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STENAPA Extra GCFI Annual Conference 3 New Endemic Species on Statia the Plight of the Iguana 4 in the Last Edition of STENAPA Extra, We of Gonolobus from St

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STENAPA Extra GCFI Annual Conference 3 New Endemic Species on Statia the Plight of the Iguana 4 in the Last Edition of STENAPA Extra, We of Gonolobus from St St Eustatius National Parks January 2014 Newsletter 1/2014 Inside this Publication... New endemic species 1 Marine Park activities 2 STENAPA Extra GCFI Annual Conference 3 New Endemic Species on Statia The plight of the iguana 4 In the last edition of STENAPA Extra, we of Gonolobus from St. Eustatius. highlighted the work of Dr. Frank Axelrod Garden improvements 5 from the University of Puerto Rico, who has been collecting and documenting Statia’s flora since 2009. Recent collections from St. Don’t forget… Eustatius, undertaken by the New York Bo- tanical Garden, and by Axelrod and National Park Ranger Hannah Madden, as part of an Guided Hikes: Are available ongoing study of the vascular plant flora of St. Eustatius, have resulted in the discovery Botanical Garden: Check out of a new species, herein described as Gonol- the view from the Lookout obus aloiensis (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoide- Garden Open from sunrise to ae, Gonolobinae). This species has recently sunset. Great for picnics. been described and illustrated by Axelrod and Dr. Alexander Krings in the Journal of Systematic Botany. G. aloiensis is a vine in Find us on Facebook: the milkweed family, named after the Ara- Keep up to date with all the wak name ’Aloi’ for Statia meaning cashew latest happenings—Like our tree, and is endemic to St. Eustatius. It repre- ‘Stenapa St. Eustatius’ and sents the first record of the genus for the ‘Stenapa Youth Nature’ pages! island, and the second endemic species for the island (Statia Morning Glory being the (Above: The fruit and seeds of G. aloiensis) first). Gonolobus aloiensis can be found in humid to wet, evergreen forests from ca. 273–400 metres elevation. The species occurs only on the inner slopes of the Quill volcano. It grows over and among the large boulders formed from the collapse of the walls of the crater. The plant has thus far been found only in the area of a maintained route down from the low point of crater rim to the base of the crater. Since its habitat is difficult to access, it is not at present possi- ble to estimate the extent of the population REMINDER (Above: The flower of Gonolobus aloiensis) of a species that has been collected only three times. Humpback whale Gonolobus is a New World genus compris- season is between ing an estimated 100–150 species. In the The only palpable threats to the plants are: West Indies, ten species of Gonolobus were first, the goats that roam about the crater, January and April. recognized by Krings, all endemic to the which, however, may not find the taste of a region. Eight of these species are single is- member of the Gonolobinae to their liking land endemics, whereas only two species and, second, the eruption of the volcano. are known from two or more islands. Gonol- The volcano has not erupted since 400 AD A great place to obus aloiensis is represents the first record of and is considered to be in a state of dor- look for whales is the genus for St. Eustatius. In the course of mancy. If it were to erupt, then the popula- revising Gonolobus in the West Indies, Kings tion of G. aloiensis would be certainly from the lookout studied all specimens available through loan wiped out. Therefore STENAPA will attempt area at the requests from, and visits to various, herbaria. to grow it in the Botanical Garden to en- However, prior to the collections of Boom, sure its preservation. Botanical Garden. Axelrod, and Madden, no record had yet been found of any collection Photos by H. Madden Page 2 STENAPA Extra Focus on Statia Species Marine Activities Five young marine enthusiasts have Some 20 marine biologists and experts Donation successfully completed twelve weeks from neighbouring islands, including of snorkeling skills and marine Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Eustatius Recognizing how important nature ecology lessons that make up and St. Kitts & Nevis, scanned the waters is on St. Eustatius and wanting to STENAPA’s Snorkel Club course. for marine mammals using cameras and help protect it was the basis for a Receiving their certificates on expensive hi-tech binoculars on board project to support STENAPA in its Monday, December 16, 2013 and two large catamarans, and transposed management of the valuable giving the OK sign are Jonell the data onto laptops. They covered the underwater resources of the St. Courtar, Coedy and Tatum Butler, waters of French and Dutch St. Martin/St. Eustatius National Marine Park. Fabian Junior and Tom Piontek. Also Maarten, St. Barths, St. Eustatius, Saba Through the efforts of Ellen Kop, pictured are Snorkel Club leaders and Anguilla. This was the second survey Ben Stiefelhagen and Klaudie Heleen Visser and Annelies van of 2013, with the first being