reforestation

Dutch below

Over the next three years, the Public Entity Saba (PES) will execute a reforestation project to restore wild forests, improve local food production and enhance Saba’s image as a green destination. Planting over 5000 trees will help Saba secure not only a more beautiful and greener island but provide fresh fruits and vegetables to locals and providing hands on opportunity to learn more about reforestation techniques.  This project is in alignment with the strategic goals and targets of the Caribbean Netherlands Nature and Environment Policy Plan 2020 – 2030 (NEPP).

Goals and targets

Flamboyant tree. Photo credit: Public Entity Saba

Over the years, Saba’s tropical and dry forests have been negatively impacted by hurricanes, less rainfall as a result of climate change and roaming goats. This has resulted in high levels of erosion throughout the island and limited the expansion of existing forests. The goal of this project is to boost the recovery process and expand upon Saba’s existing forests in order to reduce the land-based pressures of erosion and runoff, which impact Saba’s coral reefs, and increase the availability of local food. During this three year project, 5,000 trees will be planted, of which 500 will be fruit trees. The objective is to create more habitat in order to improve terrestrial and marine biodiversity through the structural restoration and expansion of Saba’s existing dry and tropical forests and at the same time improve food security on the island. The project consists of 3 components: Reforestation of wild forests, beautification and local food production. Reforestation and the planting of fruit and flowering trees will take place on government lands, in public spaces, and in close consultation and collaboration with private landowners.

Wild forests and Beautification

 For the reforestation of wild forests, trees that are native to the island or those that have become naturalized over time will be planted at various locations throughout the island to (re)create wild forests. This is a long and slow process, as the trees will be grown from seeds. Using seeds ensures genetic diversity in the trees planted and ultimately healthy and resilient forests like those in the wild. In addition to improving biodiversity, these newly planted trees will also contribute to the beautification of the island.

Flowering trees will be used to not only beautify areas of construction, but also to create shade and cooling and enhance the wellbeing of the persons living in those areas. Numerous studies have shown that the presence of trees in urban areas positively impact the mental and physical wellbeing of the residents that live there. Beautification of the island using trees will also enhance Saba’s tourism product, which is its pristine nature.

Landscape for reforesting. Photo credit: Public Entity Saba

Local food production

Most of the fruits and vegetables consumed on Saba are imported. The supply chains which make it possible for food to reach Saba are vulnerable and can be easily interrupted. This was made evident in the aftermaths of Hurricanes Irma and Maria and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war.  A first step in improving food security is the development of a hydroponics system and local food forests. These food forests will be developed for the production of fruit and some vegetables and will be located throughout the different villages of the island and in areas which are central and accessible.

Community engagement, education and awareness 

Throughout this project, the community will be invited to participate through tree planting days and educational activities. Knowledge and know-how on the importance of protecting local trees will be transferred to students and members within the community through various events. Students of the primary and secondary schools will be introduced to reforestation through visits to the nursery and reforestation sites once they are up and running. Students will also be given the opportunity to shadow the reforestation rangers and take part in reforestation activities. For the local food production component of the project, workshops on the grafting of fruit trees will be held for the public to take part in. These measures ensure that the knowledge obtained during the project remains on Saba to benefit the island community and inspire the island’s youth to pursue careers in nature conservation and agriculture.

Text provided by Public Entity Saba

De komende drie jaar zal Public Entity Saba (PES) een herbebossingsproject uitvoeren om natuurlijke bossen te herstellen, de lokale voedselproductie te verbeteren en het imago van Saba als groene bestemming te versterken. Het planten van meer dan 5000 bomen zal Saba helpen niet alleen een mooier en groener eiland veilig te stellen, maar ook verse groenten en fruit aan de lokale bevolking te bieden en praktische kansen te bieden om meer te leren over herbebossingstechnieken. Dit project sluit aan bij de strategische doelstellingen van het Nature and Environment Policy Plan 2020 – 2030 (NEPP).

