DUTCH CARIBBEAN NATURE ALLIANCE

Goal

Provide support services and leadership to the newly formed Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance in the capacity of co-ordinator / executive officer and to act as its representative.

Tasks:

a) Liason: liase with Board members, VOMIL (MINA) and the NA Nature Forum as well as other relevant nature conservation and management organizations.

b) Secretariat: develop bylaws, Board book and procedures, develop vision, mission, goals, case statement along with any other procedure/materials which are deemed necessary for the efficient running of the organization

c) Board meetings: develop agenda, provide support materials, facilitate Board meetings and communication

d) Planning: Develop a three year strategic plan and budget along with annual action plans and annual budgets in consultation with the Board and with reference to IUCN NL, other relevant organizations (such as De Landschappen and Natuurmonumenten) and the outcomes of the NA Nature Forum

e) Fund raising: develop fundraising plan, co-ordinate fund raising activities, facilitate the writing of funding proposals, solicite donations, begin relationship building locally, nationally and internationally, develop fund raising tools, work with Trust Fund initiative

f) Communication: develop a communication and PR strategy, develop appropriate publicity materials for media, print and internet.

g) Implementation: Implement approved annual action plan with reference to budget, implement Board decisions and policy within the terms of the statutes

h) Reporting: provide periodic updates on progress, write annual reports, comply with reporting requirements of grantors, assist Board with reporting requirements to IUCN NL, provide bookkeeping for fee for service and expenses made by Coral Resource Management on behalf of the project.

i) Support: evaluate Board member organizations, conduct needs assessment and gap analysis, provide advice about organizational strengthening, assist with capacity building, strategic planning and provide support services to NA parks and biodiversity conservation organizations

j) International: keep the Board, VOMIL and other relevant nature conservation organizations connected to international nature management and ecosystem management issues as well as political agendas, international conventions, donor organizations (private and governmental) and the international conservation community such as WWF, IUCN, UNEP, CI, TNC etc.

k) Research and data collection: collect relevant data on Netherlands Antilles (+/- Aruba) natural resources (terrestrial and marine) and ecosystem management, endemics, endangered species, management efforts and needs, use this material to build "case" to support funding applications and for PR and outreach purposes

l) Representation: represent Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance as co-ordinator to third parties including media, funding agencies, prospects, NGOs, government, prospects.

Background

Backed by a mandate from the nature management organizations of the Netherlands Antilles dated 17th October 2003, the Central Government Department of Environment and Nature (VOMIL) have been working to establish a Foundation, which would represent a formal co-operation between the nature conservation management organizations of the Netherlands Antilles. In the future this might also include Aruba. As stated in that mandate the goal of the foundation would be to raise funds as well as to assist and support the nature conservation management organizations in protecting biodiversity.

Due to VOMIL's strenuous efforts on behalf of the Antillean nature management organizations an amount of Euro 500,000.00 has recently been secured from the Netherlands National Postcode Lottery with IUCN NL acting as an intermediary for the transfer and administration of these funds. These funds will be available for a three year term. IUCN NL has already stated that it considers the creation and strengthening of a conservation initiative of the Netherlands Antilles in the form a Foundation as outlined above to be one of the most important activities to be undertaken with these funds.

Additionally consultants from AIDEnvironment and EcoVision along with US Trust Fund specialist, Barry Spergel, who are working for VOMIL on a feasibility study for the proposed establishment of a Netherlands Antilles Trust Fund, have stated that they consider the establishment of a Foundation representing the nature management organisations of the Netherlands Antilles to be a key success factor in the process of achieving financial sustainability for the parks.

With the approval of the nature management organizations of the Netherlands Antilles, IUCN have already pre-allocated a sum of Euro 45,000.00 from Netherlands National Postcode Lottery monies to be spent on establishment of this Foundation which is to be called "Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance". Statutes are in preparation by VOMIL.