The forum of organizations active in nature conservation and management, both governmental as well as non-governmental, from all the islands of the Netherlands Antilles, but also from Aruba and the Netherlands, gathered together in the 3rd National Nature Forum, held in Curaçao during Aug. 28-30, coinciding with the first meeting of the CITES Scientific Committee, the first meeting of the National Nature Management Committee, and a meeting of the Marine Protected Area Managers of the Netherlands Antilles,

considering the state of affairs regarding nature conservation and management on the respective islands of the Netherlands Antilles, as presented by the respective island organizations,

considering the fact that without an immediate injection of roughly ANG 300.000,00, nature conservation management on St. Maarten and St. Eustatius will cease to exist,

considering the other needs and suggestions expressed by the gathered organizations,

considering the current status of the recommendations of the 2nd Nature Platform held in St. Eustatius in 1998,

considering the proposal for a Netherlands Antilles Coral Reef Initiative,

concludes that the situation which nature management finds itself in is dire and extremely urgent, in particular with regard to the smallest islands of the Netherlands Antilles, namely St. Maarten and St. Eustatius,

concludes that an immediate solution must be found for the imminent demise of all nature conservation management on the islands indicated above,

concludes that nature conservation management on the other islands is sub-optimal due to structural insufficient financing,

concludes that the urgent need for sustainable financing of nature conservation management is now even more apparent,

recommends that an immediate solution be sought to ensure the survival of the nature conservation management efforts on the islands of St. Maarten en St. Eustatius,

emphasizes that the management of natural resources is a responsibility of the respective governments,

recommends emphatically that the existing draft island marine conservation ordinance of St. Maarten as well as that of Curaçao be finalized and presented to the respective island councils as soon as possible,

resolves that the recommendation of the 2nd Nature Platform in 1998, to institute a so-called "trustfund" to sustainably finance nature management in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba should be carried out as soon as possible,

resolves that the Environmental Section of the Dept. of Public Health and Environment shall coordinate and stimulate the preparation and institution of a Trustfund for Nature in the Netherlands Antilles,

declares the formation of a Netherlands Antilles Nature Conservation Initiative (NANCI), to address, through the formation of several working groups:

the implementation of priority projects and programs distributed over the following fields of attention:

• Funding
• Ecosystems
• Species
• Threats
• Awareness and Support
• Sustainable Use of Resources
• Research
• Regulations and Enforcement
  

the construction of a database of available literature on nature research in, or dealing with, the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,

the setting up of an internet mailing list server as a communication tool for a network of people and organizations involved with nature conservation,

the construction of a biodiversity information clearing house for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,

the effectuation of a Netherlands Antilles Coral Reef Initiative (NACRI), specifically targeted at the conservation of coral reefs in the Netherlands Antilles,

recommends that a national research policy paper be formulated with respect to nature conservation in the Netherlands Antilles, stating the basic needs concerning nature research and research for nature management on the Netherlands Antilles comprising:

• baseline research
• calamity impact assessment
• identification and research of indicator species
• research of population dynamics
• identification of carrying capacity of ecosystems
• research of implementation, public-awareness and -support strategies
• research of sustainable economic marketability of nature

concludes that evaluation and monitoring of nature conservation and management projects and programs are imperative and should always be included in the relevant budgets,

resolves to institute a working group to prepare in cooperation with the nature management organizations and the environmental section of the dept. of Public Health and Environment, a presentation to explicate the present situation of the nature management organizations in a way appropriate to apply to the relevant sources for funding for these organizations,

resolves to institute a working group to address the creation of a literature database and information clearing house, for the time being to be hosted by the website of the environmental section of the dept. of Public Health and Environment,

recommends a follow up meeting in order to formulate a NACRI plan of action,

recommends that the interval between successive nature fora not be more than one and a half years,

resolves that the Park Managers will monitor the progress of the actions outlined in this document and report on the internet mailing list mentioned above,

resolves that the nature organizations in conjunction with the Environmental Section of the Dept. of Public Health and Environment shall continue to promote the interests of nature conservation and management in the region.

Curaçao, August 28, 2000

The represented organizations:

Aliansa pa Naturalesa Boneiru
Carmabi
DROB Bonaire
DROB St. Eustatius
Earth First Curaçao
Ecovision
Fanapa, Aruba
Habitat Curaçao
LVV Aruba
LVV Curaçao
Milieudienst, Curaçao
Ministerie van LNV, Nederland
Nat. Archeologisch & Anthropologisch Museum, Ned. Ant.
Plantages Portomari
Reef Care Curaçao
Saba Marine Park
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire
Sectie Milieu en Natuur, dept. VOMIL
St. Maarten Nature Foundation
STENAPA - St. Eustatius
Stinapa Bonaire
Uniek Curaçao
VROM St. Maarten