Doelen en doelstellingen

Flamboyant tree. Photo credit: Public Entity Saba

Door de jaren heen zijn de tropische en droge bossen van Saba negatief beïnvloed door orkanen, minder regenval als gevolg van klimaatverandering en rondzwervende geiten. Dit heeft geresulteerd in hoge erosieniveaus op het hele eiland en heeft de uitbreiding van bestaande bossen beperkt. Het doel van dit project is om het herstelproces te stimuleren en de bestaande bossen van Saba uit te breiden om de druk van erosie en afvoer, die de koraalriffen van Saba beïnvloeden, te verminderen en de beschikbaarheid van lokaal voedsel te vergroten. Tijdens dit drie jaar durende project zullen 5.000 bomen worden geplant, waarvan 500 fruitbomen. Het doel is om meer leefgebied te creëren om de terrestrische en mariene biodiversiteit te verbeteren door het structurele herstel en de uitbreiding van Saba’s bestaande droge en tropische bossen en tegelijkertijd de voedselzekerheid op het eiland te verbeteren. Het project bestaat uit 3 componenten: herbebossing van natuurlijke bossen, verfraaiing en lokale voedselproductie. Herbebossing en het planten van fruit- en bloeiende bomen zullen plaatsvinden op overheidsgronden, in de openbare ruimte, en in nauw overleg en samenwerking met particuliere landeigenaren.

Natuurlijke bossen en verfraaiing

Voor de herbebossing van natuurlijke bossen zullen op verschillende locaties op het eiland bomen worden geplant die inheems zijn op het eiland of die in de loop van de tijd zijn genaturaliseerd om natuurlijke bossen te (her)creëren. Dit is een lang en langzaam proces, omdat de bomen uit zaden worden gekweekt. Het gebruik van zaden zorgt voor genetische diversiteit in de geplante bomen en uiteindelijk voor gezonde en veerkrachtige bossen zoals die in het wild. Naast het verbeteren van de biodiversiteit zullen deze nieuw geplante bomen ook bijdragen aan de verfraaiing van het eiland.

Bloeiende bomen zullen niet alleen worden gebruikt om bouwgebieden te verfraaien, maar ook om schaduw en verkoeling te creëren en het welzijn van de mensen die in die gebieden wonen te vergroten. Talrijke onderzoeken hebben aangetoond dat de aanwezigheid van bomen in stedelijke gebieden een positieve invloed heeft op het mentale en fysieke welzijn van de bewoners. Verfraaiing van het eiland met behulp van bomen zal ook het toeristische product van Saba, namelijk de ongerepte natuur, versterken.

Lokale voedselproductie

Het merendeel van de groenten en fruit die op Saba worden geconsumeerd, wordt geïmporteerd. De toeleveringsketens die het mogelijk maken dat voedsel Saba bereikt, zijn kwetsbaar en kunnen gemakkelijk worden onderbroken. Dit werd duidelijk in de nasleep van de orkanen Irma en Maria en meer recentelijk de COVID-19-pandemie en de Russisch-Oekraïense oorlog. Een eerste stap in het verbeteren van de voedselzekerheid is de ontwikkeling van een hydrocultuursysteem en lokale voedselbossen. Deze voedselbossen zullen worden ontwikkeld voor de productie van fruit en sommige groenten en zullen verspreid over de verschillende dorpen van het eiland en in centraal gelegen en toegankelijke gebieden liggen.

Landscape for reforesting. Photo credit: Public Entity Saba

Betrokkenheid bij de gemeenschap, educatie en bewustzijn

Tijdens dit project wordt de gemeenschap uitgenodigd om deel te nemen door middel van boomplantdagen en educatieve activiteiten. Kennis over het belang van de bescherming van lokale bomen zullen via verschillende evenementen worden overgedragen aan studenten en leden binnen de gemeenschap. Leerlingen van de basis- en middelbare scholen zullen kennismaken met herbebossing door bezoeken aan de kwekerijen en herbebossingslocaties zodra deze operationeel zijn. Studenten krijgen ook de kans om de herbebossingsrangers te volgen en deel te nemen aan herbebossingsactiviteiten. Voor het lokale voedselproductie deel van het project zullen workshops over het enten van fruitbomen worden gehouden waar het publiek aan kan deelnemen. Deze maatregelen zorgen ervoor dat de kennis die tijdens het project wordt verkregen op Saba blijft, wat de eilandgemeenschap ten goede komt en de jongeren van het eiland inspireert om een carrière in natuurbehoud en landbouw na te streven.

Tekst aangeleverd door Openbaar Lichaam Saba

Published in BioNews 68

This research was conducted as part of my bachelor internship for the Tropical Forestry specialization of the forest and nature management studies at Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences. The internship was conducted at Mangrove Maniacs, an Bonaire based NGO that mainly works to restore the mangrove forests on the island. Field work was conducted between May and July 2022.

