grower Tera Barra
KRALENDIJK--Students from the Technology and Application TeTo subject at Liseo Boneriano have designed a technical solution to increase humidity in a greenhouse belonging to Tera Barra, a grower on Bonaire dedicated to replanting native plants.
It regards a non-profit foundation in Bonaire that is developing a large native plant garden between Kralendijk and Rincon. Chairman Johan van Blerk, together with volunteers, cultivates thousands of local trees and plants there – particularly rare and protected species – for nature restoration and reforestation projects on the island.
The fenced grounds keep free-roaming goats and donkeys out to prevent overgrazing. Tera Barra has several greenhouses and a showcase garden that is accessible to visitors and tourists.
The organisation had been struggling for some time with propagating plants via cuttings: despite moist soil, these dried out. During a tour of the grounds, students from the local high school were tasked with devising a technical solution for this.
They analysed the problem, brainstormed and held design sessions. The starting point was generating small water droplets that evaporate quickly, thereby increasing the humidity around the cuttings. After multiple test setups, measurements and adjustments, the students arrived at a successful final design.
“This shows that subjects like humidity, cultivation and cutting, which might sound boring, come to life when you work with them in practice,” said Barbara Sol, Director of Liseo Boneriano. “Make the subject ‘real,’ see immediate results, and make it practical. That is how you turn a complex technical problem into a challenge.”
Tera Barra is enthusiastic about the students’ solution and has since indicated that it want to submit assignments to the school more often. “This is just so cool!” responded Sol.
The project took place under the supervision of teachers Frits Gielen and Christiaan Elderson, with support from technical teaching assistant TOA Evan Flores. For Gielen, who is retiring, it was his last project in this role
