Education
Educational Program
The importance of managing nature is educating about nature. For the past 15 years STINAPA has been educating the kids of Bonaire on nature. Also creating opportunities after school with the different after-school programs.
School Programs
After school Programs
Parke di Fraternan
The “Parke di Fraternan” was set up by the Brothers of Tilburg (Catholic religious order) as a botanical garden with the intention of teaching about native trees, plants and medicinal herbs.
From a historical and cultural perspective, it is of great importance to preserve this park for future generations.
STINAPA has been involved in nature education for primary school students for over 10 years at this site. And uses this park to do outdoor activities with the students.
Afterschool programs
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin
Teachers
As a teacher you play a vital role in educating future generations about their local environment. You help students in gaining knowledge and understanding about local flora and fauna, environmental issues and how they can help protecting and conserving our nature. To support you, STINAPA provides educational materials, guest lectures and outdoor activities including curriculum linked materials.
Local Species
Sustainability
What can I do to help?
Microplastics
Composting
Water
Cigarette butts
Recycle
Did you know most plastic in the ocean breaks up into very tiny pieces known as “microplastics”? These microplastics are easily consumed by aquatic life and birds and often makes them sick. In fact, we even eat microplastics through the fish we consume, the water we drink and even the air we breath! Microplastics are extremely difficult to clean out of the environment, so minimizing our use of plastic to begin with is the best strategy!
Much like people and animals, plants need lots of nutrients to grow. By mixing food waste, leaves and other nutrient rich organic material, you can create compost that can be used as fertilizer in your garden. Compositing not only helps keep food waste from entering the landfill, it also turns trash into garden treasure. Compost also helps lock in moisture, which is really important for dry, arid islands like Bonaire!
On Bonaire water is expensive and made from sea water. It is a good practice to use water sustainably. You can help at home by being water wise: taking shorter showers, turn the tap off when brushing your teeth, fix leaking taps and toilets and plant native trees in the garden that don’t need a lot of water. Our used water will be collected and recycled, so be careful with what you flush through the toilet or pour down the sink.
Although tiny, these little guys can pack a mean punch! Cigarette butts have been found to be the most common form of plastic waste in the world! You may think these are made from cotton or paper, but they are actually made from a man-made plastic material which contains a number of chemicals and heavy metals which they leach into the environment and are toxic to marine life. In fact, these little bits of trash can take over 10 years to break down, and even then they leave chemical traces detectable for years to come!
Recycling not only reduces our carbon footprint, but it helps lower the need for new materials to be harvested, saves energy which would have been used for production, prevents the addition of green house gases and minimizes pollution. Did you know you can recycle more than just plastics? In fact it is also possible to recycle paper, steel, batteries, glass, food waste, tin and clothes.
Save Our Sharks
Operators
Reef Ranger Course
Kayak Course
All operators and their staff are obliged to follow the Reef Ranger Course as part of their professional diving orientation and as stipulated in their nature permit. This course will keep professional dive staff up to date on the latest rules and regulations for Bonaire’s National Marine Park. For more information please contact bnmpassistant@stinapa.org.
The Kayak Course is required for all kayak instructors who operate in Lac. This course will ensure you are kept up to date on the latest rules and regulations for Bonaire’s National Marine Park, with a focus on Lac Bay. For more information please contact bnmpassistant@stinapa.org.
