Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (16) – in memory of a legend

In 2011, the legendary environmental activist Wanghari Maathai, passed away. She founded the Green Belt Movement, an organisation that is a game changer in community-based solutions for e.g. environmental issues.

Wild flowers: Priva lappulacea

The flora of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao has many species that are often considered as mere pests or weeds when growing in undesired locations. Catstongue is a very good example.

Plants with a warning: Casearia tremula

As soon as the rainy season begins and these trees begin to grow at an accelerated pace, and the older plants begin to produce flowers and fruit, questions about this topic explode online. Since a love of greenery often comes through the stomach…

Wild flowers: Parkinsonia aculeata

A tree that also likes to grow in the nutritious and moist soil of a dam or similar kind of natural area is the relatively rare Bonchi strena (Parkinsonia aculeata).

Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (15) – Invasive dangers to our forests B

It’s bizarre how little legislation and control there is in 2025 over the import of plants, soil, building materials, and all other products in which harmful organisms can hide.

Wild flowers: Melochia tomentosa (Basora kòrá – Betonica)

On Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, several plants grow whose Papiamento or Papiamentu name includes the word Basora (broom), and the Basora kòrá (Bonaire and Curaçao) or Betonica (Aruba) is one of them.

Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (14) – Invasive dangers to our forests A

Danger from outside, to our nature! No nature-related topic has shone so brilliantly in the media in the period from 2010-2020 as this one. Well, it wasn’t so much about the value of nature itself, but rather about the fact that

Wild flowers: Commelina erecta

When the humidity is right, the ground is wet and you have the luck to have the seeds of these plants in the ground, these little sweethearts will grow like crazy

Wild flowers: Makurá

Bright red beans with a black dot are the feature of this plant that most people will recognize. The flowers are delicate and pink.

Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (13) – Forests, natural areas in danger (B)

The disruption of natural processes is the final blow to forests. The isolation of small patches of nature, disrupting not only animals but also plants in their natural habitat, is a common occurrence on the ABC Islands.

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