Rooi Lamoenchi has been part of the Herrera family since 1890, when great-grandfather Jose Altagracia Rosa Herrera purchased the land and developed it into a thriving aloe plantation, complete with thousands of goats, sheep and watermelon and sorghem fields. The original plantation house and caretaker buildings stand as quiet witnesses to this industrious era.

Over time, like many plantations on Bonaire, the site fell into ruin. In 1984, Ellen Herrera Cochrane, the 4th generation in the family Herrera, returned to the island and felt an immediate, profound pull to the land of her youth. Inspired by deep love for her heritage and a calling to preserve it, she began the painstaking work of restoration — clearing overgrowth, rebuilding structures, and uncovering hidden pieces of Bonaire’s early history, including remnants from the time of slavery.

In 2001, this passion became a formal commitment: Ellen founded Stichting Rooi Lamoenchi Kunuku-Park with one clear purpose — to safeguard the plantation’s historic buildings, cultural significance, and fragile natural environment for future generations.