S T . E U S T A T I U S N A T I O N A L P A R K S

E v e n t s 2 0 2 1

T h e S T E N A PA Te a m

O v e r v i e w

W h a t a y e a r ! T h e co ro n av i r u s p a n d e m i c i s a l m o s t a ye a r

o l d , s o i t i s n o s u r p r i s e t h a t t h e h i g h l i g ht s o f

S T E N A PA ove r t h e ye a r 2 0 2 0 h ave t h i s i n

m i n d .

Imagine planting trees while keeping the necessary

distance, or while going hiking, doing night patrols and

nest excavations, even while preparing to dive. Thankfully,

St. Eustatius has, for the most part, contained infections of

the covid-19 virus via quarantine measures. Therefore, we

have been able to do the important work of monitoring,

and protecting nature while raising public awareness.

Nature Chase

Marine Park

Info Series

Annual Cleanup

STENAPA

Summer Club

Marine Park

ReforeStatia

Iguana Foundation

Miriam C Schmidt

Botanical Garden

Youth Nature

Education

Volunteers

Join our Facebook

Groups

Erik Boman Director

Jessica Berkel Marine Park Manager

Francois Mille Marine Park Ranger

Marit Pistor Marine Park Ranger

Ervin Arnaud Botanical Garden Ranger

Rupnor Redan Terrestrial Ranger

Achsah Mitchell Education and Outreach Officer

Adam Mitchell On-site Manager (ReforeStatia)

Philippa King Reforestation Ranger

In the past year, the Marine Team has been

working on different projects. Every year we

monitor the beaches for the turtle nesting season

and conduct in-water sea turtle surveys all around

the island to document the distribution of the turtle

species in Statia. We also yearly participate in the

Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN)

together with CNSI to monitor the status of the

reefs. We’ve had a very successful year where we

made great progression on the coral nursery and

achieved a far higher survival rate for the fragments

in the nursery. Unfortunately, our coral reefs are

still battling Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

(SCTLD). We are starting a project soon in

collaboration with St. Kitts and Hawaii to take a

closer look at the disease. In 2004, a ship called

Miss Cathy was sunk in order to relieve the reef of

the fishing pressure. Yearly, we monitor the fish

populations in this area. We regularly maintain the

mooring lines for the dive sites and remove the

invasive lionfish from the Marine Park. At the end

of 2020, we received a permanent hydrophone

from our partners at the regional Marine Mammal

Network (CARIMAM). We installed it at Grand

Canyon so we can listen to all marine mammals

crossing that area and get an idea of Statia’s role in

their annual migration route.

To finish off a great year, the Marine Team finally

moved into their new, more spacious office

upstairs!

S T E N A PA S u m m e r C l u b

M a r i n e P a r k

STENAPA Summer Club visited the Marine Park Mid

-week and snorkeled from Baby Beach to the Jetty.

They were introduced to coral reef monitoring.

They counted corals, urchins and identified fish

using an underwater Fish ID Card.

N AT I O N A L M A R I N E PA R K

M a r i n e P a r k M a n a g e m e n t P l a n S t a ke h o l d e r M e e t i n g s

Every 5 years, a new Marine Park Management Plan needs to be drafted, reviewed with

various stakeholders and finalized. Stakeholders are those who depend on the health of

the Marine Park for their livelihood: Fishermen, Tourism (hoteliers, restaurant owners, dive

shop owners, Tourism Office), Shipping Industry. Others are concerned with the Marine

Park in other ways: Enforcement and Government. The Management Plan aims to conserve the ecosystem

services, such as a sustainable fishery, for the island and her community. It also outlines how we will

cooperate with the various stakeholders to achieve this.

D i a d e m a P r o j e c t

This project (from 2019) increased their focus on

the transfer methodology of adult Diadema (long-

spined sea urchins) to new reef. These grazers ate

the overgrowing algae which exposed the bare

rock which then allowed baby

corals to settle.

*Read more HERE.

N a t u r e A w a r e n e s s — S e a Tu r t l e s

The public was invited to a few night patrols and

nest excavations. They were also asked to support

the conservation program by beautifying their

gardens with Sea Turtle Stepping Stones made from

cement and crushed glass bottles (recycled).

