding for the Nature Parks of the Netherlands Antilles, February 2005 http://www.dcnanature.org/donations/trustfund.html

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ContextBackgroundThe setting that a Protected Area works within is usually fixed within the medium to long term. This includes physical aspects such as the size, geology and location of the Protected Area, and a number of management aspects such as the name, date established, contact details, tenure, zonation, strategic statements and adherence to any international conventions.

ValuesThe values of a Protected Area can be locally, regionally or internationally significant examples of biological diversity, habitats, or cultural, recreational and historical sites. Protected Area’s also have very significant values in terms of the opportunity for economic gain for users e.g. tourism related activities such as diving. Other values are the environmental services provided by the habitats of any Protected Area and the value of the institution that operates the Protected Area, particularly as a focus for conservation activity.

ThreatsProtected Area’s face a range of threats to their values. These can be sourced to Global, Regional, Local, Extractive, Transport and Recreation origins. The relationships between threats and the effects on the resources and values of a Protected Area are complex, and often interrelated. The most significant threats are a result of changes in land use and development of infrastructure including buildings for tourism. These threats constitute not only a direct loss of habitat and species but also increased pressure on remaining Protected Area values.

Overview of essential resources / capacityFinancial resourcesParks need sufficient income to cover their operational costs on an ongoing basis. This is one of the essential elements of park success. A key factor is income flow: funding needs to be available to a park continually in order to keep staff and park operations running smoothly. Project funding which comes in pulses and has to be spent within a predefined timeline can prove problematic if the park does not have sufficient income to run as well as taking over additional work/tasks generated by the project. Income for Parks can come from a variety of sources including government subsidies, admission fees, fees for service, grants and ‘friends of’ groups, franchises and similar. Accessing sufficient income is highly problematic for parks in the Dutch Caribbean as the region is not eligible for most international aid funds and ineligible for many Dutch domestic sources of funding.

Legal resourcesWhilst many protected areas exist without legal status, lack of legislation has been consistently identified as a major constraint on park success. Apart from the park being unable to effectively enforce its rules and regulations, lack of legislation may also hamper fundraising initiatives, making it impossible for the park to implement user fees and similar. Local legislation should take into account international obligations through treaties and conventions and provision should be made for ensuring these obligations are adequately met. Legal resources should include zoning plans, development plans and both nature and environmental policy plans for each island as well as legislation addressing construction, waste management, harbour and shipping regulations etc. Where legislation is in place most parks also operate a permitting system to control selected activities within the park such as tourist activities, research etc

Human resourcesA fully staffed park will typically employ a manager as well as an assistant manager or chief ranger for each park, 4 or more rangers, an administrator and a communication / education officer. They may additionally have dedicated project staff. Where a park management organisation manages both terrestrial (land) and marine protected areas they will frequently employ a director to ensure integrated management as well as carrying out lobbying activities, fundraising and representation. Parks may actively or passively run volunteer programmes, have interns, trainees and consultants working for them. Whilst volunteers are typically not paid for their services the park’s investment is large since they take up core staff time and require careful supervision. Volunteer programmes can play an important role in bolstering park capacity where staff cuts are necessary or funding is insufficient to increase staffing to an appropriate level.

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Physical resourcesThe physical resources that a park has access to greatly effects the ability of the staff to carry out work. An adequately equipped park will typically have unrestricted access to buildings (offices, workshop), communications (including computers, telephones, internet), transport (boats, trucks), maintenance equipment, drilling equipment (to place moorings), scientific and field equipment.

Information resourcesIn order to be able to make sound management decisions, parks need to have access to essential information related to the protected area such as maps (terrestrial and bathymetric), tide and current data, species lists, management plans etc. This information will be supplemented in an ongoing basis by the information flow from research and monitoring work carried out by the park and others.

Overview of Operational ManagementAdministration†

Management Administration

Parks will typically serve as a secretariat for their Boards and will be involved in preparing and organising Board meetings, agendas and minute taking. Management will also be responsible for planning, budgeting, routine reporting, as well as all aspects of personnel management. Income related activities carried out by Park management include administering government subsidies, franchises and similar, grant funding, organising and purchasing souvenir items and similar. Additionally parks may run ‘friends of …’ groups, actively soliciting donations from the public and from corporate sponsors.

Office administration

This includes organising an office, correspondence, filing, bookkeeping, accounting, invoicing and payments. It also includes work planning and developing work schedules for staff, some project management, collecting and administering admission fees and the sale of souvenir items and similar.

Field Administration

The maintenance of moorings, trails and roads accounts for a considerable amount of staff time. Other maintenance tasks include running and maintaining buildings, vehicles, boats and communications equipment. Patrolling, assisting park users and similar are also core field administrative tasks that take up substantial amounts of staff time.

Research and monitoringParks are all engaged at some level in collecting information on the state of their biological resources, use of resources as well as socio-economic data. Monitoring programmes, as well as being used to look at changes over time, are frequently run to address specific management issues. Site characterization is an important part of every parks dataset and information on the protected area and includes physical mapping, habitat maps and biological inventories. To be effective monitoring needs to be carried out regularly using the same methodologies and techniques over a long time period. Additionally parks may run research projects to address specific issues such as the impact or control of invasive species or the impact of user groups on a resource. Damage assessment, evaluation as well as the effects of restoration work are other possible areas for research and monitoring work.

†† Defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as; ‘the organization and running of a business or system.’ – in this case a Protected Area.

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Law enforcementLocal and international legislation forms the basis for the legal protection of the park and enforcement of conventions, laws, rules and regulations is a core task of every park. Parks are engaged in interpreting the legislation for all user groups, providing guidance and advice as well as actually enforcing the law by issuing verbal and written warnings, giving summary fines and writing up offences. Other legal mechanisms such as permits and exemptions are useful tools to control and regulate activities in parks and parks are frequently involved in the permitting processes not only for activities with the protected area but also in adjacent buffer areas. Additionally parks provide emergency response and will be involved in identifying and developing appropriate response scenarios for high risk threats, emergency preparedness and on site damage assessment capabilities.

