Project

Vegetatiekaart Aruba

This project aims to update a vegetation map for Aruba. This will form the basis for research into the conservation status of terrestrial biodiversity. This knowledge contributes, among other things, to the mandatory national reports for biodiversity treaties, such as the CBD, as well as a vision for a nature-inclusive economic and sustainable development of Aruba.

The 5th and 6th national CBD report of the Netherlands (2014, 2019) reported a disturbing message regarding the condition of the environment in the Dutch Caribbean. The nature conservation status for all six islands was regarded as insufficient, none showed a significant positive change while some, among which Aruba, even showed a decline. Unfortunately, Aruba does not have the financial resources nor the capacity to turn the tide. The lack of scientific publications on the island’s biodiversity are illustrative in this respect.

In this project we will develop a vegetation map, taking island-wide unpublished vegetation relevees from 1997 as a starting point. The vegetation map will be the basis for further studies on the sustainability of species populations. The knowledge will be important for national reporting obligations on biodiversity conventions like the CBD, Ramsar and Cartagena (relevant for WOT). It will also be important for the development of a vision towards a nature-inclusive economic development of Aruba (relevant for KB). 

Publicaties