conducted in Bartelink, residents of the European Osch. March. Netherlands and enthusiastic divers, and Gregory Pieters of Statia, a The children learned about the Marine biologist and team leader Sophie donation of SCUBA gear was beautiful natural world found Bedel explained how the sophisticated delivered to the National Parks office beneath the waters of Statia’s binoculars record the distance of sighted last December. Following a dive trip National Marine Park along with an marine mammals with various angles and to Statia in 2012 by Stiefelhagen and appreciation for the job STENAPA measurements that are later used to Bartelink, Kop wrote an article in does to safeguard the island’s most determine its exact position. That D u t c h d i v e m a g a z i n e precious resource. Snorkel Club information can then be linked to depth, Onderwatersport titled “Hulp Aan begins new courses this month; water temperature, habitat information Caribisch Nederland”, in which she interested parents can contact and so on. They also used a hydrophone described the beautiful diving found STENAPA at the National Parks in the water, stopping every two miles to in the Statia Marine Park and Office to sign up. Our special thanks listen with it. If something interesting was STENAPA’s efforts to safeguard this goes out to Prins Bernhard heard, it was recorded and analyzed wonderful but threatened Cultuurfonds for sponsoring later. STENAPA’s after school activities. St. Barths Reserve Naturelle Director Nicolas Maslach noted that noise pollution from boats is a concern, particularly around Statia, which is an area of particular interest for data collection. He noted that noise from sea traffic affects reproduction among sperm whales, for example. Marine Park Manager Jessica Berkel agreed, stating that there is much tanker traffic around the island, as well as line boats and barges that go back and forth all day. She emphasized that it is a busy area and (Above: Snorkel Club graduates with whales often pass close to shore. environment. their certificates) STENAPA will now do its own marine (Above: Donated items for the MP) mammal abundance counts from 2014. Marine Mammal Survey The data collected at the end of the study Part of the article described how enables participants to revise the maps STENAPA was limited in its ability to Marine mammal experts went on a indicating the diversity and distribution of conduct operations due to a lack of five-day expedition in December to species. functional SCUBA equipment. The study and catalogue the diversity of article asked divers marine species through visual throughout the sightings and the use of acoustic Netherlands and Belgium equipment. The objective of the to donate dive gear to project is to study the diversity and support the management abundance of marine species, their efforts of STENAPA. Kop, geographical distribution, as well as Stiefelhagen and the ecological parameters that Bartelink, together with influence their distribution. In their organization, Get addition, the project will develop Wet Maritiem, were able cooperation between the islands to to collect almost three harmonize protocols, share cubic meters of dive gear resources and reinforce the capacity which will now be used of marine protected area managers by STENAPA staff and to use the scientific protocols to (Above: An Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, volunteers to perform maintenance, better survey and protect marine photo courtesy of Danny Moussa) surveillance, research and mammals. monitoring activities in the Marine Park. Newsletter 1/2014 Page 3 Gulf Coast Fisheries Institute St Eustatius. The two-day workshop was funded by the French Aid Agency Annual Conference and convened by the IUCN EU On 5 November 2013, a group of Among activities proposed are the Overseas Program in collaboration with managers and representatives of creation of a dedicated section of the the UNEP-CEP SPAW Regional Activity the 18 protected areas listed SPAW Newsletter for news from the Center and with support of CaMPAM. under the SPAW (Specially SPAW-listed sites, the production of a All agreed that improving management Protected Areas and Wildlife) brochure, the potential effectiveness to support environmental Protocol of the Cartagena establishment of sister sites, the use resilience, assisting policy makers at Convention gathered at the GCFI of CaMPAM network and training island level for better integrated for the first time to define the tools to support the current listed planning and fostering regional vision, goals, benefits and sites, the expertise of the SPAW-listed activities will help all islands’ societies to activities of a regional MPAs to disseminate knowledge and develop sustainable and effective cooperation program aiming at best practices to other MPAs, and the strengthening the sites that are GCFI conferences and other fora for adaptation strategies and better cope listed under the SPAW Protocol the annual face-to face meetings of with the consequences of climate and using their expertise to managers. All PA managers from the change.
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