Information, education and outreachParks are all engaged in multiple activities designed to provide information and to educate islanders, visitors and specific park user groups. Generally these are formulated in a communication plan and will include programmes for targeted audiences to increase knowledge about the park, change behaviour and/or build stewardship. Some parks have visitor centres or a museum with information on their protected area. Others provided guided tours, dives and hikes, have signage and outreach materials, including posters, brochures and leaflets (often in multiple languages). Parks actively engage their local media, write press material and hold interviews with TV and radio. In addition to snorkel programmes some parks have structured Junior Ranger programmes, school programmes as well as courses for local teachers. All parks have websites and most have some form of regular newsletter. Information refers to the passive supply of information to an audience, outreach is the active dissemination of information and education refers to formal training and teaching programmes run by the Park.

Travel and trainingAll park management organisations are represented at DCNA Board meetings, additionally many attend international events and symposia. Training courses are organised for staff, these frequently include work exchange programmes with other islands as well as more formal training programmes.

Working with stakeholdersAnother critical area of work for every park is working with its constituents. Parks work with decision makers to integrate management priorities into island and national planning, give advice, petition government and are frequently represented on government advisory boards, Partnerships are built with other organisations such as research institutions, conservation organisations and funders both on island and abroad to strengthen the park and to gain access to resources and expertise. Parks work particularly hard to engage stakeholders through a process of collaboration. Key contacts within each user group are identified; Parks often attend stakeholder meetings and vice versa, provide training, information and advice. Some parks have structured or informal volunteer groups with whom they work on a regular basis. Advantages of working with stakeholders include conflict resolution and avoidance, improved compliance and improved relations with stakeholders, which can substantially improve the park’s image within the local community.

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ContextBackgroundThe following information gives background details of the protected areas in the Dutch Caribbean. This information is important to set the context of the management activities that have taken place during 2008.

AreaTerrestrial

St. Maarten is the only island in the Dutch Caribbean with on Terrestrial protected area. Global targets have been set by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas to protect 10% of land areas. Aruba, Bonaire and St. Eustatius currently protect in excess of 10% of their land area.

% of land area protected on each Dutch Caribbean Island PA’s coverage in the Dutch Caribbean

Size of TPA’s in The Dutch Caribbean

Marine

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Information on the area covered by the territorial waters of the Dutch Caribbean islands is not available. These figures are required to establish the percentage of protection offered by the marine parks. This figure is expected to be considerably smaller than the recommended 10% as none of the marine parks extend into deep water environments in excess of 60 metres depth.

Size of MPA’s in the Dutch Caribbean

GeologyThe geology of the Dutch Caribbean islands has an impact on the management of the PA’s. The rock type establishes the nature of the slopes and soil which in turn form the characteristics of water catchments. Any erosion of soils taking place may have to be managed especially is if it made worse by e.g. grazing animals. Erosion not only directly removes soils but deposits them within the marine environment, destroying habitats.

Aruba

The northern and middle zone predominantly consists of basaltlava ("Aruba lava formation"), as does the western part of the southern zone. It is characterized by in cross-cut v-shaped dry riverbeds, that in the current climate almost always are dry (rooi). Part of the sea coast is covered with lower limestone terrace, the waves there forming steep 8-10 meter high cliffs. The rest is diorite (also called tonalite, or grano-diorite), a sandy area with outcrops of large, white (quartz) black (felspar) and transparant (mica) speckled boulders with the most weird shapes. They erode quickly by a sort of peel-off process caused by a micro-organism. Inland there are some formations of middle limestone terrace, with cliffs where a rooi has cut them. Then there are faults, intrusions, quartz veins that sometimes contained gold. Until 1916 there was a gold industry in Aruba.

BonaireThe core of the island consists of strongly folded and faulted rocks of volcanic origin, silica rich sediments and turbidites formed during the Cretaceous era some 120 million years BP. Overlying this are later fossil reef and reef-generated calcareous deposits.

Curaçao Curacao Lava Formation, Knip Group & Limestone terraces (see Beets, 1972)

Saba

The lower slopes of Saba consist mainly of agglomerates and tuffs. Pyroclastic material can be found in various locations and lava flows form tongues of land protruding into the sea at 2 locations. A viscous lava plug formed in the main crater of the volcano laying the foundations for the top of Mt Scenery. Several other lava domes formed around the main peak. Before becoming dormant, volcanic activity formed a sulphur and gypsum layer which was exploited at the Sulphur mines through the 19th century.

St. Eustatius

Quill – typically conical dormant volcano and intact circular rim - last explosion 7500-8000 years ago. Boven - remains of a strato volcano 1 million years ago of which only the most solid deposits remain (including Boven hill)

Patch reef - larval outcrops and flows that have been colonised by reef - these areas surrounded by sandy substrate Coral reef - typical spur and groove system along a wall in the Southern Reserve.

St. Maarten Coral Reefs mostly Patch reef containing hard and soft corals, seagrass beds, mangroves communities (red, black and white mangrove), sandy bottoms a few large rocks and some small land masses (islets or keys).

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Dutch Caribbean PA summaries

Island Aruba Bonaire Curaçao Saba St. Eustatius St Maarten

Protected Area Name

Parke Naçional Arikok

Washington Slagbaai

National Park

Bonaire National

Marine ParkChristoffel

ParkCuraçao

Underwater Park

Saba National

Marine ParkSaba Terrestrial Park and Trails

The Quill/Boven

National Park and Botanical

Garden

St Eustatius National

Marine ParkSt. Maarten Marine Park

Area (Hectares) 35 6500 2700 2293 1036 1300 43 + Trails. 550 2750 5130

Number of staff 44 23 25 6 8 3Staff

capacity 100% 46% 54% 62% 38% 54% 46% 40% 60% 41% 59%Date

established

2000 May 9 1969 1979Christoffelpark 1978, Shete

Boka park 19941983 1987 1999 1997 1996 1997

Tenure Public Owned Public Public Public Public Owned/Private Property.3 Public Public Public

Status Designated Protected Area 2 Ramsar sites 5 Ramsar

sites None None Private PA None

IUCN Category

Category II: National Park None None None None None None None None None

Zones 2 controlled access, 1

multiple use.

