SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - A new scientific paper published in Estuaries and Coasts, titled “Estimating Dutch Caribbean Salt Marsh Extent for Inclusion of Island Territories in Ecosystem Mapping,” draws attention to coastal wetlands across the Dutch Caribbean and the extent to which they are being overlooked in planning and policy.
The paper was authored by Tadzio Bervoets of Sint Maarten, Monica M. Moritsch (Beneath The Waves), Anthony Campbell (NASA Biospheric Sciences Laboratory and University of Maryland), Austin J. Gallagher (Beneath The Waves), and Carlos M. Duarte (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology).
The study looked at Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire and identified more than 4,500 hectares of salt marsh across the three islands. What stands out is that most of these wetlands are small and scattered, often less than one hectare in size. These are exactly the kinds of areas that tend to be left out of global maps and, as a result, left out of decision-making.
Although the research focused on Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire, the issue applies across the Dutch Caribbean, including Sint Maarten. The paper shows that when small wetlands are not counted properly, they are easy to ignore.
These areas still play a role in how coastal systems function. They hold water, filter runoff, and support surrounding ecosystems. Losing them piece by piece adds up, even if each individual area seems small.
In Sint Maarten, wetlands have been reduced and altered over time through reclamation, drainage, pollution, and development. Many of these areas have been treated as if they were available land, rather than part of the island’s natural systems.
“We’ve been treating wetlands in Sint Maarten as if they don’t matter, and that has consequences,” said Tadzio Bervoets. “We keep filling them in, cutting them off, or ignoring them altogether, and then we deal with flooding, water quality issues, and loss of habitat. These areas are not empty land. They are part of how the island protects itself, and we are steadily removing that protection.”
One of the key points from the study is that size is not a reason to dismiss these systems. The majority of wetlands identified in the research are small, but they still contribute to the overall function of the coastline.
The paper also highlights a practical issue. If wetlands are not properly mapped, they are unlikely to be considered in planning decisions. That makes it easier for them to be lost over time.
For Sint Maarten, this is not a future concern. It is already happening. Wetlands that once helped manage water and supported coastal ecosystems have been reduced, and what remains continues to face pressure.
“There is still time to change how we approach this,” Bervoets added. “But that starts with recognizing what is still there and treating it as something worth keeping, not something to be filled in later.”
The study provides a method that can be applied across the Dutch Caribbean, including Sint Maarten, to better understand where wetlands are located and how much remains. That information is necessary if these areas are to be managed properly.
The paper, “Estimating Dutch Caribbean Salt Marsh Extent for Inclusion of Island Territories in Ecosystem Mapping,” is published in Estuaries and Coasts and can be accessed through following: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tadzio-Bervoets
Bervoets cleaning items out of the Ramsar-listed Mullet Pond Wetland on St. Maarten after Hurricane Irma.
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