Save Doggy Beach Jan Thiel West

Save Doggy Beach Jan Thiel West

By Curacao Nature Conservation

Our wildlife and public access to recreational areas in Curaçao are at great risk. The Curaçao government, along with APC, and the Papagayo Group want to develop the last remaining public coastal areas in Jan Thiel Bay.

 

Image of Least Terns feeding juvenile least tern.

 

Jan Thiel is an important breeding area for the Least Terns.

This area is unique for different reasons. Learn why hotel development might not be the best choice for this area, and sign the petition below to support sustainability in Curaçao!

 

Jan Thiel’s Natural beauty

The land in question borders one of Curacao’s largest salt pans- The Jan Thiel Salt Pans – which are home to over 80 bird species. Some live here year round, while some other migratory birds visit from other countries during the winter months. Some flamingos spend their days in Curaçao, and fly back to Bonaire everyday just to sleep. These birds have been living this way for centuries. In addition, some of these birds, only mate and breed in the Jan Thiel area in Curaçao.

Other than being an important breeding area for birds, the area features a unique small lagoon in West Jan Thiel, with the last remaining mangroves in the area.

Image of mangroves and clear blue ocean in Curaçao.

 

One of the last remaining Mangrove trees in Jan Thiel.

Mangroves fall under the legally binding Cartagena Convention Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) in the Wider Caribbean Region. The protocol signed and adopted by the Kingdom of The Netherlands on 18 January 1990 and entered into force on 18 June 2000.

In addition, mangroves in Curaçao received protected status by the Curaçao government as of 28 July 2017. The destruction of mangroves has been strictly forbidden, thanks to the current ministry of Health, Environment & Nature,  headed by Minister Suzy Camelia Römer.  But how can the government protect mangroves while also supporting projects that end up damaging or destroying these ecosystems?

Coral Damage From Runoff

Eutrophication is the ecosystem response to the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to the ocean. One example is the “bloom” or great increase of phytoplankton in a water body as a response to increased levels of nutrients. Negative environmental effects include hypoxia, the depletion of oxygen in the water, which kills entire coral reefs, fish and other animal populations.

Critically Endangered Elkhorn coral

 

Critically Endangered Elkhorn coral

Elkhorn coral was once one of the most abundant species of coral in the Caribbean. Since 1980, an estimated 90-95% of Elkhorn coral has been lost. Threats include disease, coral bleaching, predation, climate change, storm damage, and human activity. All of these factors have created a synergistic effect that greatly diminishes the survival and reproductive success of Elkhorn coral.

Building a new hotel in close proximity to any coral reef would be detrimental to their survival –for Elkhorn coral, even worse.

Natural recovery of Elkhorn coral is a slow process, and may never occur with this species because so many factors inhibit its survival.

image of massive Elkhorn corals

 

Critically Endangered Elkhorn coral formations at Doggy Beach

In addition, eutrophication also changes ocean water color from clear blue, to murky green. Around the island this phenomenon can already be seen at different beaches like Lagun, Mambo beach, and Baoase.

All of these beaches have something in common, they all are heavily developed and suffer from nutrient runoff from the nearby resorts. It is only a matter of time before we suffer our first mass die-off.

Local communities

Building a hotel on this site would mean dog owners would no longer be able to walk their dogs on this beach. You would be taking away recreational areas for hikersmountain bikers, and nature lovers alikeRemoving free access to the Jan Thiel coast line shows little respect to the local communities who use this area on a regular basis.

Once the hotel is built, the beach will no longer be public, or have its natural characteristics anymore. Locals wanting to walk their dogs in a safe and quiet beach on a Sunday morning will once again have one less beach to go to.

The Future of Tourism

As vacation goers are becoming more socially responsible, and aware of inequalities, a great deal of time is spent doing research on destinations before even booking a trip.

Picture of exposed rebar showing in colums

 

The state of a Willemstad hotel in 2014

With the current hotel occupation crisis, we ask ourselves why build new hotels while there are countless hotels on Curaçao on the brink of bankruptcy or waiting to be renovated.

Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is struggling to finance numerous projects that would benefit the city and its people. The Plaza, Howard Johnson, Venetto, Hard Rock, and Courtyard, Kura Hulanda hotel are just a few examples.

 

Infrastructure

Adding a new 350-550 room hotel in Jan Thiel would put a huge strain on the infrastructure already failing to keep up with the current traffic. Not only will this increase traffic due to hotel guests, but also employees and suppliers need to commute the narrow two lane street, Caracasbaaiweg, notoriously known for its traffic jams.

Currently there are no plans to broaden the road to facilitate more cars, nor are there any measures to alleviate the flow of traffic at the intersections. On the contrary, more speed bumps have been installed. Especially streets surrounding Caracasbaaiweg due to commuters speeding through neighborhoods to avoid the poorly developed infrastructure.

Obviously overdevelopment is causing this, and instead of hotels being taxed to help pay for road upgrades, hotels and resorts are receiving Tax Holidays of up to 10 years. This translates into the local communities having to pay for these roads, while the entire coastline is being privatized with private hotel beaches and villas.

 

The Alternative

Therefore, we challenge the developers and the government to designate the area, strictly to an eco-friendly recreational park.

There are plenty of modern and environmentally conscious ways of generating profits, while still respecting local communities who make use of these areas.

 

Please sign this petition if you are against the current plans and you want green development to be the standard of all future projects in Curaçao. #SaveDoggyBeach 

 

Please remember to confirm your signature by clicking the link in your email. After confirming, your signature will be active.

 

 

7 thoughts on “Save Doggy Beach Jan Thiel West”

  1. Save This Beauty on Earth for now and for later🏝🏜🌈☀️🤗❣👁👁🙏🏼👌☝️Thank you

  2. Yes let them first put effort in the restoration of the old hotels near the city incliuding in the directopn om Mari Pompun before even considering to do harm to the remaning and scarce natural areas that we have (Doggy Beach ane Jan Thiel Salt Pans). This government is no better than the previous government, so what did we vote for then? Yes: develop eco friendly stupids! In the end tourists don’t want a tropical Costa Brava. in other words: you don’t fly for more than 10 Hours for the same kind of concrete that you find in Spain (far much cheaper also).

  3. More than enough hotels in the area. Infrastructure cannot handle the traffic nor waste of more guests. Nature must stay intact for local people and the coral banks.
    Please conserve the area.

  4. I agree with the conservation! Save our natural beauty. There is enough land and property to be exploited still.

  5. More than enough hotels in the area. Infrastructure cannot handle the traffic .
    Nature must stay intact for local people and the coral banks.
    Please conserve the area.

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