Nature Foundation St. Maarten’s Marine Park Patrol at work near Simpson Bay bridge.
COLE BAY–After a tough selection procedure with many suitable applicants, the Nature Foundation St. Maarten selected Marshall Leone (Learning Unlimited Preparatory School), Maya Speetjens (Milton Peters College), Nubia Stomp (St. Dominic High School) and Valerie Halley (Caribbean International Academy) to participate in the Junior Ranger Youth Environmental Exchange on Bonaire, October 25-28.
“We had a very difficult job to select the candidates due to the high level of knowledge, motivation and large number of applications which came in after our announcements for the programme.
“I am impressed by the number of 12- and 13-year-old students interested in this programme and their familiarity and creative answers on our environmental quiz. We do keep all applicants in mind for another possible project in the future, as we were surprised about the knowledge and motivation from many,” stated Nature Foundation’s Projects and Research Officer Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern.
The four participating students will have an active learning experience, sharing and learning with and from each other during the activity-filled conference. They will return home as nature conservation ambassadors to share and apply this knowledge and experience with their school, other youth and the community at large.
The overall theme of the Junior Ranger Exchange will be coastal and marine conservation. Different topics will be incorporated such as (plastic) pollution, coral reefs, shorebirds and the vast biodiversity of the Caribbean islands.
The four students are also invited for a preparatory day at the Nature Foundation on October 19, to learn and discuss environmental issues, marine conservation and biodiversity on St. Maarten. The groups will also visit the mangroves in Mullet Pond and Simpson Bay lagoon and inspect St. Maarten’s waters during the introduction day.
“We will teach our students about the projects and activities of the Nature Foundation, the importance of coral reefs, ecosystems, sea turtles, sharks and many more subjects during an interactive and fun day at the Nature Foundation.
“We will make sure the students are prepared to share their ideas and knowledge during the exchange event on Bonaire, and that they will be the future advocates for environment and nature on St. Maarten,” explained leader of the St. Maarten Youth Environmental Exchange student group, Guillaume Lacome.
The Junior Ranger Youth Environmental Exchange is made possible by project sponsors Rabobank, World Wildlife Fund WWF-NL, STINAPA Bonaire and the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA), together with a project team comprised of members from DCNA, STINAPA and Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA).
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/91117-nature-foundation-announces-youth-environmental-exchange-participants
View comments
Hide comments