Projects

Ants on cactus

(Opuntia curassavica)

Photo credit: ©
Diego Marquez

SAFEGUARDING NATURE IN THE DUTCH CARRIBEAN

Goals of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance

Capacity Building

Promoting and facilitating permanent dialogue, knowledge exchange, training and cooperation between PMO’s and strengthen their nature management activities.

Representation & Communication

Assist Park Management Organization with representation and advocacy. Promoting awareness and creating the sense of urgency to support park and nature management and actions to address global conservation challenges to the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.

Program design, proposal development and fundraising

Support and assist efforts of park management organizations in program design, proposal development and to secure sustainable sources of funding for nature conservation, both for themselves and collectively.

This is achieved through the following projects:

BioNews Kids 2026 Edition

Our yearly magazine made for primary schools on all six islands across the Dutch Caribbean, now has a sixth edition. In this issue, we teach children about a changing climate and how that affects the island they live on.

Water Quality Symposium

This symposium, scheduled for November 2025 in Curaçao, will focus on the crucial role of water quality monitoring in supporting both ecological and human health. It will bring together experts, researchers, and stakeholders to discuss the latest methods for tracking water quality and explore the impacts on marine ecosystems and community well-being.
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Conservation and Restoration of Key Habitats Program

Started in 2025, this Program will work to leverage shared resources and local expertise to maximize effectiveness of conservation and restoration projects across the Dutch Caribbean.
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Lettuce sea slug

(Elysia spp.)

Photo credit: © Marion Haarsma

Trust Fund

The Conservation Trust Fund is intended to cover essential operational support for each of the island Protected Area Management Organizations.
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Bird Monitoring

Working to build capacity within the Dutch Caribbean to monitor bird populations.
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Partner Updates

DCNA Board meetings are critical for discussing and strategizing on the most effective way to support our partners and an important opportunity for each of our partners in the Dutch Caribbean to collaborate, share resources and exchange information and ideas.
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BioNews

DCNA’s news platform and free digital newsletter about biodiversity related research and monitoring projects in the Dutch Caribbean. A project funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.
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Bionews Kids

BioNews Kids is a free printed and online nature magazine for children of ages 9-11 on the six Dutch Caribbean islands.
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Coral Reef

Photo credit: © MMBockstael-Rubio

Marine conservation in the Dutch Caribbean

Blue Marine Foundation partnership with Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance- projects including coral protection, and training youth marine rangers.
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Image Recognization Dutch Caribbean

DCNA developed an automatic species recognization tool (ObsIdentify app) together with Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Observation International, generously funded by NLBIF.
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Big Live Nature Quiz

Launched in 2020 and is now a yearly event for Kids and Adults.
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Photo Database

An online nature photo database to enhance the communication and outreach efforts of DCNA and its partner conservation organizations.
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Past Projects (selection)

Symposium: Nature-Based Solutions in Ecosystem Restoration

To facilitate profound knowledge and experience exchange to foster insights into the effective incorporation of Nature-Based Solutions in Dutch Caribbean projects meant for ecosystem conservation and restoration, the DCNA and Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA) organise a symposium on November 10th, 2023, on Aruba. More Info

Management Success

Provides detailed information on the successes and challenges of each park in the Dutch Caribbean.
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Photo credit: Creative Commons CC0

Climate Action Plan

DCNA's Action Plan for the Dutch Caribbean provides concrete recommendations for all our islands on both climate adaptation and mitigation strategies to combat climate change effects
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Junior Ranger Exchanges

Launched in 2019, DCNA has helped facilitate a number of Junior Ranger exchanges.
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Humpback whale and calf
Photo credit: Martin Hristov

Whale and dolphin research program Ti Whale An Nou

The objective is to study the diversity, distribution and quantity of whales and dolphins in the Caribbean. This study started in 2021.
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Smooth flower coral

(Eusmilia fastigiate)

Photo credit: © Marion Haarsma

DCNA Highlights 2005-2015

Celebrating DCNA's 10 year anniversary with a few of the last decade's key highlights.
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Workshop on Marine Management and Ocean Protection in the Dutch Caribbean 2022

During the workshop experts will present on best practice examples and innovative approached form other islands and we will spend time exploring how to address the unique challenges that the Dutch Caribbean islands face in in depth discussions. More info >

Black Sea Urchin

(Diadema antillarum)

Photo credit: Stella Grau

Sea Urchin Restoration Workshop 2022

The DCNA organized a reef restoration workshop led by University of Applied Sciences Van Hall Larenstein. This workshop involved coral reef biologists, coral restoration experts, and marine park managers from various Caribbean islands to focus for the first time on the restoration of long spined sea urchin. More info

Tiger Shark Expedition 2021

A research expedition with the goal to determine whether the Saba Bank is a breeding area for tiger sharks in the Eastern Caribbean. Read more ->

2021 DCNA Convention

The conference focused on three main topics: Governance in Times of Recovery, Increasing Resilience to Climate change, Improving Youth engagement. More info

CITES Communication Materials

Working to increase the awareness and protection of endangered plant and animal species.
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Disaster Response Manual

Best practices manual on how to most effectively respond to disasters pre, during and post emergencies.
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Caribbean Reef Shark

(Carcharhinus perezi)

Photo credit © Jim Abernethy

Save our Sharks

This project worked with fishermen, local communities and scientists to raise awareness of the importance of sharks.
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Sooty tern

(Onychoprion fuscatus)

Photo credit: © Henkjan Kevit

Nature Funding videos

These videos highlighted the successes of the various Nature Fund projects, which ended in 2019.
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Red mangroves

(Rhizophora mangle)

Photo credit: © Henkjan Kievit

DCNA Convention 2019

The DCNA convention initiated a new phase of international nature management, with a focus on the future.
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Schwartz' anole

(Anolis schwartzi)

Photo credit: © Rostislav Stach

Sustainable Finance Project

Collaborative effort to strengthen the national park's ability to achieve sustainable financing.
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Candle cactus

(Stenocereus griseus)

 

Photo credit: © Henkjan Kevit

Management letters

Pandemic Response and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Management Letters
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Blenny

(Blenniiformes)

Photo credit: © Rudy van Gelderen

Social Media Workshop

Working towards improving communication strategies of the protected area management organizations of the six Dutch Caribbean islands.
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Queen Conch

(Strombus gigas) 

Photo credit: © STINAPA

Conch Restoration

Worked to restore conch populations within Lac.
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Oranje troepiaal

(Icterus icterus ridgwayi)

Photo credit: © Hans Smulders

 

Nature Guides and Books

Nature guides and books for the Dutch Caribbean.
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Least Tern

(Sternula antillarum)

Photo credit: ©
Diego Marquez

Bird Conservation

Enhancing knowledgebase for bird conservation throughout the Dutch Caribbean.
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Elfin Forest

Photo credit: © Kai Wulf

Geographic Information Systems

Provided park management organizations the hardware, software, skills necessary for them to accumulate and utilize geographic data for their protected areas.
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Baby hawksbill sea turtles

(Eretmochelys imbricata)

Photo credit: ©

Sea Turtle Conservation

Developed capacity to undertake sea turtle conservation in the Dutch Caribbean.
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Looking for a complete overview?
Check out our annual reports

DCNA