Guantanamo.— The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is supporting a new project to protect and conserve endangered mountain ecosystems and biodiversity in the island’s eastern-most region.
The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment’s provincial delegation explained that during the last half of the year the project: A focus on landscape in the conservation of endangered mountain ecosystems, was launched in seven municipalities.
According to project manager, Salvador Garcés, the initiative aims to tackle harmful agricultural and farming practices, while also noting that field work will begin in 2016 in Cuenca del Toa, a priority area.
The eight year scheme began with the training of forest rangers, agricultural workers and farmers from the municipalities of San Antonio del Sur, Imías, Maisí, Yateras, Baracoa, Manuel Tames and El Salvador.
In this way the initiative will protect the country’s most important areas of biodiversity, as well as combat harmful production practices which pose potential risks to the environment, such as fires and pollution, noted the director.
according to experts the project is a new paradigm in the conservation and effective management of protected areas in Cuba, which also encompasses other mountainous zones such as the Guaniguanico massif, in the provinces of Pinar del Río and Artemisa; Guamuhaya and Bamburanao in the country’s central region, and Nipe-Sagua- Baracoa which in addition to Guantánamo, also includes Santiago de Cuba and Holguín.