None officially recognized

2 reserves, 2 FPA’s None None 4 zones None None

2 reserves, general use

zoneNone agreed

Vision

Preserving, protecting and administering the present flora, fauna, landscapes, ecological

habitats and cultural-historical

heritage, so that present and future

generations can profit from this.

STINAPA Bonaire is

dedicated to the

conservation of Bonaire 's

natural and historical heritage

through the sustainable use of its

resources.

To protected and Manage the natural, cultural and

historical resources, allowing

sustainable use for the benefit of

future generations

To manage Curaçao’s terrestrial

ecosystems in such a way that these systems

can provide important

services and economic

benefits to the community on a

sustainable basis.

To manage Curaçao’s coral

reefs and associated

marine ecosystems in

such a way that these systems

can provide important

services and economic

benefits to the community on a

sustainable basis.

To preserve the marine

environment for the

benefit of the people in perpetuity

Sulphur Mine Property - to

manage the natural and

cultural/historical values that occur in the area to ensure

that they contribute to the sustainable

development of the island of Saba.

To manage and conserve

natural, cultural and historical

resources of The Quill/Boven

National Park and Botanical

Garden for sustainable use with continued

stakeholder participation, for

the benefit of current and

future generations.

To manage and conserve

natural, cultural and historical

marine resources of St.

Eustatius for sustainable use with continued

stakeholder participation, for the benefit of current and

future generations.

To manage, conserve and

restore St. Maarten’s

marine natural, cultural and

historical resources for

education, ecological

functionality and sustainable use with continued

stakeholder participation, for

the benefit of current and

future generations.

3 Sulphur Mines are owned by SCF, The Trails cross land owned by various private owners12

Values

Statement of significanceDutch Caribbean MPA’s

The marine environments of the Dutch Caribbean Islands supports 12,916 km2 of biologically diverse coral reef, seagrass, sandy seabed and open ocean communities. The Marine Parks on Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten include some of the best sites in the Caribbean for healthy coral and fish populations. Bonaire National Marine Park was the first park to be established in 1979, with others following throughout the 80’s and 90’s. Aruba currently has no MPA, and St. Maarten lacks legislation for the MPA. There are marine six reserves within the Dutch Caribbean where activities are restricted. The MPA’s are a home, migratory stop over or breeding site for internationally recognised endangered species, including 45 IUCN Red List species, 12 CITES Appendix I species and 79 Appendix II species. The Dutch Caribbean marine environments help to attract thousands of yacht visitors and diving/snorkelling visitors per year, as well as hundreds of thousands of cruise ship visitors. Visitors’ expenditure is the mainstay of the islands economies and provides income for the islands population employed in restaurants, hotels and other services4.

Dutch Caribbean TPA’s

13% (12,876 hectares) of the terrestrial environment of the Dutch Caribbean Islands is protected, including biologically diverse rainforest, Elfin forest, drought resistant habitats, mangroves and saliñas. The five Terrestrial Parks of the Dutch Caribbean offer some of the best hiking in the Caribbean with views of wild interiors and neighbouring islands through pristine habitats. Washing ton Slagbaai National Park was the first TPA to be established on the Dutch Caribbean islands in 1969 to protect the islands natural resources. St. Maarten has no TPA to date, although 3 important areas for conservation have been identified. The TPA’s are a home, migratory stop over or breeding site for internationally endangered species including 18 IUCN Red List species, 7 CITES Appendix I species and 57 Appendix II species. 19 species of plant and animal on the islands are found regionally, 60 species are restricted to the Dutch Caribbean islands and close neighbours and 93 species are found only on the Dutch Caribbean islands. The islands have rich histories, evident as Indian inscriptions, archaeological sites, forts, slave villages, industrial complexes, plantations and related roads and walls from the 16th and 17th century. The Terrestrial Parks of the Dutch Caribbean attract visitors contributing to income of the islands’ population employed in restaurants, hotels and other services.

4 Central Bureau of Statistics: www.cbs.an.

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HabitatsThe main habitats found around the DCNA islands are coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, and a range of intertidal/terrestrial habitats including rocky shores, salty and freshwater ponds as well as sand dunes. In very general terms, the main terrestrial habitats are desert, dry scrub, dry forest, other woodlands and rainforest. All of these environments are biologically diverse and provide a range of resources and ‘services’ for wild animals and plants as well as humans. A number of the habitats are locally, regionally and internationally threatened by development and other pressures. This section outlines the special habitats of the DCNA islands before listing the species across the DCNA islands with particular conservation value.

Terrestrial

Arub

a

Bona

ire

Cura

cao

Saba

St. E

usta

tius

St. M

aart

en

Dry Forest • • • • •Desert/dry shrub • • • •Moist forest • •Pastoral land • •Grassland •Arable land •Sandy shore • • •Sand dunes • •Mangrove • •Rocky intertidal •

Marine

Arub

a

Bona

ire

Cura

cao

Saba

St. E

usta

tius

St. M

aart

en

Open Water Atoll Reef Shoal Reef •Barrier ReefPatch Reef • •Fringing Reef • • • • •Macro- Algal Bed • • • • • •Sandy Bottom • • •Seagrass Bed • • • • • •Rocky intertidal • • • • • •Sandy shore • • • • •Sand dunes • • •Mangrove • • • •Island • • •Saline ponds • • •

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Internationally Recognised SitesThe Convention on Wetlands (known as the Ramsar Convention) is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975, and it is the only global environmental treaty that deals with a particular ecosystem. The Convention's member countries cover all geographic regions of the planet. The DCNA islands have 6 Ramsar sites, one on Aruba and five on Bonaire

Ramsar Site Description

ARU

BA Het Spaans Lagoen

Het Spaans Lagoen (Spanish Lagoon), covering 70 ha is located about 10 km southeast of the town of Oranjestad, on the southwest coast of Aruba. The site is an important feeding and breeding area for water birds, and an important nursery area for a variety of fish species and crustaceans. The area is a narrow coastal inlet about 2 km long and 200 - 500 m wide, fringed by tidal mudflats and mangrove swamps.