Summary
Vegetated coastal ecosystems provide important ecosystem services on which humans depend. Mangrove and seagrass ecosystems function as a nursery for fish, sequester large amounts of carbon and protect our coasts. Mangroves and seagrasses worldwide are threatened by human disturbances like coastal development, tourism, pollution, and climate change. Therefore, the protection of these valuable ecosystems is crucial and understanding underlying dynamics becomes increasingly important. Monitoring restoration efforts of mangroves and seagrasses provides more knowledge on effective restoration measures. On the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire, both large areas of mangrove forest and seagrass beds are present. Nature organisations like Mangrove Maniacs and STINAPA work together on mangrove and seagrass restoration. However, there are still knowledge gaps on the most suitable restoration measures for certain areas and there is a lack of monitoring. Therefore, this four month professional internship with Mangrove Maniacs focussed on monitoring mangrove and seagrass restoration efforts. In consultation with the internship host, activities included monitoring a new mangrove restoration pilot in the mangrove forest of Lac Bay, a reforestation area near Lac Bay and a new seagrass restoration experiment at Klein Bonaire. Besides, helping to set up a regional blue carbon network, analysing data and conducting a literature review were also part of this internship, next to joining the weekly Tuesday morning of channel maintenance with the Mangrove Maniacs. With this internship research, I was able to provide new insights on mangrove and seagrass restoration on Bonaire which could help steering future research and restoration plans of the host organisation.

An update to a 40-year-old Sabal palm survey for the islands of Bonaire and Curaçao highlighted the striking differences between the two islands. Through active park management, Curaçao has seen over more than a three-fold increase in adult Sabal palms, whereas an unmanaged palm population on Bonaire has seen a decrease of nearly 20% of adult palms. Actively protecting these valued endemic palms may be the only way to ensure their future.

The Sabal palm, or Kabana as it’s known locally, is the only native species of palm tree found on the islands of Bonaire and Curaçao. In fact, the true identity of this palm has been heavily debated, with its classification changing throughout the years until it was finally recognized in two scientific publications as two endemic species Sabal antillensis on Curaçao, in 2017, and on Bonaire Sabal lougheediana, in 2019.

On both islands the Sabal palm population is found in very limited distribution areas. On Curaçao, its range is limited to the highest hills in the southwestern part of the Christoffelpark and its direct surroundings there. On Bonaire, this palm is only found within the Lima area, the very low limestone terrace located west of Lac Bay and north of the salt pans.

Photo credit: © John de Freitas

In 1979, researcher J.E. Winkelman first surveyed  the number of palms on both islands, which she found to be 1,062 specimens in total. Of these, only 354 were mature palms, and only 31 of these could be found on Bonaire. In this initial study, Winkelman also noted that the largest threat to these remaining palms was most likely free roaming animals, such as goats and donkeys, who could eat and trample seedlings. Since this initial assessment, no follow-up surveys have been conducted, creating a significant knowledge gap concerning the current status of these iconic palms.

Luckily, a new study worked to close this gap. Researchers documented current populations on both islands and compared these results to the initial 1979 survey. The goal was to not only provide an updated count, but also note if any change to their range have occurred, providing important insight into factors that will contribute to designing an effective conservation strategy.

The Study

In 2018, surveys were conducted by counting the number of palms on each island. Given the small geographical areas and uniqueness of the terrain, it was generally easy to find and spot these palms. By using similar techniques and survey sites, a direct comparison between the 1979 and 2018 studies could be completed to help evaluate the local populations as decreasing, stable or increasing.

Interestingly, populations on these two islands have had very different developments over time. There has been  a 318% increase of adult palms on Curaçao, whereas Bonaire has seen a decrease of approx. 20%. In addition to population changes, there was also fairly significant shifts in their range as well. On Curaçao, the overall geographic range of these palms increased, from less than 5 km2  in 1979 to 8 km2  in 2018. Again, Bonaire saw a very different trend, with the geographic range shrinking from 5 km2 to less than 1 km2.

Other results

For both islands, there were a relatively large number of seedlings seen through their geographical range. On Curaçao, this could have been the result of the increase in  adults. On Bonaire, it is more likely attributed to the time of year the surveys were conducted. The 2018 survey was conducted right after the wet season, which could account for the increase in the number of seedlings due to the fact that fresh seeds germinate quite easily.

Changes in overall numbers of palms can be attributed to a wide range of factors. Christoffelpark has actively managed their goat and donkey populations since the mid-1980s. This decrease in free roaming grazers may have given these palms a higher probability of survival. These grazers have been known to feed on and trample seedlings, along with reducing vegetation and soil cover, further threatening the ability of seedlings to successfully grow. The increase in Curaçao’s range could have been due to the successful dispersal of seeds by local animal populations, as there are various species of birds, deer, rodents, and iguanas inhabiting this area and are known to feed on these seeds.

