Education officers from national parks and organizations across the Dutch Caribbean and The Netherlands and junior rangers planned future education efforts during a workshop held July 29-31 at the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) headquarters on Bonaire. The group came together to find ways to give children a better knowledge and understanding of nature, and the passion and skills to actively participate in conservation. “The benefit of getting together with not only the islands of the Dutch Caribbean but partners of The Netherlands is that we get to share materials, develop ideas, and have the use of more resources,” said Saba Conservation Foundation education officer Sue Hurrell. “We’re beginning to realize (conservation) is not just a local problem, but a global problem. That’s the importance of education.” Information, experiences and ideas flowed as the group reviewed materials and best practices, as well as progress on their education goals since 2010, when the first workshop of this kind took place.
The group is collaborating to produce teaching materials that can be used in after-school programming as well as in classrooms, and is working to create a uniform education programme spanning ages 8 to 18, called Wild4Life. As part of that programme, five junior rangers, including one from National Park Weerribben-Wieden in The Netherlands, presented their culminating projects and demonstrated how to map tree locations using smart phones. Workshop participants are to develop a common vision of nature education and further cooperation among the islands and The Netherlands about ways to build understanding and support for nature conservation efforts.
In the future, national parks may share a junior ranger programme that culminates in older teens earning junior ranger designation. Younger children might receive “passports” to be stamped as they participate in various parks’ activities, both terrestrial and marine. The planning also pointed out the islands’ common need for fulltime education officers to work in the parks to develop youth programming. “It’s very good for the islands to work together,” said Stinapa Bonaire education coordinator Desiree Croes. “All the islands are a little bit different, and every meeting is a way to communicate and learn from each other. It makes us stronger.”
Source: “The Daily Herald” 2012-08-04 (28)
Strange and a pity that the Dutch national institutes have not been consulted yet, such as the Instituut voor Natuurbeschermingseducatie (www.ivn.nl ) and Stichting Mileunet with all their experience and know how for educational programmes concerning Nature and nature protection.
Possibly in the near future SCF will hire on locals as park rangers instead of cooks.
He’s a Chef by the way, It takes a creative person to do such a job, he knows what heat is working in a kitchen, perhaps he’s happy with the heat and just wants to see the sun. By all accounts he’s a great ranger. Have you any idea what the pay is for that, believe you me he didn’t change his career for a pay cheque.
Stand out from behind your keyboard Reef Guardian so we can all watch you melt in the mid-day sun.
I love that the Grief Guardians, who we all know are highly connected with the dive shops, are interested in hiring locally. There are many locals who are certified divers and masters who would like a chance to compete with all the foreign hires.
Just wanted to set the record straight and let you know that DCNA has been collaborating with IVN NL for nearly two years on the development and implementation of our nature education programme. We are also working with them on the provision of basic information packages for our parks (an area in which they have considerable experience) and more. It’s a great partnership and one we are very proud to invest in.
Kalli De Meyer. Executive Director, Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance
Since this site doesn’t have a “like” button.
I’ll just say I like this because somebody who really counted explained themselves. Thanks Kalli.
Just a pun for all y’all ex-pat colonialists a’ posting’: ” you ain’t much… if Darwin don’t say it ain’t just”
Sorry but I wonder where the information comes from that the “reef guardians” are “highly” connected to the dive shops? I cannot speak for any other dive center on the island but I know for sure I have no clue who they are and why they want to stay “anonymous” or since when they are connected to the dive centers? Perhaps you can enlighten us with a proof and not just assumptions or rumors? Also: how many “locals” are certified divers or even “masters” (do you mean Dive Masters???). I agree that there should be a fair process of choosing the right person for the job concerning the SCF. But I see some people working enhusiastic for them volunterally. They do not look like locals to me. Why are the so-called local “divers or masters” are not helping them more on the same basis then the others do? I think that’s how the new ranger qualified himself for the job. Frankly, I never had an application in my dive center from a local looking to work for our dive center in the fist place. That doesn’t mean I’m against hiring locally, on the opposite but it needs a certain initiative if a persons wants a job, doesn’t it?
“Grief Guardians” Absolutely love that Manalive… To quote MTV in the Eighties: “If you’re not part of the solution, You’re part of the problem”. It seems like the Grief Guardian (pretty sure it/he’s not a quango or cabal) needs a hobby, and unfortunately for us… posting annoyingly on this site seems to be it.