Alexander von Humboldt National Park

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Alexander von Humboldt National Park
Alejandro de Humboldt National Park.jpg
Alexander von Humboldt National Park (Cuba)
Paris plan pointer b jms.svg
Coordinates: 20 ° 27 ′ 29 ″  N , 74 ° 54 ′ 0 ″  W.
Location: Guantanamo Province , Cuba
Specialty: One of the world's highest concentrations of endemic species (significantly more than on the Galapágos Islands), large areas of tropical rainforest, refuge for many endangered animals and plants, unique ecosystems (e.g. montane rainforests), untouched landscapes.
Next city: Baracoa
Surface: 706.8 km²
Founding: February 2, 2001, (Since December 2001 by the UNESCO Natural Heritage of Humanity )
Address: CITMA / UPSA - Guantánamo
Ahogados No. 14 e \ 12 y 13 Norte
Guantánamo, Cuba
Tel .: 0053-21- 383032, 381431
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The Alexander von Humboldt National Park ( Spanish Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt ) is a nature reserve in eastern Cuba , which is located in the Cuchillas del Toa biosphere reserve . The national park was named after the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt , who visited the island in 1800 and 1801. In 2001, the biologically unique area from was World Heritage Committee for UNESCO World Heritage declared. The aim of the park is to preserve the flora and fauna of Eastern Cuba. The biodiversity is one of the largest in the world with an estimated 1,800–2,000 species; it is, for example, significantly greater than that of the Galápagos Islands . Around 70 to 80% of the park's species are endemic . The national park is considered the most important biological refuge in the Caribbean and has been classified in category II of the IUCN . According to this, it is a protected area in which, in addition to protecting biodiversity and the ecosystem, the experience of nature should also be promoted.

geography

Entrance to the National Park Visitor Center

location

The national park extends over large parts of the provinces of Holguín and Guantánamo and includes both terrestrial and marine areas. It extends over a length of 50 km in the Sagua-Baracoa Mountains, 30 km northeast of the city of Guantánamo . In the north it is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean , in the east by the Río Nibujón, in the south by the Río Jiguaní and in the west by the Río Cupey.

surface

The national park covers an area of ​​706.8 km² (70,680 hectares). 684 km² of this is land and 23 km² is sea. More than 1200 different animal species and over a thousand different plant species live there, more than 80% of which are endemic. 2250 hectares are marine areas. The park is divided into four sectors and is surrounded by a 500 m wide buffer zone.

geology

In the area of ​​the national park is the Sagua-Baracoa group, one of the oldest mountain ranges in Cuba, which was formed in the late Cretaceous or early Tertiary . The mountain range consists essentially of remnants of the oceanic crust that was raised 40 million years ago. The dominant rocks are volcanic and deep rocks such as serpentinite and mafic minerals such as gabbro . In the coastal plains are clays and marsh sediments prevalent.

The mountains of the park are designed like stairs and reach heights of 200 to about 1100 m. The highest point is the Pico El Toldo with 1175 m. The majority of the slopes are steeply sloping with angles of 18 to 35 °. Numerous rivers divide the mountain range and often follow tectonic boundaries (e.g. Río Jaguani). The larger rivers form deep valleys and narrow canyons .

The coastline is divided by smaller bays, the beaches are mostly long sandy beaches. However, there are also some stony stretches of beach with grottos and caves . In front of the coast are barrier reefs, coastal reefs and smaller islands (e.g. Cayo del Medio). In the national park, erosion usually occurs only to a limited extent due to the forested river banks, among other things in the form of deep erosion .

Numerous rivers cross the national park or have their source there. Its most important river is the Río Jaguani. The park also contains the distinctive wetland where the Río Toa, Cuba's most water-rich river, has its source. Its mean annual discharge at the El Aguacate station was estimated at an average of 31.5 m³ / s. The water in many rivers is of drinking water quality.

The soil group of the red earth makes up the majority of soils in the national park with 81.4%. Brown floors (9.4%) and raw floors (7.5%) play a subordinate role . Hydromorphic and alluvial soils are very rare .

history

Statue of Alexander von Humboldt at the visitor center of the national park

The first legally anchored protected areas in the region of the Sagua-Baracoa mountain range were the Reserva Natural Cupeyal del Norte (10,260 hectares) and Reserva Natural Jaguani, founded in 1963 . After the Cuban ivory woodpecker was sighted for the last time in March 1987 by the biologists Giraldo Alayón and Alberto R. Estrada , plans began for an extensive nature reserve. In 1991 the Ministry of Agriculture declared an area of ​​around 6,000 hectares near Ojito de Agua a protected area. In 1987 UNESCO elevated an area of ​​127,500 hectares in the middle of the Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa mountain range to the Cuchillas del Toa Biosphere Reserve . In 1995, the Cuban Council of Ministers declared the mountain range an area for sustainable development .

