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Monday 29 august 2022 locAl
A10

DCNA Organizes Junior Ranger Exchange Week 2022

different bird species. At the end
of this week, the rangers were also
able to enjoy a morning kayak in
St. Maarten’s lagoon to grasp an
understanding of the mangrove
ecosystem. In the afternoon they
learned about the negative im-
pacts of plastic pollution with a fun
game activity in the pool.
“Hosting this year’s Junior Ranger
Exchange has been an honour for
STENAPA. We saw children from the
Dutch Caribbean enjoy nature ed-
ucation and share their new under-
standing of ecosystems and their
services with others” Achsah Mitch-
ell, STENAPA Education Office/JRE
and Chair of DCNA’s Youth Partici-
The Junior Rangers just wrapped gardens, providing the perfect op- ness. Whether it was learning pation Working Group.
up their annual exchange event. portunity for everyone to immerse about brand new species, or sim-
Youngsters from all six islands got themselves in nature. No one ply swapping local names for those This event was made possible by
together to learn about the unique seemed to mind the early morn- which were shared, these students The Prins Bernhard Cultuur Fonds,
biodiversity within the Dutch Ca- ing start when waking up to the will leave the island with a diverse World Wildlife Fund-Dutch Carib-
ribbean and lay the foundation stunning sunrise over the sea view. range of local knowledge and bean, and sponsors in St. Maarten

for future inter-island collabora- During the day, the Junior Rangers new friends which DCNA hopes will such as The Azure Hotel & Art Stu-
tion. From sea view sunrises to late were able to gain hands on expe- lead to a lifetime of collaboration dio, Domino’s Pizza and Winair.
night glow in the dark treks, these rience in invasive species moni- between the islands. DCNA’s activities are generously
students had a fun filled week full toring by going on iguana patrols The week was filled with a variety funded by the Dutch National
of memories they will cherish for a with STENAPA rangers. Through the of marine and terrestrial activi- Postcode Lottery.
lifetime. monitoring, each ranger learned ties which entertained the Junior Interested in joining the Junior
to distinguish between the differ- Rangers from dawn to dusk. They Rangers? Contact your local park
A foundational pillar of the Dutch ent subspecies of iguanas and were able to explore the differ- authority to learn more!
Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) learned why its important to track ent ecosystems in Statia through
is the desire to elevate nature-fo- population trends. many activities including snorkel- Photos Credit: Estela Grau and
cused education across the Dutch Dahlia Hassell Knijff, DCNA Projects ing while gaining fish identification Monique Grol, JRE 2022
Caribbean. One of the tools avail- Officer added that “Junior Ranger skills and learning how to identify
able to the islands is empowering Exchanges that are facilitated for
the youth, and what better way to the Dutch Caribbean islands are
harness this energy than through opportunities for youth to explore
the annual DCNA Junior Ranger different environments, create
exchange program. This unique friendships over borders, and most
opportunity brings together youth importantly spark their curiosity for
from across all six islands to learn all the natural world through different
about the exceptional biodiversity activities. As DCNA‘s main goal is
within the Dutch Caribbean, and to support the local parks, we aim
work together developing positive, to provide different experiences
cooperative, and social skills. for youth in nature education by
ensuring that exchanges across
Ecosystem Services and How They the islands can happen for these
Support Us All! groups.”
This year’s theme for the exchange
was Ecosystem Services and How New Islands, New Experiences
They Support Us All! Throughout the Throughout the week Junior Rang-
week, Junior Rangers learned to ers were able to share stories from
identify marine and terrestrial flora their own islands, whether it was
and fauna while snorkeling, hiking during an activity or around a
and kayaking through the various campfire eating marshmallows.
habitats across St. Eustatius and St. Each participant was amazed
Maarten. that, although they are all island
The week started at St. Eustatius neighbors, each island’s natural
with camping in the botanical ecosystems has its own unique-