This project aims to significantly improve the protection and management of the Bonaire Cave System and the optimization of the current situation for all cave users.

We plan to achieve this goal by carrying out several activities essential for the initial set up of proper cave management (Phase I) and by acquiring the needed legislation to ensure permanent optimal management and protection (Phase II).
iucn-logo As a guiding tool, we will use guidelines from IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) IUCN’s Protected Area Category System (Category IV).

Partner Organizations

Current situation

Most people on Bonaire, private and governmental organizations recognize caves as important features in the landscape and are aware of one or several of their values. Besides its ecological importance as one of the main habitats of keystone species for Bonaire’s terrestrial ecosystem, caves have been crucial for human survival practically on every continent since the apparition of hominids on the planet. They have been used for housing, refuge, storage, many types of religious rituals, art expressions, water and food sources, exploration, advances on the field of natural science and much more.

It is no wonder that caves have vast historical and cultural values. Caves on Bonaire are no exception to these values; however, they lack effective protection and management while damage to some of these is already evident.

Read here the latest technical information in the recently published report by Wageningen University (available in Dutch only): "Status of nature in the Dutch Caribbean, 2017" Chapter 2.4 Caves. 

Legislation

Currently, caves and their values are threatened by uncontrolled activities, both of legal and illegal character. There is virtually a complete lack of management and supervision of the activities ongoing in Bonaire’s caves today. Illegal dumping of solid and liquid waste, uncontrolled visits and “off the record” exploration and documentation efforts by different personal initiatives are a few examples that illustrate this situation.

The inclusion of cave zones in the Bonaire Zoning Plan (ROB) in 2010, the last Nature Ordinance and the covenant signed about a decade ago between the local government and some cave tour operators, are good examples of positive actions with different degrees of success. However, caves remain unmanaged and unprotected and many steps still need to be taken. For instance, a financially sustainable and efficient management system has not been proposed yet. The Bonaire Caves & Karst Nature Reserve Project aims to solve this unfavorable situation.

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Ongoing Activities