*Find more facts about the conservation program HERE

and HERE. Watch us assist straggling hatchlings HERE.

S T E N A PA S u m m e r C l u b

Children aged 12-15 took on the challenge of hiking all the way up to Panorama

during this year’s STENAPA Summer Club. It was quite the feat! They observed the

Boven National Park, the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. They also saw where

vegetation was dense, where we coexisted and where there was little to no trees.

Both groups started off with Iguana Patrol. They assessed areas around the island to

determine if the critically endangered iguana was safe. The proximity to roads,

diamond shaped fencing and the lack of trees meant iguanas would not be safe there.

*Read the recap HERE.

B i r d M o n i t o r i n g & N a t u r e A w a r e n e s s ( R e d b i l l e d T r o p i c b i r d )

Monitoring of our general bird populations is done bi-annually across the island. Several trails and GPS

points are visited each time and the birds seen and heard are counted. Long term monitoring of birds and

other animals (plants too) allow us to understand how these organisms change in population over time. This

information is crucial to determining if stressors are negatively affecting one or more

populations and, therefore, the steps needed to protect the wildlife. In March 2020, the

Redbilled Tropicbird (a seabird) was highlighted in our Nature

Awareness Campaign. This particular bird species is monitored

throughout its breeding season. Their first four (4) years of life are

spent exclusively at sea before they return to our cliffs to nest.

N AT I O N A L T E R R E S T R I A L PA R K S

N o n - N a t i v e I n va s i v e I g u a n a

Two invasive Green Iguanas were caught at the

Statia Harbour thanks to the Harbour team. They

kept an eye out for the striped tail iguana and called

STENAPA immediately. Both teams worked together

to secure the animal.

This species of iguana can create hybrids with

Statia’s critically endangered Lesser Antillean Iguana

and can cause other issues. Would you be able to

tell the difference between the two species and help

Iguana conservation on the island?

*Take this QUIZ to find out.

*Read about Green Iguana biosecurity HERE.

M e e t t h e Fa m o u s ‘ I g i e ’

In 2018, four Lesser Antillean Iguanas from Statia

joined a conservation breeding program at the

Rotterdam Zoo. Early September 2020, ‘Igie’ was

born. The name, given by Cher Woodley, was

chosen from a list

provided by children

from the STENAPA

Summer Club and

Mega D Youth

Foundation.

*See how iguanas warn you that you are too close.

*Read about Urgent conservation Action Needed to

Save the Lesser Antillean Iguana.

L et ’ s Refo re st S tat i a

If November and December are the planting

months (after the hurricane season), then the

earlier months are full of preparation. The

hardest part of preparing for planting is done

by the plants themselves. Trees take a long

time to grow as they can be around for

hundreds to thousands of years.

~ ~ ~ ~

Beside all the collecting and planting of seeds,

and the growing of seedlings and saplings, the

ReforeStatia team focused on erecting fencing

around planting sites such as on the eroding cliff

beyond the airport. Short saplings are easy

pickings for roaming animals. All the preparation

the trees put into growing would have been lost

if the trees were not protected. Orders were

delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions

globally but we finally got the supplies.

~ ~ ~ ~

The team has been testing out the use of

pallets with fence posts to protect trees

planted on Oranjebaai and Zeelandia. So far

so good!

~ ~ ~ ~

A major planting project was the Fort Oranje

Cliff. Almost three thousand ‘seed bombs’

containing seeds from slow growing plants

were placed among Oleander and Euphorbia

(hardy, disliked by goats and will act as shade

in the future). Beach Morning Glory were

then added along the top and face of the cliff

and irrigation lines.

R E F O R E S TAT I A

Our ReforeStatia newsletters can be found HERE.

Thank you to our funders, for supporting the regreening of Statia.

The Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden was created by St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA)

in 1999 when 5 hectares of land were leased from the island government in order to provide a sanctuary

for Statia’s native flora to thrive, away from roaming livestock and invasive plants.

M I R I A M C . S C H M I D T B OTA N I C A L G A R D E N

2 0 2 0 U p g ra de s

We have continued our

upgrades to the

background system of

the Botanical Garden.