BON

AIRE

Lac

Lac is located at about 7 km southeast of Kralendijk. The site is an important feeding area for water birds, including Mrigate birds (Fregata sp.), and members of the Pelecanidae, Ardeidae, Laridae family as well as Waders. Mangroves also support breeding water birds, including Egretta tricolor, E. caerulea, E. thula and Butorides striatus.

Klein Bonaire

Klein Bonaire is located about 2km west of the of Kralendijk. The coral reefs support an extremely rich marine fauna and the beaches have nesting turtles. The vegetation on Klein Bonaire (all of which is within the marine park) is of particular interest because it is no longer grazed by animals. There are a few building foundations on the island which have some historical value

Slagbaai

Slagbaai is located about 20km northwest of Kralendijk. The lagoon is a resting area for Phalacrocorax olivaceus (max. 50), and a staging area for a variety of shorebird species that breed in North America. Brine shrimps (Artemia salina) and brine flies (Ephydridae) are abundant in the hypersaline areas, and provide a valuable food source for birds, including Ardeidae, Phoenicopterus ruber ruber (300) and Recurvirostridae.

Goto lake

Goto is located about 17km northwest of Kralendijk. The area supports many breeding and staging bird species. Breeding birds include Anas bahamensis, Haematopus palliatus, Himantopus himantopus, Charadrius wilsonia, C. alexandrinus, Larus atricilla and Sterna albifrons. The site is also important for staging shorebirds which nest in North America, including Pluvialis squatarola, Charadrius semipalmatus, Numenius phaeopus, Arenaria interpres, Limnodromus griseus, Calidris canutus, C. alba, C. pusilla, C. mauri, C. minutilla, C. melanotus and Micropalama himantopus. The brine shrimp Artemia salina and brine fly (Ephydridae) are abundant in the hypersaline areas, and provide a valuable food source for birds, including Phoenicopterus ruber ruber (100-500).

Pekelmeer

Pekelmeer is located about 10 km south of Kralendijk. The site supports one of the most important nesting colonies of Phoenicopterus ruber ruber in the Caribbean (averaging 1,000 pairs). Other breeding birds include Himantopus himantopus, Charadrius alexandrinus and Sterna sp. The lagoon is also an important feeding area for Pelecanidae, Ardeidae and migratory shorebirds.

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SpeciesRed List and CITES species

International conservation organisations have recognised some species as being in imminent danger of destruction through the trade in animals and plants (or parts of them) or other pressures such as habitat loss. CITES recognises those species in danger from trade and the IUCN Red List identifies those species that are globally threatened by a range of pressures. The data have been adapted from the relevant websites and work carried out by Carmabi Curaçao relating to endemic species on Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

The IUCN Red ListThe IUCN maintains a complete list of all the species it considers critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable. The IUCN Red List does not cover many species, especially marine organisms. The status of many populations of flora and fauna is unknown, those that are known and have been included on the list are classified under the following headings;

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR)A species is Critically Endangered when it is considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

ENDANGERED (EN)A species is Endangered when it is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

VULNERABLE (VU)A species is Vulnerable when it is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

The ‘Red List’ of Species can be found at http://www.iucnredlist.org/ including further definitions.

Dutch Caribbean Islands Red List species numbers

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CITES Appendices I and IIAppendix I (AI) includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.Appendix II (AII) includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid use incompatible with their survival.

CITES species numbers of the Dutch Caribbean Islands

Endemic Species5

Endemic plants and animals have a limited geographical distribution. If they are an Island endemic, they are found no-where else on earth other than the island they live on. Local endemics may be found on neighbouring islands and regional endemics may be found on other sites in the region although their population is restricted.

Endemic species numbers for the Dutch Caribbean Islands

Little is known about the endemic species of Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten, the information presented here about these islands is unlikely to be accurate. More research into the endemic species of the Windward Islands is required.

5 Regional endemics include Caribbean, ABC and Venezuela, Windward Islands distributionLocal includes ABC +/- Venezuelan islands, SSSIsland includes Island only (with Venezuelan islands in case of birds, as is very limited range)

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Species habitat distribution summary6

Most of the species of particular conservation value inhabit the terrestrial environment. This fact is due to the existence of many endemic insect species on Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. Fewer endemics have been identified for the marine environment as dispersal within the marine environment creates a more homogenous distribution of populations. Red List species and CITES species in the marine environment are more numerous than in terrestrial environments.

Distribution of species with particular conservation interest between marine and terrestrial habitats.

6 Habitat: Where a specie spends parts of it's life cycleTerrestrial includes subterranean and fresh waterMarine Includes brackish species

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Other ValuesThere are a number of other values associated with the PA’s of the Dutch Caribbean however; these are not easily comparable between islands. These ‘other values’ are summarised below and have been detailed for the PA’s in the individual island reports.

Special interest speciesMany species of plants and animals may not appear on the IUCN Red List or on the CITES Appendices, yet they are worthy of highlighting as they may be migratory, keystone, charismatic or significant populations.

Special interest habitatsA number of ‘special’ habitats exist within the Dutch Caribbean. These may not necessarily have any formal recognition though they increase the conservation value of the area through supporting populations of significant species and providing ecological services to the surrounding environment.

