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Aruba Birdlife Conservation:

Return of the wild

ORANJESTAD — The Aruba Absence of tourists and
Birdlife Conservation is a shelter in place teaches us
nature NGO established one very important lesson.
on Aruba who is request- We have taken too much
ing the Aruba govern- from nature. Once we
ment, as soon as possible, grant them what was right-
to install a National Nature fully theirs, all types of fau-
and Environment Commit- na start reappearing. They
tee. This important founda- cease the moment … and
tion showcases and builds do so with joy.
awareness of Aruba’s birds We must re-learn the signifi-
and other native flora and cance of sharing the plan-
fauna. They showcase the et with nature.
most amazing pictures We must reconnect with
on their Facebook page, nature. Once we come
caught by photographer from love and not from
Michiel Oversteegen. greed, beautiful things start
to happen. Once we grant
Have a look at the latest nature a chance, we too
nature miracles photo- will return to nature.
graphed by Oversteegen. In this picture you see a crit-
ically endangered Shellfish The question follows: How
enjoying a unique moment must we interpret the dis-
of freedom at the shores of cordance between on
Palm Beach. one hand branding our is-
land as ‘One Happy Island’
Beauty in Aruba while on the other hand
Wellbeing, nature and we encourage our valued
One Happy Island. Having guests to participate in is-
profound love for nature land wide nature destruc-
comes from a place deep tion? Such a mismatch of
within the heart. Willingness concepts, happiness and
to destroy nature in order to destruction, can only lead
experience joy flows from a to increasing distrust and
place of inner disharmony. tensions between our tour-
Absence of respect for na- ism product and those who
ture comes from a place profoundly love our island.
of challenged self-esteem. Our tourism philosophy is in
There is much work to be urgent need of some seri-
done when one wittingly ous introspection. A good
needs to destroy nature in place to start would be
order to feel good about considering re-branding
one’s self. This can never Aruba’s tourism product;
lead to a path of pursuit of Aruba’s image. Consider
happiness. a shift from ‘One Happy
Island’ to ‘One Caring Is-
Aruba Today launches survey to serve better land. True happiness can
never be attained through
destruction; this is mislead-
ORANJESTAD — Aruba Today • Do you want to support ing. Aruba is in need of
newspaper would like your us? some introspection, before
support by participating in we stand up after CoViD19
our very short survey. Please We are a FREE newspaper once again, and repeat
let us know your opinion by and in times with the island that which is causing island
scanning the QR code with filled with tourists our prints wide disharmony, all over
your camera function of your went like hot cakes. Early again.
phone (no need to take a pic- mornings at 7 or 8 am hotels
ture, just open camera and would call us for more copies. The image shows you baby
scan) or find the survey button Now we are fighting to make Aruba Burrowing Owls
on our website. We would like sure we are still there for you born in artificial burrows.
to use this challenging times when you come back to your Increasing destruction of
to present the best version of home away from home, your nature ‘in pursuit of happi-
us when you are back in town. One Happy Island. Are you ness’ has become an exis-
part of our team? If so, PLEASE tential threat for the Aruba
• Do you like us? participate in this 1-minute Burrowing Owls … and be-
• Do you want to see more survey. yond. The Shoco was de-
of us in the future? Big thank you! clared a National Symbol
• Do you want the best ver- of Aruba in 2012.
sion of us? The Aruba Today team Will Aruba be re-branded
in 2020? q