Last year we were able

to begin the laying of

the irrigation lines.

TopServiss and Adam

Mitchell (from ReforeStatia)

continued the installation

process, which was finished this

year.

Installation of solar panels and

electrical power upgrades were

started and completed during

2020.

This is good news for 2021 as Ervin Arnaud, the

Botanical Garden Ranger, and his team can all get

busy growing and planting out native trees. The

upcoming beautification will welcome you and your

children to a healing and peaceful retreat into

Nature on Statia.

S t e n a p a S um m e r C l u b

V e g e t ab l e G a r de n

Our Summer Club visited the

Vegetable Garden. The garden was

newly renovated earlier in the year and

covered in preparation for the children.

They planted one ocra plant each. Two

pepper plants decided to hang

around from last year and

produced a super harvest. New

fruits are ripening as you read

this. Are you interested in

making pepper jelly?

Summer Club was held

before irrigation was fully

connected at the garden,

so we improvised. Several

water bottles and drip spikes was

set up to water each ocra plant.

Nat u re Awa ren e ss

W h a l e Wa t c h i n g

We eagerly await the first sighting of whales as they

pass between Statia and St Kitts this time of year.

Seafarers may get the first sightings, but who

knows, it may be you. Frequent visits to the lookout

point at the garden may reward you with a unique

experience. Our Nature Awareness campaign on

whales will begin with this first sighting. Are you

ready to learn more about whales,

visit lookout points and perhaps

take part in an activity or two?

Humpback whales are the most

frequently sighted as they migrate

through our waters. Call us at the

STENAPA OFFICE at 318-2884 or

email research@statiapark.org to

report your sightings!

A n n u a l C l e a n U p

Each year, we aim to go further with the Annual

Clean Up activity. Last year, we joined hands with

persons outside of schools. This year, we were

limited to the Gwendolyn van Putten High School

(co-coordinators). We decided to collect data on

what was found. Glass

beer bottles were the

most abundant item.

View data HERE.

S T E N A PA S u m m e r C l u b

Two weeks of activities in the National Parks

and other areas of the island, taught 20

children about nature and how to protect it.

They visited the National Marine Park and the

Quill National Park. Each child was challenged to a

card game that tested their understanding of the

differences between our iguana, the invasive one

and other endemic iguanas in the Caribbean.

Read the recap HERE.

Education and Outreach activities were limited this year due to social mitigations in light of the coronavirus

pandemic. Closed schools meant halted STENAPA Lessons for April to October. Nevertheless, a few

activities managed to get a green light.

E D U C AT I O N A N D O U T R E A C H

CONTACT US Tel # : + 599 318 2884 Email: outreach@statiapark.org Website: www.statiapark.org

GET INVOLVED! Join STENAPA Volunteers HERE

B i g L i v e N a t u r e Q u i z

Two Statian youth Teams (11-14 years old) joined

21 other Dutch Caribbean teams to compete in

DCNA’s Big Live Nature Quiz, the first of it’s kind.

Golden Warriors won on Statia and came 6th

overall, an amazing achievement! Their prize was

a boat trip and snorkeling at Jenkins Bay!

We are very proud of you!

U p c o m i n g

N a t u r e A w a r e n e s s

We have brought you news about the Red-billed

Tropicbird and Sea Turtles. Coming up are Whales

and Night-blooming Cacti! Look out for posters,

flyers with activities for the public, and posts

online. ‘Nature on Statia is News’, just around the

corner.

P h o t o C o n t e s t

Nature is happening all around us! If you love to

take photographs or even videos, then we have a

contest with you in mind!

N a t u r e C h a s e Find out more here.

Dutch Central Government

Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK)

Dutch Central Government

Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food (LNV)

Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA)

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-NL)

Prince Bernhard Caribbean Culture Fund

Wider Caribbean Sea turtle

Conservation Network (WIDECAST)

Dive Shops on Statia:

Golden Rock Dive Center, Scubaqua

Interns and Volunteers

Donors:

High 5 Statia and community, Craig Wilson, Menno

Bakker’s 50th Birthday Donors and others

T H A N K YO U !