In the same year, plans were made to found a national park. The main problems here were the large area of ​​the area and the complete lack of infrastructure and communication options in the area. The area was divided into four sectors and the construction of the visitor center began in the Ojito de Agua sector .

Thanks to international cooperation, the necessary funds for the maintenance of such a project could finally be made available and numerous measures for erosion control, fire fighting and afforestation were carried out. In 1996 the national park was provisionally established. The park has received support from WWF and the United Nations since 2001 . In the same year, the establishment of the national park was confirmed by law and a 500 m buffer zone was created around the park. In December 2001 the national park was recognized as a natural heritage of humanity by the UNESCO commission.

population

There are no exact figures on the population within the park area and the buffer zone, the figures vary between 3700 and 6000. Less than 2000 people live within the strict protected area. Around 60% of the population are farmers or work in forestry . The resident population is mostly deeply rooted in the protected area, which is beneficial for the development of the national park. All locations within the park have a primary school and a family doctor's practice. The population is supplied partly autonomously, partly via the rudimentary road network. For some time now, small planes have also been used to deliver daily newspapers to the locals.

After the population began to move out of the area of ​​the national park in the 1980s due to the poor infrastructure, a program for the development of the region was set in motion in 1986 through various measures such as higher agricultural purchase prices. Today, the population of the national park is sensitized to environmental issues in numerous workshops and receives help in setting up ecological agriculture. Sustainability, food sovereignty and healthy nutrition are the goals of the program. School classes from the local population and other places in Cuba organize regular excursions in the park.

climate

temperature

In the national park there is a typically tropical climate during the day under the constant influence of the trade winds . On the north coast near Baracoa, the average annual temperature is 24 to 26 ° C. In general, the temperature decreases slightly towards the interior. The coldest month is January with an average air temperature of 19.3 ° C. The warmest month is July with an average of 27.4 ° C.

Precipitation

In the central area of ​​the national park there is an annual precipitation of up to 3650 mm (station El Aguacate ). The precipitation values ​​decrease significantly towards the southwest. The Cuchillas de Toa in the west of the park have an annual rainfall of 2000 mm. On the north coast, near Baracoa, average annual rainfall of 1800 to 2000 mm is reached. El Aguacate station registered 207 days of precipitation per year, La Melba station 204 days. In addition to the precipitation, the humidity in the region increases due to frequent fog and dew. Most of the rainfall is concentrated in the peak of the rainy season, May and June. The entire rainy season lasts from May to October.

humidity

At lunchtime (1 p.m.) the average humidity on the north coast is 70–75%. In the mountainous regions in the hinterland of Baracoa, 75–80% are reached, in the summit areas more than 80%. In the southern areas the humidity is 65–70%. In the morning hours (7 am) the average humidity in each area is around 10–15% above the midday values. On the north coast there is an average evaporation of 1800 to 2000 mm / a. In the other parts of the park it is a little lower.

Wind conditions and extreme events

The main wind direction is determined by the trade wind and is therefore north-east. Sea breezes can increase the wind conditions on the coast during the day. Extreme climatic events such as heavy rain, thunderstorms and storms occur particularly in the summer months. The area is also potentially threatened by tropical hurricanes. Hurricane Ike last devastated nearby Baracoa in 2008.

flora

A dragon tree (not from Cuba). The species found in the national park is endemic.

Cuba is part of the Neotropic , the richest plant kingdom on earth. Due to its enormous size, height differences, scenic diversity and its complex geological structure, a diversity of ecosystems and endemic species of flora and fauna that is unique in the Caribbean has developed in the national park . From the seashore with its mangrove forests and offshore reefs to the 1,175 m high summit of "El Toldo", the national park includes all the important landscape elements of the region. The Sagua-Baracoa mountain range alone is considered the most important starting point for evolution in the Caribbean.

Numerous rocks that are toxic to plants are stored under the earth's surface . In order to survive, the plants had to adapt to these hostile conditions. A unique evolutionary process has led to the development of countless new species. With its biodiversity, the national park is now one of the most important places for the preservation of native flora. 95% of the national park area is forested. 16 of the 28 natural forms of vegetation in Cuba are represented in the park area. The park is also one of the largest contiguous areas of tropical rainforest in the entire Caribbean, more than half of the national park is covered with rainforest.

The most significant vegetation zones in the park are the sclerophyllous rainforest , also known as low cloud forest (35.9%), submontane rainforest (23.1%), pine forest (22.5%), evergreen forest (7.8%) and xeromorphic Bush forest on serpentinite (6.8%). Furthermore, there are many other different vegetation zones such as mangrove forest and lowland rainforest on less significant areas .

The incomplete flora list for the national park includes 1,302 different species of seed plants, of which 905 are endemic (69.5%), including 150 local endemic species. This is Cuba's largest concentration of endemic flora and one of the largest in the world. Important representatives of the endemic flora are the xeromorphic bush forests, the Cuban dragon tree Dracaena cubensis , Bonnetia cubensis and Spathelia wrightii .