Other environmental valuesThe environments of the Dutch Caribbean Islands have very significant values in terms of Physical features, Environmental services, Environmental products, Aesthetics and the mere fact that they exist.

Economic values of Protected AreaProtected Area’s provide an economic resource for stakeholders via a range of activities. Depending on the goals of the Protected Area, the management of these is likely to become integral with the management of the natural resources for conservation.

Cultural Recreational and historical valuesProtected Area’s have considerable value for the culture and recreation of local populations. Frequently, Protected Area’s also have sites with significant historical boundaries within their boundaries.

Institutional valuesThe management organisation and PA’s themselves have significant values as institutions. To develop these is often a goal of the Protected Area, especially in the views of stakeholders and interested parties;

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ThreatsThe pressures considered in this section are considered to be external pressures originating from outside of the PA organisation. ‘Pressures’ such as finance, governance, laws, staff, administration etc are not included at this point. Pressures are forces, activities or events that are taking part in an area and may have a detrimental effect on the natural resources of the Protected Area. Pressures include both illegal and legal activities, and may result from direct and indirect impacts of an activity. Depending on the nature of the pressure it can be seen as a threat. The score for the pressures is established using a WWF method where each pressure is given a score out of 4 for its Extent, Impact and Permanence. These are then multiplied and the resulting score gives the degree of pressure. Further explanation is given below.

EXTENT is the range across which the impact of the activity occurs. The extent of an activity should be assessed in relation to its possible occurrence. For example, the extent of fishing would be measured relative to the total fishable area. The extent of poaching would be measured relative to the possible occurrence of the species population. The extent of nutrient enrichment would likely be measured throughout an entire protected area.

4 = “Throughout” means that an activity occurs in 50% or greater of its potential range 3 = “Widespread” means occurrence in between 15 and 50% of its potential range 2 = “Scattered” occurs in between 5 and 15% of its potential range 1 = “Localised” occurs in less than 5% of its potential range

IMPACT is the degree, either directly or indirectly, to which the pressure affects overall protected area resources. Possible effects from motorized vehicle recreation, for example, could include soil erosion and compaction, stream siltation, noise disturbance, plant damage, disruption of breeding and denning sites of key species, fragmentation of critical habitat, introduction of exotic species and increased access for additional threats, such as poaching.

4 = “Severe” impact is serious damage or loss to protected area resources, including soil, water, flora and/or fauna, as a direct or indirect result of an activity.

3 = “High” impact is significant damage to protected area resources. 2 = “Moderate” impact is damage to protected area resources that is obviously detectable, but not considered

significant 1 = “Low” impact is damage that may or may not be easily detectable, and is considered slight or insignificant.

PERMANENCE is the length of time needed for the effected PA resource to recover with or without human intervention. Recovery is defined as the restoration of ecological structures, functions and processes to levels that existed prior to the activities occurrence at an impact moderate or above. Recovery time assumes that the activity ceases, and that either management interventions take place, or natural processes are allowed to occur. The degree of permanence will depend on factors such as the type of damage, the ability for human intervention to restore the resources, and/or the regenerative capacity of the resource itself.

4 = “Permanent” is damage to a resource that cannot recover naturally, or with human intervention, within 100 years 3 = “Long term” damage can recover in 20 to 100 years. 2 = “Medium term” damage can recover in 5 to 20 years. 1 = “Short term” damage can recover in less than 5 years

The threats facing the Protected Area’s of the Dutch Caribbean are summarised on the graphics and in the text of the following pages.

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Threats facing the MPA’s of the Dutch Caribbean

Threat Detail

Nutrient enrichment

Nutrients are chemicals that are used by plants and animals for growth and energy. The main nutrients used on coral reefs are nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. Sewage from the human population is the main source of nutrient pollution on Bonaire’s coral reefs. Corals usually thrive in nutrient poor environments and coral reef ecosystems are designed to quickly recycle any excess nutrients in the system. Any damage to the corals on a reef will affect the whole reef and the human use of the reef e.g. a decline in diving tourism because damaged reefs are less attractive to visitors.

Development / conversion of land use

Building developments for tourism are often carried out near to the waters edge. This presents particular problems for pollutants entering the marine park through bad practice. When it is windy or it rains, cement, bags and other site rubbish can be blown or washed into the sea if preventative steps are not taken. These can then cause considerable damage to coral reef organisms, seagrasses and mangroves.

Artisanal FishingArtisanal fishing is a severe problem on Curaçao where fish stocks are directly under threat from local fisherfolk targeting species for consumption and commercial markets.

Pollution: Waste water (Sewage)

Pollution: Terrestrial run off

During heavy rainfall, water runs off the land directly into the marine park. This is especially the case after sustained heavy rain when the ground is soaked and during rain after a dry period when the ground is hard and does not soak up rainfall easily. Terrestrial runoff contains sediment (see sedimentation), litter and pollutants all of which affect the values of St Eustatius Marine Park. Run off from the waste disposal site at Smiths Gut (a natural channel) is responsible for considerable pollution on Zeelandia Beach.

Recreational Fishing Recreational fishing is a severe problem on Curaçao where fish stocks are directly under threat from local communities targeting species for recreation.

Storm Hurricane Omar and other storms in hurricane season cause damage to marine resources.

Sedimentation

Sediment or suspended matter is insoluble particles of soil and other solid inorganic and organic materials that become suspended in water Sedimentation is a natural process resulting from erosion of land and transport of soil to the sea (terrigenous sediments), or from resuspension of sediment previously deposited (such as carbonate from coral reefs). The main sources of sediment inputs to the coral reefs of Bonaire are considered to be runoff and sewage. Agricultural activities, deforestation, urbanisation and poor land management are key human activities that can increase runoff and consequently sedimentation on coral reefs.

Anchor damageAnchoring causes sever damage to marine resources through physical damage and the ensuing degradation of habitat. Coral reefs are destroyed and seagrass habitats are easily removed by anchors and chains.

