Desmond Day Trips

14/06/2026

□​Scientific Name:
Pandanus (specifically, large landscape varieties like Pandanus tectorius or Pandanus utilis look exactly like the ones lining the path in this photo).

□English Common Names: Screw Pine, Screwpine, or Pandanus Palm (though they look like palms, they are not actually related to true palm trees).

》​Quick Fun Fact
​The name "Screw Pine" (and the Dutch Schroefpalm) comes from the way the leaves grow out of the branch: they spiral upward around the stem like the threads of a screw!

□​The Local Name (Suriname)
​In Suriname, this plant is locally known as Schroefpalm (the Dutch name widely used in the country) or simply Pandan.

12/06/2026

Did you know that Guyana 🇬🇾, Suriname 🇸🇷, and French Guiana 🇫🇷 form one of the most unique regions in South America?

While most of the continent is dominated by Spanish and Portuguese, these neighboring territories are primarily English-, Dutch-, and French-speaking.

📍 Quick Facts

🇬🇾 Guyana
• Capital: Georgetown
• 🗣️ Official language: English
• 👥 Population: about 850,000
• 💵 Currency: Guyanese Dollar

🇸🇷 Suriname
• Capital: Paramaribo
• 🗣️ Official language: Dutch
• 👥 Population: about 650,000
• 💵 Currency: Surinamese Dollar

🇫🇷 French Guiana
• Capital: Cayenne
• 🗣️ Official language: French
• 👥 Population: about 320,000
• 💶 Currency: Euro (€)

🌎 Why Are They So Different?

🏛️ 1. Different Colonial Histories

• Guyana was a British colony 🇬🇧
• Suriname was a Dutch colony 🇳🇱
• French Guiana remains an overseas department of France 🇫🇷

👉 As a result, their languages, cultures, and institutions differ significantly from most of South America.

🗣️ 2. Unique Languages in South America

• Guyana: English 🇬🇧
• Suriname: Dutch 🇳🇱
• French Guiana: French 🇫🇷

👉 Together, they form a fascinating linguistic exception on the continent.

🌳 3. Extraordinary Nature

• Vast Amazon rainforests
• Low population density
• Rich biodiversity
• Extensive river systems and protected ecosystems

👉 Much of their territory remains covered by tropical rainforest.

🚀 4. Strategic Importance

• French Guiana is home to the Guiana Space Centre, one of the world's most important rocket launch sites.
• Guyana has experienced rapid economic growth in recent years due to major offshore oil discoveries.
• Suriname possesses significant mineral and forest resources.

👉 Despite their relatively small size, these territories play an important role in the region.

📍 5 Fascinating Facts

1️⃣ Guyana is the only country in South America where English is the official language.

2️⃣ Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America by land area.

3️⃣ French Guiana is part of France and the European Union, despite being located in South America.

4️⃣ The euro (€) is the official currency of French Guiana.

5️⃣ More than 90% of the land area of these three territories is covered by tropical rainforest.

📌 In Summary

🇬🇾 Guyana = English language and British heritage.

🇸🇷 Suriname = Dutch language and Dutch heritage.

🇫🇷 French Guiana = French language and a territory of France in South America.

Three neighbors, three languages, and three distinct identities that make this one of the most fascinating and unique regions in South America.

🌎🇬🇾🇸🇷🇫🇷

11/06/2026

11/06/2026

11/06/2026

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Masterclass over de Seku! 📢

Op 24 juni organiseert Green Heritage Fund Suriname, in samenwerking met Alliance for Manatees, de masterclass “Building Capacity for Manatee Research and Conservation in Suriname”. De masterclass is via livestream te volgen.

U kunt zich aanmelden door de QR-code op de flyer te scannen of via dit aanmeldformulier: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfm38Pqc1h-Vnwua1aLakhUAUt_j5pcqfi6hiZ10fr_kYb9CA/viewform.

Tijdens deze masterclass zullen twaalf deskundigen uit de LAC-regio (Latijns-Amerika en het Caribisch gebied) hun kennis delen en samen met ons de basis leggen voor langetermijnonderzoek en regionale samenwerking voor de Seku (Trichechus manatus manatus).

Suriname vormt een belangrijk leefgebied voor de Seku, maar er bestaat een aanzienlijke wetenschappelijke gap over de verspreiding, ecologie en het gedrag van de soort. Kortom: we weten nog veel te weinig over deze dieren. Daarom is Suriname ook aangewezen als prioriteitsgebied voor onderzoek in de regio.

Wij willen dat Suriname een actieve rol gaat spelen in de bescherming en het behoud van de Seku.

Deze masterclass is de eerste stap.
🗓️ Datum: 24 juni 2026
🕘 Tijd: 08.30 – 17.30 uur
De link van de livestream wordt na de registratie gedeeld.

Let op: vanwege de beperkte capaciteit worden slechts 10 deelnemers geselecteerd voor de fysieke bijeenkomst op 24 juni én de veldbezoeken op 28 en 29 juni. Overige geïnteresseerden kunnen de sessies online volgen via de livestream.

05/06/2026

Commemoration of Hindustani Immigration in Suriname

Today we reflect on the arrival of the first Hindustani indentured laborers in Suriname in 1873. Their perseverance, hard work, and rich culture have made a significant contribution to the development of our country.

With respect and appreciation, we commemorate their history and honor the legacy they have left behind for current and future generations.

Unity in diversity, pride in our heritage.
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Herdenking van de Hindoestaanse Immigratie in Suriname

Vandaag staan wij stil bij de komst van de eerste Hindoestaanse contractarbeiders naar Suriname in 1873. Hun doorzettingsvermogen, harde werk en rijke cultuur hebben een belangrijke bijdrage geleverd aan de ontwikkeling van ons land.

Met respect en waardering herdenken wij hun geschiedenis en eren wij de nalatenschap die zij hebben achtergelaten voor de huidige en toekomstige generaties.

Eenheid in diversiteit, trots op ons erfgoed.

02/06/2026

Monkey problem 😁

21/05/2026

In the 17th century, during rivalry between the Dutch and English empires, the Dutch East India Company highly valued control over nutmeg-producing islands in Southeast Asia because nutmeg was extremely profitable in Europe.
Under the Treaty of Breda in 1667, the Dutch secured control of Run Island in the Banda Islands while the English gained New Amsterdam, the Dutch colony that later became modern-day Manhattan in New York City.
At the time, valuable spices were considered more economically important than the small North American settlement, making this one of the most famous trade deals in colonial history.