With a forest cover of more than 40 percent and the second largest forest heritage in the country, Guantanamo consolidates the actions to care for this heritage in the Hatibonico Ecological Reserve, located in the southern semiarid coastal strip of the province.
With a forest cover of more than 40 percent and the second largest forest heritage in the country, Guantanamo consolidates the actions to care for this heritage in the Hatibonico Ecological Reserve, located in the southern semiarid coastal strip of the province.
The agricultural engineer Rolando Villaverde López explains that in the more than 6000 hectares of that protected area, five vegetal formations are developed, among these mangroves, green forests, coastal scrubland and xerophytic vegetation, typical of zones of warm and dry climate.
To preserve the values of this protected area, specialists plant 14 genera of cacti, among them, the bumblebee, distinctive for its leaves, while they also monitore other valuable species such as cimarron and caguairán avocado, the expert of the Local Delegation of the Ministry of Science, explains.
The management plan of the Hatibonico Ecological Reserve also includes reforestation with endemic plants of about 600 hectares, preparation of firebreaks and control of invasive species such as uvita and marabú, used to make charcoal.
The protection of soils is another of the activities undertaken by experts and the community, which protects this unique reserve, internationally distinguished by the elevations known as Monitongos, hills of peculiar forms that make this place a unique natural site in Cuba,
Translation: Liubis Balart Martínez