BleachingCoral bleaching is thought to be caused by increased sea temperatures. Corals loose their colour and some of their ability to produce food and die shortly after. It is believed bleaching events are becoming increasingly frequent.

21

Threats facing the TPA’s of the Dutch Caribbean.

Threat Detail

Invasive fauna

Free roaming goats, sheep, donkeys and cows cause extensive damage to vegetation on large areas of land. The shrub layer can be reduced to bare soil because of feeding preferences; young shoots are eaten before having a chance to develop and reproduce. Considerable erosion problems develop in heavily grazed areas because there are no roots in the ground to help bind the soil together. Cats, dogs and rats effect bird and reptile population by eating eggs.

Invasive floraCorralita (also known as Mexican Creeper) is a vine that is often introduced as an ornamental species. It becomes a serious threat to native plants and animals by forming dense impenetrable thickets, smothering the natural vegetation, killing the native species which changes the structure and functions of habitats

Pastoral Farming (animal)

See invasive fauna

Erosion

One of the main environmental consequences of development is erosion. Soil loss due to increased erosion does considerable damage to terrestrial and marine resources, as the eroded material is no longer available for plants to use on land and also reduces water quality and smothers coral reef organisms. The increased water running off the island also contains pollutants such as oil from roads, and fertilizers that directly kill marine organisms. The rainwater does not get the chance to soak into the soil and replenish the groundwater supplies, which dries out soil and stresses remaining plants.

Development / conversion of land

use

Development for tourism infrastructure e.g. hotels, roads, recreational facilities is a constant threat to the environment. The main impacts of development are:

Erosion problems resulting from the construction of the buildings, roads and a golf course,

Loss of habitat. Expected soil, groundwater and marine pollution resulting from maintenance

of gardens and of any change in land use.Vehicles Vehicles damage vegetation, leading to erosion and loss of habitat

SurgeTerrestrial habitats are removed by storm waves that are often more damaging where development has taken place and natural protective barriers such as coral reefs, mangroves and beaches have been removed.

Waste dumping Terrestrial

Refuse sites are a source of litter with PA’s

Poaching Orchids and other plants as well as some species of animal including the Iguana are often taken from PA’s as ornaments, pets of to be eaten

Mining Sand mining affects some beaches in TPA’s. A mining operation in Aruba has also threatened to expand in the past

Visitor numbersInformation on visitor numbers is useful for targeting management strategies and actions towards those activities most likely to be threatening the natural resources. Figures can also be used to illustrate the importance of the Protected Areas for attracting income from travelling tourists.

Where available, visitor information has been presented in the island reports.

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CapacityIncomeWhere available, income data has been presented in island reports.

Human resources

Staff109 staff members are involved with conservation in The Dutch Caribbean.

Number of staff members working for each island conservation organisation.

Scoring for staff attributes

The attributes of the staff members have been scored using the simple system outlined to the right. This gives each of the staff members score where a staff member with more qualifications and experience will have a higher score.

FIELD COMPLETED Years of serviceAcademic

qualification(Multiplier)

Diving qualification Additional training

NOTES ON SCORING

<1 = 11-3 = 23-6 = 56-10 = 6>10 = 5

None *0.1,PhD*4,MSc*4,BSc*3,

Diploma *2,BVO/HAVO*1.5,

MAVO*1.1

None *0,Instructor*4,

Divemaster*3,Rescue*2,

Advanced*1,Open Water*1

1 Point for each

The graphic below represents the scores for the staff members, using the method outlined above.

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Staff capacity division between MPA and TPA

Extra qualifications

The extra qualifications listed in the graphic below have been identified by experts and through the Management Success Project as important qualifications for Protected Area staff to have. The capacity of the staff to carry out management work is dependent on the experience, academic qualifications and extra qualifications of the staff.

Extra qualifications of staff

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OutsourcingConsultants, contractors, researchers, volunteers and interns contribute significant amount of capacity to the work of a Protected Area. Outsourced work is varied and can include maintenance tasks, help with administration, detailed biological research and accounting. Further information on what the consultants, researchers, volunteers and interns were used for is presented in the individual island reports.

Consultants, contractors and researchers

The graphic below represents the number of researchers, consultants and contractors each island organisation worked with in 2008. The data presented is incomplete as research lists for Curaçao were not available.

Researchers, consultants and contractors used by PA’s in the Dutch Caribbean

Volunteers and Interns7

Volunteers and interns contribute a significant amount of time to the running of the PA’s in the Dutch Caribbean. They also represent a considerable sink for staff time as they require significant amounts of training and orientation.

Weeks of work contributed by volunteers and interns.

7 One full time staff member works for 48 weeks of the year.

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Physical resourcesThe number of physical resources available for use by a protected area greatly influences the work that can be done. The sufficiency of a resource to carry out the tasks it is required for is judged upon it’s age, state of repair and adequacy.

Key  Sufficient resource

Insufficient resourceNo resource

ARU

TPA

BON

TPA

CUR

TPA

BON

MPA

CUR

MPA

SAB

MPA

/TPA

STA

MPA

/TPA

SXM

MPA

Buildings Office(s)Meeting roomWorkshopBoat shedTicket office / entranceResearch roomLab roomVisitor centreMuseumPublic toiletsAccommodation

Transport 4*4 Truck4*4 Jeep (not open back)Van / 2WD Pick upCarMotorbikeBicycleBoat: Hard Hull, in board engineBoat: Hard Hull, out board engineRigid Inflatable, in board engineRigid Inflatable, out board engine

Communication Fax machineTelephone (Land line)Cell phonesRadiosVHF radioBase station

