In this exploration across Cuba, Edgardo narrates about the cenotes of Zapata Swamp, his first boat trip and many experiences in plant conservation.
Date: 05/03/2019
Proyecto: Planta!’s Capacity Building program: supporting the conservation of threatened trees.
Visiting Planta!’s volunteers is always enriching. Looking forward to share these experiences we set off. My companions in this adventure were Enma, my partner in life and science, and Ignacio -a post graduate student and adventure’s disciple. Together we travelled across Cuba to meet with environmentalist colleagues working on tree conservation projects. We visited five of them, focused in preserving endemic threatened trees.
I always end up feeling that with this capacity program, beyond helping new conservationists, we learn a lot ourselves. With this visit we were looking for a positive exchange of experiences about each project. In doing so, I realize that even when we are able to teach them some techniques they might not know, they know the species and its habitat better than anyone else. The protagonists of this story are Yeniel Machado, Ernesto Palacio and Álvaro Fernández, who are currently conducting three of the most interesting projects of active conservation in Cuba.
Yeniel is an agricultural engineer from Santa Clara. He got impassionate with Zapata Swamp and came to live here with the help of friends. Once established, he started to be interested in tree conservation. As part of his project, he wanted to reach the local community through the radio. His purpose was to raise awareness about the importance of the local flora. This was the beginning of a radio program for environmental education that turned out to be very popular in the village Los Hondones, where he lives.
Behaimia cubensis, the species Yeniel is preserving, grows on coral reef limestone. Walking over this rock is really difficult sometimes due to its sharp edges. At first, Yeniel intended to monitor 150 ha searching for new individuals. After covering 10% of this area he already knows that the tree only grows around the cenotes -striking cavities of fresh water. So, from now on, Yeniel will focus all his efforts in these sites that seem like an oasis to the endangered species.
Ernesto Palacio, witty and hospitable like his neighbours, lives in Cabo Cruz. This is a fishing town in Southeastern Cuba, with a single street and a famous lighthouse that are included in the grounds of the National Park “Desembarco del Granma”. He develops a conservation project for Coccothrinax victorinii, a critically endangered palm that is exclusive of this area.
To get to the populations of this palm, we travelled by boat towards Casimbas, an inhabited islet of sand, very vulnerable to floods. The boat sailed among beautiful channels of red mangrove until it reached the Gulf of Guacanayabo. Neither Enma nor I had travelled by boat before and doing so with the lighthouse of Cabo Cruz in the background was mesmerizing. The hard work of conservation also has its rewards.
Ernesto has noticed a severe predation of the seeds of this palm and the cause remains unknown. Therefore, we discussed different ways to investigate and solve this problem.
In Las Tunas, I was very surprised to see Álvaro’s nursery. It was filled once again with saplings of Acacia roigii after realizing that all the ones he planted on the coast did not survived. This time, Álvaro is implementing a “hardening” treatment for the plants before they are taken to the wild. He is slowly decreasing their irrigation to prepare them for a tougher condition.
Such an effort can only be sustained by his dedication and perseverance. He is also taking the Master in Botany program at the National Botanic Garden. He has gone from being inspired by our team and our conservation vision, to be our inspiration.
Going from one project to the next one, we travelled Cuba in just one week. We went home full of experiences to strengthen Planta!’s Capacity Program along with amazing memories of our trip.
by Alejandro Palmarola
A Project from the Madagascar Plant Specialist Group was funded by Planta! as part of the SSC – Internal Grant since January 2020. The Project aims to create an action plan to preserve Critically Endangered regional plants.
by Alina Cuza
Published in 2013 in Bissea, “The top 50 most threatened plants of Cuba” has inspired conservation actions across Cuba. It has been a call for conservationists, local communities, and stakeholders, gathered by the common interest of protecting the unique flora of Cuba.
by Maritza Deroncelé
Maritza Deroncelé is a psychologist turned into a conservationist. Currently the Natural Reserve “El Retiro” manager, she tells us how her work preserving the Aguacate cimarron, changed her life.
