The national park Arikok is managed by the Foundation National Park Arikok (FNPA) and comprises almost 18 % of the island. Its rugged terrain, desert-like hills filled with tall cacti, breathtaking coastline and protected local flora and fauna welcome you to be explored. The park informs and educates about nature and this time we focus on the bees.
Bees are effective pollinators and are critical for food production and human livelihoods, directly link wild ecosystems with agricultural production systems, and also contribute directly to medicines, biofuels, fibers like cotton and linen, and even construction materials.
Unfortunately, bees are under threat: species extinction rates are 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal due to human impacts. So let’s appreciate these awesome, life-giving insects and protect them as best we can.
How can we help bees?
As individuals by:
– planting a diverse set of native plants, which flower at different times of the year;
– buying raw honey from local farmers;
– buying products from sustainable (organic) agricultural practices;
– avoiding pesticides, fungicides or herbicides in our gardens;
– protecting wild bee colonies when possible;
– sponsoring a beehive;
– placing a water bowl with some stones outside for bees to drink;
– raising awareness by sharing this information with others
As beekeepers, or farmers by:
– reducing, or changing the usage of pesticides and switching to organic alternatives;
– diversifying crops as much as possible, and/or planting attractive crops around the field;
– planting hedges of native plants around the field.
For more information about Aruba’s local flora and fauna, visit the Facebook page Aruba National Park or the website http://www.arubanationalpark.org/.