Infrastructure Piers/docksMoorings

Use PrivatePublicSpecialisedYachtFishing

Type DrilledMantaHallasBlockBarrel Wreck

Physical Resources available to the PA’s on the Dutch Caribbean Islands

26

Key  Sufficient resource

Insufficient resourceNo resource AR

U TP

ABO

N TP

ACU

R TP

ABO

N M

PACU

R M

PASA

B M

PA/T

PAST

A M

PA/T

PASX

M M

PA

Infrastructure BBQ pitsTrailsBoard walksCar parksHides

27

WallsFencesRoadsLitter BinsPicnic tablesBenchesCamping area

Signage Information boothsSignboardsMarker stonesTrail markersPlant markersOther

Computing Desk top ComputerLap top ComputerPocket Computer (Palm pilot)Camera Video cameraProjectorInternet

Dive BCRegulator(s)TankWeights (sets)WetsuitsUW ScooterMaskFinsSnorkel

Scientific Drying ovenMicroscopesFridgeBalanceField glassesCTD probeOther sensors e.g. HOBOpH meterWater quality test kitGPS

Physical Resources available to the PA’s on the Dutch Caribbean Islands continued

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Key  Sufficient resource

Insufficient resourceNo resource AR

U TP

ABO

N TP

ACU

R TP

ABO

N M

PACU

R M

PASA

B M

PA/T

PAST

A M

PA/T

PASX

M M

PA

Maintenance Maintenance equipmentDrill mooring equipmentPersonal protective equipmentFirst Aid kitOxygen kit

Other Hyperbaric facilityOther field equipmentRemote Operated VehicleVessel Monitoring System

Physical Resources available to the PA’s on the Dutch Caribbean Islands continued.

The graphic below gives a visual representation of where the physical resource strengths lie for each of the PA’s in the Dutch Caribbean. The graphic is not definitive as most resources are shared between MPA and TPA, and some are used for activities not directly related to the protected area.

Scores for different aspects of physical resourcing of the PA’s of the Dutch Caribbean

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Legal resourcesThe following tables indicate the level of governance and institutional organisation for each of the PA’s. For policies, planning documents, laws, permits, guidelines and institutional arrangements to be effective, they need to be adopted effectively through adoption and publication. The success of a PA is directly affected by legal arrangements. Rules and guidelines that are fully adopted and well publicised significantly increase the effectiveness of a protected area. Effectively communicated rules and guidelines lighten the workload for PA staff through passively informing stakeholders about the Protected Area and clearly defining what is and isn’t allowed within the PA.

Factor not in existenceFactor in development, old or not adopted/gazetted/publicised or for permits, not under direct control of PA.

Factor exists and is adopted/gazetted/publicised

Aspects of planning and legal resourcing of the Protected Area’s of the Dutch Caribbean

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Factor not in existenceFactor in development, old or not adopted/gazetted/publicised or for permits, not under direct control of PA.

Factor exists and is adopted/gazetted/publicised

Guidelines developed for users of the Protected Area’s of the Dutch Caribbean

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Information sourcesEach of the factors listed below have been identified by Kenchington, R. A. (1990)8. as important background information for the running of any PA. Within the management success capture sheets, PA staff checked yes or no if the PA has each of the information sources and had an option to provide further details e.g. how much detail the maps include, how old the information is, if there are any plans to improve the information. A good source of information is considered to be recent, comprehensive and easily accessible. Those pieces of information identified as missing should be developed to increase the management capacity of the Protected Area.

Key to shading

Information is not available to the PAInformation source is insufficient e.g. too old, unfinished, too specific etc

A good source of information

Information available to the Protected Area’s of the Dutch Caribbean

8 Kenchington, R. A. (1990) Managing Marine Environments, Taylor and Francis, New York.

32

The graphic below illustrates where the strengths and weaknesses lie in information sources for the PA’s of the Dutch Caribbean.

Sources of information available to PA’s of the Dutch Caribbean

Information capacity available to each PA.

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Operational ManagementOperational management is the term chosen by DCNA to describe the work that is done by the Protected Area’s as a bare minimum that is required to run the sites. The different aspects of operational management have been described in the introduction to this report. The charts below show how the staff CAPACITY to run the Protected Area (worked out from the individual staff experience and qualifications) is divided between the Operational Management tasks.

Administration, Management

Administration, Office

Administration, Field

Monitoring and Research

Law Enforcement

Information- Education- Outreach

Travel-Training

Working with constituents

Staff capacity division between Core Management tasks for all PA’s in the Dutch Caribbean.

Staff Capacity Division between Operational Management Tasks for MPA’s

Staff capacity division between Operational Management tasks for TPA’s

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Working with constituentsEffective stakeholder or ‘constituent’ relationships are essential for the functioning of any protected area. The table below shows how the PA’s within the DCNA interact with their stakeholders and other partners. The level of relationship is established through the level of interaction between the PA staff and the stakeholder/partners. This includes the number of times PA staff meet with the stakeholder, whether or not information is given by the PA institution to the stakeholder, and whether or not the stakeholder provides information for the PA staff.

Total number of constituents worked with.

!" #" $" %" &" '!" '#" '$" '%"

()*"+,("

-./"+,("

0*)"+,("

1(-"+,("

1+("+,("

-./"2,("

0*)"2,("

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132"2,("

/45678"9:";9<=>?47<?="@A?B"C78D"7E7;>C7"87FG>9<="

/45678"9:";9<=>?47<?="@A?B"7H;7I>9<GF"87FG>9<="

Number of constituents with effective and exceptional relations.