At least 75 edible plant species are used by the people who live in the immediate vicinity of the park, mainly in traditional cuisine and medicine. They are mostly grown in the local gardens.

fauna

The endemic Cuban Amazon native to the park

The territory of the national park is an important refuge for numerous endangered representatives of the Cuban fauna. The large number of endemic invertebrates and invertebrates whose evolution took place in the area of ​​the national park is significant. At least 30% of mammals, 21% of birds, 83.3% of reptiles, 95.8% of amphibians and 27.7% of insects are local or national endemics. Many of them are on the Red List of Endangered Species .

Important representatives of the endemic fauna are, for example, the knight anole , the tocororo , the Cuban Amazon , the Cuban snail harrier and the Monte Iberia frog . The park is also home to the smallest bird in the world, the bee elf . It only grows to about 5 cm and weighs less than two grams.

The national park is one of the last refuges for the endangered endemic Cuban sand weevil . It was widespread across the American continent 20–30 million years ago and is considered a living fossil . The last time seven healthy specimens were found there in 2012 and a recovery of the population was noted. In the national park there are numerous endemic and mostly very colorful species of snail. The tree rat , Cuba's largest endemic mammal, also has its home here. The Cuban Ivory Woodpecker, which was previously found in the region, may have become extinct. Caribbean manatees live in the sea off the coast of the park .

research

Due to its high biodiversity and the numerous endemic species, the national park is predestined for research purposes. Its research is far from over and continues to this day. Scientific excursions regularly discover new species, particularly in the field of fauna.

Scientists from the University of Havana , the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the Humboldt University in Berlin have been trying since the 1970s to compile as complete an inventory of the flora and fauna of the national park as possible. In 1993 the Botanical Garden Berlin-Dahlem took over the Berlin research part.

tourism

Bahia de Taco.

Although the park management's priority is the restoration and protection of ecosystems and scientific research, it promotes ecotourism . Care is taken to ensure that the national park's sensitive environment is not damaged.

The visitor center of the national park is located on the “Bahía de Taco” (Spanish for “Taco Bay”). It can be reached via the Moa - Baracoa road, which is unpaved in this section , and is approximately halfway between the two places (34 km from Baracoa). In the thatched huts, visitors get a brief overview of the reserve and can book guided tours through the park, including exploring the bay's mangrove forests by rowing boat. When participating in the tours, a fee is required to visit the national park. Guided tours can also be booked from Baracoa. There is also a bust of the park's namesake on the site of the visitor center.

literature

  • Emérita Moreno Rodriguez: Preservación del patrimonio cultural-natural asociado a las plantas comestibles, en asentamientos del área protegida. Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt , in: Memorias. Revista Digital de Historia y Arqueología desde el Caribe Universidad del Norte, 6 (2006) o. P.
  • Dany Daniel González Lazo, Adrián Trapero Quintana, Carlos Naranjo López: Insectos acuáticos de Parque Nacional "Alejandro de Humboldt", Cuba , in: Boletín Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 36 (2005) 257-261.
  • Luis M. Diaz, Ansel Fong: A new mottled frog of the genus Eleutherodactylus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Eastern Cuba , in: Solenodon 1 (2001) 76-84.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/839
  2. ↑ Emérita Moreno Rodriguez: Preservación del patrimonio cultural-natural asociado a las plantas comestibles, en asentamientos del área protegida. Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt , in: Memorias. Revista Digital de Historia y Arqueología desde el Caribe Universidad del Norte, 6 (2006) o. P.
  3. ↑ a b c Alexander von Humboldt National Park declared a World Heritage Site ( Memento from September 27, 2003 in the Internet Archive )
  4. ^ Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt ( Memento of March 18, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) . Radio Guantánamo, accessed May 13, 2012
  5. ↑ a b c d e f g Arte: DOKU - The Humboldt National Park in Eastern Cuba (documentary)
  6. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 75ff.
  7. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 79.
  8. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 83ff.
  9. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 87ff.
  10. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 102ff.
  11. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 104f.
  12. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 107ff.
  13. ↑ a b c d e f Documentation about the national park (part 1)
  14. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 80f.
  15. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 81f.
  16. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 80ff.
  17. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 83.
  18. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 90.
  19. ↑ http://www.ecured.cu/index.php/Parque_Nacional_Alejandro_de_Humboldt
  20. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 75ff.
  21. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , Appendix 15, XXV.
  22. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 90ff.
  23. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , p. 92f.
  24. ↑ Emérita Moreno Rodriguez: Preservación del patrimonio cultural-natural asociado a las plantas comestibles, en asentamientos del área protegida. Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt , in: Memorias. Revista Digital de Historia y Arqueología desde el Caribe Universidad del Norte, 6 (2006) o. P.
  25. ↑ Nature conservation and protected areas in Cuba (PDF; 12.81 MB ) Peter Hasdenteufel , Appendix 17, p. XXX
  26. ↑ Location:World icon