Page 12 - HOH

Monday 28 noveMber 2022 locAl
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Parke Nacional Arikok : Nature Conservation

The protected area of Na- of marine organisms. With
tional Park Arikok was of- this addition, the area un-
ficially established in 2000. der FPNA management
Arikok National Park is a increased by 70 hectares
34 square kilometers (7907 while the amount of spe-
acres) of natural area, lo- cies of flora and fauna to
cated at the north-eastern be conserved to over 250.
part of Aruba which con- On December 21st, 2018
tains examples of most of (AB 2018 no. 77) Parke Ma-
the island’s flora and fau- rino Aruba – currently con-
na against a backdrop of sisting of four marine pro-
great geological complex- tected areas (MPAs) – was
ity. We are proud to state officially established and
that approximately 18% subsequently brought un-
of the total land area of der management of FPNA.
Aruba is assigned as a Na- In 2019 management plans
tional Park, to protect and will be established for the
preserve the flora, fauna, new MPAs which include:
geology and historical re- coral reefs, seagrass beds,
mains present within Arikok the name of the park is de- chi, Aruba’s most impor- ruary 2017, mangrove and mangrove systems, a large
National Park. rived. tant natural attraction, also wetland RAMSAR site #198 diversity of breeding sea-
know as The Natural Pool. Spanish Lagoon was an- birds. Parke Marino Aruba,
The Landscape The line of the permanently The journey to the Pool is nexed to Arikok National also contains potential
There is a great geological wind-and-wave beaten and adventure by itself Park due to its importance shark nursery areas, en-
variety within the park. The North Coast is broken by and only possible by foot, as a feeding and breeding dangered sea turtle nest-
main aspects are the rough several bays (boca’s). Most horse, ATV or 4×4 vehicle. area for water birds and as ing beaches and marine
hills of the volcanic Aruba of them are small yet im- a nursery area for a variety mammal nursery areas.q
lava formation, the mysteri- pressive inlets at the mouth Cultural and Historical
ous rocks of the batholithic of dry riverbeds. Some components
quartz-diorite/tonalite, and of these bays (boca’s) There are a number of sites
the limestone rocks from are spectacular sights, within the park that attest
fossilized coral. The two adorned with white, sandy to the history of Aruba. The
tallest hills on the island are beaches and sand dunes, Caquetío Indians left rock
situated within the park. as is the case at Boca Prins paintings in Cunucu Arikok
Jamanota hill 188 meters and Dos Playa. and Fontein Cave. The bird
(617 ft) and Arikok hill 176 drawing in the park logo is
meters (577 ft), from which Arikok is also home to Con- a copy of one of these his-
torical artistic expressions.

Old plantation (Cunucus)
sites tell the story of an ac-
tive yet challenging agri-
cultural past.

These Cunucus were also
residential areas for the
few families that worked
the land. These families
found ways to survive in
the difficult conditions, and
were able to erect their
homes with materials found
in the area. Two of these
adobe houses have been
restored. Park rangers are
learning many of the old
building techniques in or-
der to preserve this unique
Aruban mud-house. At Cu-
nucu Arikok and near Plan-
tation Prins you can find
these adobe houses.

Park Management
For the management of
the park, a dedicated
foundation “Fundacion
Parke Nacional Arikok”
(FPNA), known today as
the Aruba National Park
Foundation was estab-
lished in July 2003. In Feb-