Page 12 - AHATA

A14 LOCAL
Wednesday 6 June 2018

Nature Conservation Court Case number 9.

Aruba Birdlife Conservation

By Greg Peterson - Chair- gered and there is also a Governor. In perspective
man of Foundation Aruba realistic chance that next this number of signatures is
Birdlife Conservation to the Shoco, that the Pri- extremely high. Translating
ORANJESTAD — The ver- kichi will also go extinct. it to the population of the
dict of May 30th, 2018, in In November 2016 Aruba United States, this would
the case that Aruba Birdlife Birdlife Conservation pub- entail more than 30 million
Conservation has named lished its book “Bird Wildlife signatures.
“Mission Rescue Warbler of Aruba”. Evidence was In March 2017 Princes Beat-
Street” was the ninth ( yes: needed to prove to the rix, the mother of the King of
9 ) court case that AB has Government that bird wild- the Kingdom of the Nether-
conducted in an ongoing life in Aruba was important lands, travelled to Aruba
effort to stop the destruc- and the book could help to ceremoniously declare
tion of Aruba’s Bubali Wet- prove the presence and Spanish Lagoon part of
lands. The first verdict dates significance of Aruba’s bird Parke Nacional Arikok and
back to June 7th, 2016. wildlife. The book consists to support Aruba Birdlife
of 432 pages and con- Conservation with its nature
Some chronological per- tains among others the bird conservation efforts. She
spective demonstrates check list of Aruba with 254 visited the Bubali Wetlands
how this Aruban nature species of birds. with volunteers of ABC to
conservation foundation Next to the birds’ scien- see for herself what the ex-
reached to this point. tific names, their names tent of the destruction was
In 2011, Aruba Birdlife Con- are presented in English, that had taken place and
servation launched the Papiamento, Dutch and to encourage the Govern-
first campaign to get the Spanish. This is more rel- ment of Aruba to get the
Shoco, Aruba’s Burrowing evant than may seem at remaining of the sixteen ar-
Owl, protected. The Shoco first. Many school teachers eas protected.
is an endemic subspecies who wanted to promote To date, Spanish Lagoon is to a barrage of court cases and Time Share Holders can
and Aruba is the only coun- nature awareness in their the only area of the original to prevent further destruc- help Aruba Birdlife Conser-
try within the Kingdom of class rooms got stuck when 16 that has been declared tion of the Bubali Wetlands. vation keep up its work to
the Netherlands that has a wanting to conduct re- part of Parke Nacional And that is how Aruba Bird- prevent further destruction
Burrowing Owl. Its numbers search. The teachers knew Aruba. Although the Gov- life Conservation ended of the 16 very important
have been diminishing and of many names of birds in ernment has promised Her up with having filed 9 court nature areas in Aruba by
it is estimated that there are the local Papiamento lan- Royal Highness to place cases. A higher court of ap- contributing with a dona-
only some 200 pairs remain- guage but could not find these areas under super- peal verdict is pending this tion. Your help will contrib-
ing in Aruba. This subspe- much in Papiamento on vision of Aruba’s National month and on June 15th of ute to keeping the quality
cies is classified by ABC as internet. The checklist thus Park and has repeatedly 2018, court case number experience in Aruba at a
critically endangered with became a ‘Rosetta Stone’ stated that the areas will all ten (10) is already sched- respectable level and help
a realistic chance of going for teachers and students, be protected, nothing has uled. Once again that one prevent more nature areas
extinct. In 2012 the Shoco enabling them to move for- happened. will be about protecting from going lost to excessive
was proclaimed a National ward with their nature con- While the aforementioned the Bubali Wetlands. Court and useless hotel and con-
Symbol of Aruba. servation efforts. The check efforts were ongoing, it be- case number 10 concerns dominium development on
In 2012, ABC proposed to list has since been regularly came apparent to Aruba the property between the island.
Parliament of Aruba to pro- updated and on March Birdlife Conservation that The Mill and the House of You can make your dona-
tect sixteen (16) nature ar- 18, 2018 the most recent the previous minister of in- Cheng, which according tion directly to: Foundation
eas and get them placed version was published con- frastructure of Aruba, rather to the R.O.P. is a protected Aruba Birdlife Conserva-
under Parke Nacional taining 266 species of birds. than protecting the areas, nature area. tion, Aruba Bank NV, Ac-
Arikok. In February 2013, this Another 12 new species of was giving out parcels of Aruba Birdlife Conserva- count number 2402860190
proposal was made into a birds were added in just a land to developers for the tion has always taken sides (BIC Code: ARUBAWAX).
motion and all 21 members short period as two years. construction of yet more for Aruba’s nature in these Thank you.
of Aruba’s Parliament vot- In September 2016 Aruba hotels and condominiums court cases, be it against Superfood, the grand su-
ed, in a unanimous fashion, Birdlife Conservation start- at Aruba’s Wetland Areas. the Government or devel- permarket just across from
in favor of protecting these ed a national campaign, Besides this being in con- opers, or both. To date ABC Hotel La cabana, has
16 (today for technical rea- a petition, to collect signa- tradiction to the decision has won seven ( 7 ) of the granted Aruba Birdlife Con-
sons referred to as “the 19 tures to stop the ongoing in Parliament, ABC discov- nine ( 9 ). servation this month’s fund
areas”. and increasing destruction ered also that this was not in One can only imagine how collection opportunity. You
In 2014, ABC proposed to of important nature areas accordance with Aruba’s many costs are involved can also swing by Super-
the Government to declare in Aruba, including the Spatial Planning (R.O.P.), in to carry out this amount of food and make your dona-
the Prikichi, Aruba’s Brown Bubali Wetlands, but also which it was apparent that court cases, and there are tion to ABC with one of the
Throated Parakeet, the the growing threat of build- these areas were actually yet more court case will fol- cashiers.
second endemic subspe- ing a hotel in the pristine nature areas. low in the pipeline, includ- Aruba Birdlife Conserva-
cies of birds that Aruba has, Pos Chiquito mangroves at It was this dismaying dis- ing one to rescue the Man- tion takes the opportunity
the National Bird of Aruba. Isla di Oro. A project that covery that lead to Aruba grove area in Pos Chiquito to thank all volunteers and
In 2017, the Government of all local nature NGO’s are Birdlife Conservation’s first from being destroyed by supporters, locals as well as
Aruba declared the Prikichi strongly against. More than court case in 2016. Along building yet another hotel our tourists for their ongo-
Aruba’s National Bird. The 11.000 signatures were col- the way subsequent dis- in this very sensitive nature ing support. You can help
number of Prikichis in Aruba lected and in November coveries were made of yet area. It is one of the sixteen Aruba Birdlife Conserva-
has declined dramatically 2016 the petition was pre- more parcels of nature of areas that ABC has been tion make a difference.
during the past 8 years. This sented to the Prime Min- the Bubali Wetlands that trying to get protected for ABC can be followed on
subspecies is also classified ister, the President of Par- had been promised to the the past six years. Facebook: Aruba Birdlife
by ABC as critically endan- liament of Aruba and our real estate giants. This lead Locals as well as our Tourists Conservation.q