‘Je voelt de wind, je ruikt de geur van Bonaire: je bent terug!’ vertelt een leerling terwijl hij wijst naar een afbeelding van de luchthaven Flamingo. Deze uitspraak werd gedaan tijdens ons onderzoek naar een betekenisvol geschiedeniscurriculum met burgerschapsdoelen in het voortgezet onderwijs op Bonaire. Een jaar later, in 2024, keerden we naar het eiland terug en deden er onderzoek naar Bonairiaans burgerschapsonderwijs dat daar op vier basisscholen wordt ontwikkeld.
"Je kunt niet op Bonaire wonen en niets van Bonaire afweten, dan ben je een half mens” Duidelijke taal van juf Sonia Janga. Ze is remedial teacher op het Integraal Kind Centrum (IKC) van de Bonairiaanse basisschool Kolegio Kristu Bon Wardador. Ze deed deze uitspraak toen ze door ons werd geïnterviewd over het Bonairiaans burgerschapsprogramma, dat recent voor vier basisscholen op het eiland is ontwikkeld. De noodzaak om een burgerschapsprogramma te ontwikkelen kwam voort uit het feit dat het onderwijs op Bonaire – in de hoedanigheid van bijzondere gemeente binnen het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden – uitgaat van vrijwel dezelfde richtlijnen als voor scholen in Europees Nederland. Daar hoort de burgerschapsopdracht uit 2021 ook bij. In deze bijdrage staan we achtereenvolgens stil bij: 1) de visie achter en uitgangspunten voor het betekenisvolle Bonairiaans burgerschapsonderwijs, 2) de wijze waarop scholen dit burgerschapsonderwijs hebben ontwikkeld en geïmplementeerd en 3) succesfactoren en uitdagingen die de scholen tijdens het proces ondervonden.Inzichten over het Bonairiaanse burgerschapsonderwijsprogramma zijn ook relevant voor scholen in Europees Nederland, die een (cultureel) diverse leerlingpopulatie hebben: ook zij moeten stilstaan bij de vraag welk (burgerschaps)onderwijs voor hun leerlingen betekenisvol is.
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Several studies have shown that flying electric between the so-called ABC-islands in the Caribbean (i.e., Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao) is feasible with the upcoming first generation of battery-electric aircraft. This paper presents a real-world case study that deals with the technical and operational characteristics of electric flight in that region. With that purpose, the Aruba Airport Authority (AAA) commissioned this investigation, which involved numerous local stakeholders, such as airlines, energy providers and navigation services. This study involves two commuter electric aircraft under development, aiming to investigate how they fit in the current operational scheme of three local airlines and three conventional aircraft types in terms of technology, capacity, schedule, performance, CO2 emissions and fuel costs. Conclusions indicate that a transition to batter-electric aircraft is feasible with regards to the aforementioned criteria and with the current technology and energy density of batteries.
Worldwide, coral reefs are rapidly declining due to increased sea water temperatures and other environmental stresses (Figure 1). To counter the extinction of major coral reef building species on the island of Bonaire, the non-profit organization Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire is restoring degraded reef sites using corals that are grown in local nurseries. In these nurseries, corals are propagated on artificial trees using fragmentation. After 6-8 months of growth in the nursery, the corals are transplanted to degraded reef sites around the island. Over the years more than 21.000 corals have been outplanted to reef restoration sites in this way. These corals show high survivorship under natural reef conditions but remain under threat by environmental disturbances, such as increased water temperatures, diseases, and competition with macroalgae. A promising intervention to increase reef persistence and resilience is to manipulate the coral-associated microbiome. At present, the composition of the microbiome in nursery-reared and outplanted corals on Bonaire is unknown. The aim of the current project is to identify and isolate naturally occurring beneficial bacteria that may stimulate the resilience of these corals. Our key objectives are: 1) to assess the presence of functionally beneficial bacteria in corals in nursery and restoration sites on Bonaire using metagenomic screening. 2) to design culture strategies to isolate these functionally beneficial bacteria. In the future, a selection of these beneficial bacteria can be applied to the corals to increase their resilience against environmental disturbances.
Since the 1970s, Caribbean reefs have transitioned from coral-dominated to algal-dominated ecosystems. The prevalence of algae reduces coral recruitment, rendering the reefs unable to recover from additional disturbances and jeopardizing crucial ecosystem services, including coastal protection, fisheries, and tourism. One of the main factors to the proliferation of algae is the scarcity of grazers, which is a result of overfishing and disease outbreaks. While fishing supports livelihoods, enhances local food security, and is an integral part of the Caribbean communities' culture, it remains a significant threat to coral reefs. Consequently, the Nature and Environmental Policy Plan (NEPP) 2020-2030, outlining conservation and restoration priorities in the Caribbean Netherlands, underscores the necessity of an integrated approach to tackle the complex challenges of coral reef restoration and fisheries development. The Saba government, and nature management organizations of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba are implementing the NEPP. Together with University of Applied Sciences Van Hall Larenstein, Wageningen University and WWF, they aim to identify novel species of native invertebrate grazers with the dual purpose of reef restoration and fisheries diversification. The Caribbean king crab (Maguimithrax spinosissimus), the West Indian sea egg (Tripneustes ventricosus), and the West Indian top shell (Cittarium pica) have been identified as potential candidates. Despite their preference to graze on macroalgae, their current densities are inadequate. Population enhancement of these species holds promise for reducing algae, promoting biodiversity, and simultaneously supporting small-scale fisheries. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the ecological effects and socio-economic potential of these grazers. The ReefGrazers project aims to assess the current densities of these herbivores around the BES islands, analyze their impacts on the reef, and evaluate their retention post-restocking. Socio-economic research will quantify current small-scale fishing practices, while market analysis will help assess the potential for the development of these novel resources as sustainable fisheries.
