POND ISLAND--The service level agreement between government and Nature Foundation which appoints the latter as the country’s ecosystem and environmental authority has been renewed by Environment and Infrastructure Minister Miklos Giterson.
As per the agreement, Nature Foundation continues to act as the management and scientific authority for marine and terrestrial ecosystems in St. Maarten while maintaining its independence as a conservation non-governmental organization.
Giterson and Foundation board chairman Jan Beaujon signed the agreement in the Government Administration Building.
The national ordinance for nature management and protection requires that the Council of Ministers (COM) establishes a nature plan and appoints a management and scientific authority. That role has been bestowed since 2014 on Nature Foundation, its manager Tadzio Bervoets and staff.
Nature Foundation is authorized “to make and execute all decisions pertaining to the management of the marine and terrestrial ecosystems, species management and specifically introduced species” based on the Service Level Agreement (SLA).
Part of the responsibilities includes management of the marine park, dive moorings, fisheries management and the protection of endangered species. Other tasks include sea turtle nesting and beach monitoring and reporting, animal control and surveillance and monitoring.
The Foundation will also assist or lead research for government and advise on request, facilitate the police and harbour authorities, and function as liaison with relevant government departments. Emergency response to for instance oil spills and disasters is also a part of the deal.
Bervoets said since he started in his job eight years ago “it has not always been an easy journey. A few times, we almost had to close our doors because of the financial situation.”
Beaujon said the organization has come a long way. “We have gone through 20 years of ups and down to become what we are today. The staff of the Foundation is able to take care of a lot of things for the government and to manage whatever we have on our island for years to come.”
