Our Work in St. Eustatius
WWF-NL has been funding several projects of St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) to maintain or restore the balance between humans and nature. Ongoing projects are focused on the relocation of Sustainable Financing and Diadema Antillarum (black sea urchin). Sustainable Financing relates to identifying financing needs for the parks in the Caribbean Netherlands. Afterwards the parks can work on the funding recommendations.
STENAPA, Van Hall Larenstein, Wageningen University & Research, Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute at St Eustatius – CNSI and the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) have been working together on a pilot study to restore the population of black sea urchins in Statian waters. With the reintroduction of this keystone herbivore species, the algae cover is anticipated to decrease, leading to increased coral recovery, and fish population growth.
Black sea urchins in Statian waters
Other recent projects
- Support of STENAPA’s strategy
- Research into nests of endangered iguanas (via the Biodiversity Fund)
- Supporting the government with the creation of goat management plan
- Sustainable fisheries (supply chain analysis, social mapping, financing set-up of local fisheries coop)
- Writing agreements between the local government and STENAPA
- Support STENAPA in drafting Nature and Fisheries Legislation together with the Public Entity St. Eustatius
- Setting up STENAP’s communication program
- Support STENAPA in legally preserving and establishing marine park boundaries threatened by the amendment to allow tankers to anchor in the park.