Recommendations

The findings of this study have led the researchers to provide four key recommendations for designing a successful conservation strategy for these palms. First, they recommend actively managing feral herbivores within the palm’s habitat. On Bonaire, this could be the construction of a 3.5 km long fence which runs along the perimeter of the Lima area in order to enclose the whole Sabal palm population in the Lima area.

Second, they recommend implementing a more rigorous monitoring plan to help track the health and recruitment of these palms to provide key indicators of change in future populations. Third, it has been recommended that Bonaire actively cultivates these palms in other areas of Bonaire, to improve overall population numbers. Lastly, the successful management program of the Christoffelpark should be continued, as this study shows the dramatic impact significantly reducing the number of feral grazers can have.

Future of the iconic Sabal palm

The free roaming animals of Bonaire are often part of the iconic charm of the island. A successful future of the island’s endemic species, both plant and animal, must include a balance to allow each a chance to thrive based on nature’s ecological capability. This study demonstrates how actively managing these feral animals can drastically improve the flora populations of the island. Understanding the impact each species has on the ecosystem will help nature management organizations design and implement environmental management plans to ensure a healthy future for the island.

For more information

Freitas, J. de et al. (2019). Sabalpalm (Sabal antillensis) Recovery Over 40 Years: Lessons for Successful Palm Conservation. PALMS Vol. 63(2): 57-68.

Article published in BioNews 41

Presentation from the Mangrove Restoration Workshop.  

Presented in 2021 Mangrove Restoration Workshop

Bonaire has never recovered from the historic felling of its trees. The strong influence of feral goats prevents rejuvenation in those parts where a plant cover is still present, thereby reducing the biodiversity of plant and tree species. In addition to these pressures, the habitat of the Yellow-shouldered Amazon parrot is under continual threat from commercial and residential development. Herbivore free enclosures as well as reforestation is a proven solution for the habitat degradation of the island. Due to the relatively harsh climatic conditions on Bonaire, the natural development of the vegetation is often slow. Exclusion of exotic herbivores and reforestation can be effective tools in order to add significantly to the biomass and vegetation development as well as other positive ecosystem services (Coolen, 2015; DCNA, 2013). Erosion control by the increased root development, soil and litter build-up, carbon sequestration and eventually canopy recovery are examples of these possible trade-offs. Important notice on the forest rehabilitation management is the absence of any scientific documentation about the original forest ecosystem present on the island before human impact. As the current vegetation of Bonaire is impacted and shaped by the presence of exotic herbivores, the current ecosystem is in a clearly degraded state. Forest restoration efforts by Echo are aimed at improving the biomass and biodiversity in order to rehabilitate the degraded vegetation, but the reforestation goals are always based on an estimation of the potential natural vegetation.

The main reforestation objective for Echo is forest restoration and creating awareness about the importance, degradation and vulnerability of the dry forest on Bonaire. This is done by involving the local community in the management and results of these reforestation areas. The scientific documentation of the vegetation within these reforestation enclosures by Echo can expand our knowledge about this important ecosystem. This can support future research on conservation and plant biodiversity in Bonaire. Current experiences with these 10 reforestation sites can furthermore add to the knowledge and sustainable management of plant resources of the island. As a result, Bonaire can be the ideal springboard for environmental innovation/restoration to be replicated and scaled once successful.

During the reforestation project Echo have build 10 exclusore reforestation site in the northern half of the island and planted a total of 14.523 trees together with the community as part of the reforestation project. The total fenced use to exclude the 10 reforestation area is 4550 meter to accumulate a total of 11.44 protected hectares for reforestation purpose. Followed the main activities completed to execute the project. Most of the activities done in the project are ongoing through maintenance and further development of new reforestation sites.

This month’s issue focuses attention on three successful conservation efforts of local NGOs, which are using monitoring to guide their field-based conservation efforts, safeguarding nature in the Dutch Caribbean.

The three profiled success stories are:

• ‘Research of the Month‘: The Human/Parrot Conflict on Bonaire (by Michaela Roberts - Echo)
• Reforestation Projects on Klein Bonaire and Klein Curaçao (by Dolfi Debrot - IMARES)
• Sea Turtle Nest Monitoring on Bonaire in 2012 (by Sue Willis - Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire)

As always, you will also find in this seventh issue:

• Overview of Research and Monitoring Efforts
• Calendar of Upcoming Events, Meetings and Workshops