35

AcronymsAMFO Antilliaanse MedeFinancierings Organisatie Dutch

Caribbean funding organisation

BZK Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Netherlands Dutch Ministry

Carmabi Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity Foundation Curacao research institute and park

management organisation

CI Conservation International USA international conservation organisation

CIEE Council of International Education and Exchange Bonaire US based extension school

CITES Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species convention

CMM Commissie Marien Milieu Bonaire Marine Environment Commission

CTB Curacao Tourism Board Curacao tourist office

CURO Council of Underwater Resort Operators Bonaire dive operators association

DCNA Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Bonaire regional network of protected areas

DOEN Stichting DOEN Netherlands funding organization linked to Dutch Postcode Lottery

DROB /DROV Island Spatial Planning Department each island Local Government

department

FPA Fish Protected Area

FPNA Fundashon Parke Nacional Arikok Aruba park management organisation

IAC Inter American Convention for the Conservation of Sea Turtles

IUCN NL International Union for Nature Conservation, Netherlands Netherlands international conservation

organization

JAZ Island Legal Department each island Local Government department

KNAP Kleine Natuur Projecten Fonds Nederlandse Antillen Curacao Central Government small

grant fund

LNV Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Netherlands Dutch Ministry

LVV Island Agriculture and Fisheries Department each island Local Government

department

MINA Central Government Department of Nature and the Environment Curacao Central Government

department

MINA fonds Central Government Department of Nature and the Environment funds Curacao Central Government small

grant fund

MPA Marine Protected Area (Marine Park)

NF or NAFSXM Nature Foundation St. Maarten St Maarten park management

organisation

36

37

NFWF National Fish and Wildlife Foundation USA funding organization

NIOZ Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee, research institute in the Netherlands Netherlands research institute

NPL National Postcode Lottery Netherlands Lottery and charitable funding organisation

PBCF Prince Bernhard Culture Funds Curacao funding organisation

PBNF Prince Bernhard Nature Funds Netherlands funding organisation

SCF Saba Conservation Foundation Saba park management organisation

SEMP St Eustatius National Marine Park St. Eustatius park management organisation

SSV Special Security Service each island security support for local police

STCB Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire Bonaire turtle conservation organisation

STENAPA St Eustatius National Parks Foundation St. Eustatius park management organisation

STINAPA STINAPA Bonaire: park management organization on Bonaire Bonaire park management

organisation

TCB Tourism Corporation Bonaire Bonaire tourist office

TNC The Nature Conservancy USA USA international conservation organisation

TPA Terrestrial Protected Area

UNA University of the Netherlands Antilles Curacao university

UNEP CAR United Nations Environment Programme Jamaica Caribbean Regional Office

USONA Uitvoeringsorganisatie Stichting Ontwikkeling Nederlandse Antillen Curacao funding organisation

VOMIL Volksgezondheid en Milieuhygiëne Curacao Central Government department

VNP Dutch Representative Curacao, St. Maarten Dutch civil servant

WIDECAST Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Network USA sea turtle conservation organisation

WTT World Turtle Trust, Hawaai USA USA sea turtle conservation organisation

WNF Wereld Natuur Fonds Netherlands international conservation organisation

WWF World Wildlife Fund Worldwide international conservation organisation

38

GlossaryAbiotic: the non-living, physical and chemical, factors.Actively managed park: a protected area (park) where management activities are carried out by dedicated (full or part-time) staff on a regular/daily basis within an organisation, which has a defined mission and goals and where staff time is organised to address core management tasks as well as proactively tackling issues and threats. A non-actively (passively) managed park would lack a defined mission and goals, staff time would not be allocated to address core tasks and would react to threats and issues in an ad-hoc fashion.Adaptive management: a management system, which includes reviewing past performance and incorporating ‘lessons learnt’ and improvements into the ongoing management and planning process.Biodiversity: the total diversity of living organisms as well as the ecosystems of which they are part (includes species diversity, genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity)Biotic: biological factors.Co-management: a management structure whereby the protected area management organisation and stakeholders share joint authority and responsibility for making decisions about resource management.Contextual factors: aspects of protected area management which form part of the circumstances in which the park operates and which change infrequently such as tenure, international recognition, zoning, legislation etc.Core management tasks: Tasks that are essential to the operational management of an actively managed protected area, these include:

administration (management, office administration and field administration including maintenance)

research and monitoring law enforcement education and outreach travel and training working with stakeholders

Effective park management: management, which is driven by a clear mission and goals, which includes stakeholder input, past and present achievements, issues and threats. These are normally captured in a management document such as a management plan. The level of effectiveness depends on how the protected area’s resources (financial, human, physical and information) are deployed to implement the park’s mission and goals and to address core management tasks, threats and issues.Evaluation: judgement or assessment of achievement against predetermined criteria.Goal: a broad statement indicating what the protected area is trying to achieve through its management effortsHabitat: the ecological area occupied by an organism, population or community as characterised by both its physical and biotic properties. Issue: A biological, chemical or physical process or entity with the potential to negatively impact on the conservation of the park’s natural resources. If not addressed issues could threaten the sustainable conservation of the protected area.Management capacity: a measure of a protected area’s ability to fulfil its mission and goals in terms of the available resources (physical, human, financial and information).Management effectiveness: the degree to which management achieves the goals and objectives of the protected areaMonitoring: the regular collection and analysis of information, which allows park management to measure change in the physical, social and economic environment of the park. This information should be used to guide management efforts.

39

Pressure: a diffuse external impact on a protected area created by human activities, which requires a management response in order to sustainably protect the resource from harm such as shipping pressure, development pressure etc.Protected area: An area of land and/or sea, which is dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, natural and associated cultural resources and is managed through legal or other effective means. Protected area network: A coherent group of protected areas (preferably ecologically linked) operating co-operatively to increase management effectiveness by improving their ability to lobby, fundraise and manage as well as to build internal capacity through the exchange of knowledge, expertise, information and or resources. Protected area resources: The financial, human, physical and information resources available to a protected area to carry out their day-to-day operationsStakeholder: an individual, group or organisation with a vested interest in the management of a protected area, who can affect or be affected by park management decisions.Threat: A biological, chemical or physical process or entity, which damages, destroys or degrades the natural resource. A threat can be an entity such as an organism, which becomes a pest, or a process such as an increase in erosion, which damages habitat or can result from human activities such as anchor damage. Use: A human activity that takes place within a protected area.Value: The importance of a protected area in terms of a range of variables, including: biological, ecological, cultural, wilderness, economic, social characteristics as well as scientific, international or national significance.

40