BES islands still lack structural funding for nature management

During a recent visit to the Carib­bean Netherlands, State Secretary of BZK Eddie van Marum of the farmers’ party BBB met with the National Park organisations of Bo­naire, Saba, and St. Eusta­tius (BES islands) to discuss the critical role these organ­isations play in managing and conserving the region’s unique ecosystems.

The Caribbean Nether­lands is home to over 90% of the Kingdom’s biodiver­sity, including most of its en­demic species. The National Parks on Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius are essential not only for protecting this natural heritage but also for supporting tourism, coastal protection, and community well-being.

A key topic during the vis­its was the lack of structural funding for nature manage­ment on the BES islands. In the European Netherlands, National Parks receive long­term funding through the Subsidiestelsel Natuur en Landschap (SNL), a provin­cial framework that ensures stable support for biodiver­sity protection.

The Caribbean Nether­lands, however, has no pro­vincial government and no equivalent funding mecha­nism. Since the BES islands were established 15 years ago, National Park organisa­tions have relied on short-term project funding and user fees, leaving their oper­ations financially insecure.

The absence of structural funding is particularly con­cerning given the Dutch government’s stated princi­ple of “comply or explain,” which aims to apply national policies fairly across all parts of the Kingdom, with local adjustments where needed. Structural support for na­ture management would also advance broader priori­ties, including climate and economic resilience, public health, and environmental protection.

Current systems on Saba and St. Eustatius, which rely on visitor fees, are insuf­ficient to cover the costs of managing large portions of land and coastal waters of ecological, historical, and social importance. Park or­ganisations cannot depend on ad hoc project funding alone; long-term financial security is needed to build strong, future-proof organ­isations that can invest in staff training, innovation, education, and safe working conditions.

On Bonaire, discussions also highlighted the impor­tance of improving water quality to protect coral reefs and marine ecosystems. Strengthening water qual­ity remains a shared prior­ity across all three islands to safeguard biodiversity and support resilient ecosys­tems.

The National Park organ­isations welcomed the State Secretary’s engagement with their challenges and empha­sised the need for continued cooperation. Establishing a structural funding mecha­nism is seen as essential to securing the long-term fu­ture of the Kingdom’s most biodiverse region.

As the regional conserva­tion network of the Dutch Caribbean, the Dutch Ca­ribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) reaffirmed its sup­port for its park partners and its commitment to working with the national govern­ment on solutions that en­sure effective, sustainable nature management across all islands.

The Daily Herald.