ARTICLE
A PROPÓSITO DEL INCENDIO FORESTAL QUE AFECTA AL PARQUE NACIONAL ALEJANDRO DE HUMBOLDT
BY: NILSON ACOSTA Y JULIO LARRAMENDI
The news spread like wildfire and the Cuban president announced it on the social network: “For a few days now, forces from the Ranger Corps and environmental authorities from Holguín and Guantánamo have been fighting a large fire in areas of the National Park Alejandro de Humboldt, important site for the conservation of the biodiversity of #Cuba ”.
The Park, declared by Unesco World Heritage in the category of Natural Site in 2001 and located in the eastern region of the Island, occupies the northeastern end of the Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa mountain range, in the Guantánamo and Holguín provinces, with an extension of 70 680 ha, of which 2 250 are marine. It is the most important protected area in Cuba in terms of its biodiversity, and an unrivaled sample of landscapes that host a great variety of endemic flora and fauna species, as well as very old landforms that together constitute unique mountain ecosystems, with high degree of conservation.
The site is characterized by being the rainiest and coolest area of the country, whose climatic conditions are determined by the trade winds and the influence of the relief, which cause abundant rains to fall; These factors have led to the existence of a rich hydrographic network represented by 11 first-order basins, including the Toa River, the largest in Cuba, and 15 second-order. It is estimated that there is the largest reserve of drinking water in the archipelago.
The geological history and evolutionary processes favored the speciation of the fauna, one of the richest in the Caribbean, due to its abundance, diversity and endemism.
Among the most important vertebrate species are the loggerhead hawk (Chondrohierax wilsonii), and the almiquí (Solenodon cubanus), a living fossil and a threatened nocturnal species that is only rarely found in the most conserved sites. The region is also an important refuge for a great variety of endemic species of birds, residents and migrants, among which there are significant populations of parrot (Amazona leucocephala), cat (Aratinga euops) and zunzuncito (Calypte helenae), the most important bird. smallest in the world, all three species, threatened with extinction. The latest reports of the royal woodpecker (Campephilus principalis bairdii), almost 40 years old, come from their areas.
In its marine part there is a significant colony of manatees (Trichechus manatus m.), And contains the habitats of three of the smallest vertebrate species in the world, such as the frog (Eleutherodactylus iberia); of around 50 species of mollusks, among which the polymites (Polymita picta) stand out for their exclusivity and degree of threat, and of 45 reptile taxa. All this set confirms the superlative expression of a great aquatic-terrestrial ecological system, of exceptional richness.
On the other hand, the conjunction of the mountains with broadleaf forests and pine forests of a high level of conservation, rivers with clean waters, pools and waterfalls, in a rainy and cool environment, forms one of the most unique landscapes of Cuban nature, whose territory and degree of conservation are sufficient to guarantee an adequate functioning of vital ecological processes and the survival of the species. The richness and endemism of its great floristic diversity stands out, estimated at more than 1500 species between non-vascular plants (liverworts and mosses) and vascular plants (ferns, related plants and spermatophytes).
595 endemic species of Cuba are registered, which represents 55.5% of the species found and 18.7% of the endemic vascular plants of the country. The families with the highest amount of endemisms are Rubiaceae (58), Asteraceae (45), Myrtaceae (40) and Melastomataceae (38).
Among its endemic specimens there are botanical jewels, such as five insectivorous species, one of these the only one with an epiphytic habit in Cuba (Pinguicula lignicola), as well as two of the genera Podocarpus and Dracaena, belonging to groups of plants of the most primitive of the vegetable kingdom. ; Likewise, according to recent collections, five new species for science stand out, together with one of the genus Buxus documented as extinct. Orchids are represented by 66 species, many very small.
Forest fires can be of natural origin, especially in times of drought, but they are often the result of burning for various purposes, vehicle traffic without spark arresters, and irresponsible actions by people sneaking into park areas.
At this time, men and women from the forest rangers, firefighters with land and air resources, and volunteers from the surrounding towns are actively participating in the already close extinction of the fire, which affects more than 1,500 ha in the Ojito de Agua sector. Once controlled, the authorities.
The Park, declared by Unesco World Heritage in the category of Natural Site in 2001 and located in the eastern region of the Island, occupies the northeastern end of the Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa mountain range, in the Guantánamo and Holguín provinces, with an extension of 70 680 ha, of which 2 250 are marine. It is the most important protected area in Cuba in terms of its biodiversity, and an unrivaled sample of landscapes that host a great variety of endemic flora and fauna species, as well as very old landforms that together constitute unique mountain ecosystems, with high degree of conservation.
The site is characterized by being the rainiest and coolest area of the country, whose climatic conditions are determined by the trade winds and the influence of the relief, which cause abundant rains to fall; These factors have led to the existence of a rich hydrographic network represented by 11 first-order basins, including the Toa River, the largest in Cuba, and 15 second-order. It is estimated that there is the largest reserve of drinking water in the archipelago.
The geological history and evolutionary processes favored the speciation of the fauna, one of the richest in the Caribbean, due to its abundance, diversity and endemism.
Among the most important vertebrate species are the loggerhead hawk (Chondrohierax wilsonii), and the almiquí (Solenodon cubanus), a living fossil and a threatened nocturnal species that is only rarely found in the most conserved sites. The region is also an important refuge for a great variety of endemic species of birds, residents and migrants, among which there are significant populations of parrot (Amazona leucocephala), cat (Aratinga euops) and zunzuncito (Calypte helenae), the most important bird. smallest in the world, all three species, threatened with extinction. The latest reports of the royal woodpecker (Campephilus principalis bairdii), almost 40 years old, come from their areas.
In its marine part there is a significant colony of manatees (Trichechus manatus m.), And contains the habitats of three of the smallest vertebrate species in the world, such as the frog (Eleutherodactylus iberia); of around 50 species of mollusks, among which the polymites (Polymita picta) stand out for their exclusivity and degree of threat, and of 45 reptile taxa. All this set confirms the superlative expression of a great aquatic-terrestrial ecological system, of exceptional richness.
On the other hand, the conjunction of the mountains with broadleaf forests and pine forests of a high level of conservation, rivers with clean waters, pools and waterfalls, in a rainy and cool environment, forms one of the most unique landscapes of Cuban nature, whose territory and degree of conservation are sufficient to guarantee an adequate functioning of vital ecological processes and the survival of the species. The richness and endemism of its great floristic diversity stands out, estimated at more than 1500 species between non-vascular plants (liverworts and mosses) and vascular plants (ferns, related plants and spermatophytes).
595 endemic species of Cuba are registered, which represents 55.5% of the species found and 18.7% of the endemic vascular plants of the country. The families with the highest amount of endemisms are Rubiaceae (58), Asteraceae (45), Myrtaceae (40) and Melastomataceae (38).
Among its endemic specimens there are botanical jewels, such as five insectivorous species, one of these the only one with an epiphytic habit in Cuba (Pinguicula lignicola), as well as two of the genera Podocarpus and Dracaena, belonging to groups of plants of the most primitive of the vegetable kingdom. ; Likewise, according to recent collections, five new species for science stand out, together with one of the genus Buxus documented as extinct. Orchids are represented by 66 species, many very small.
Forest fires can be of natural origin, especially in times of drought, but they are often the result of burning for various purposes, vehicle traffic without spark arresters, and irresponsible actions by people sneaking into park areas.
At this time, men and women from the forest rangers, firefighters with land and air resources, and volunteers from the surrounding towns are actively participating in the already close extinction of the fire, which affects more than 1,500 ha in the Ojito de Agua sector. Once controlled, the authorities.
