Massif de la Hotte - Haiti Observer Blog

The site of La Hotte has been added by UNESCO as a Biodiversity Reserve along with 19 other sites to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves during its meeting in Lima, the capital of Peru on March 18 and 19. So far, UNESCO has a total number of 669 biosphere reserves around the world, scattered in 120 countries under its International Co-coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program created in 1971.

It is an intergovernmental scientific endeavor for the improvement of the overall relationship between people and their environment. Biosphere Reserves are geographical areas that are representative of the planet's diversity of habitats. Every biosphere reserve represents an ecosystem with plants and animals of unusual scientific and natural interest. 'Biosphere Reserve' is a title given by UNESCO to help protect the sites. The plan is to promote management, research and education in ecosystem conservation. MAB has been formed with three main objectives: Minimizing the loss of biological diversity; Making people aware of how cultural diversity and biological diversity affect each other; and Promoting environmental sustainability through the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

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The site of la Hotte which is located in the Massif o La Hotte in Haiti has been selected by UNESCO as a Biosphere reserve. This decision was made in Peru by UNESCO as they added 20 additional sites to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. This brings the total number of biosphere reserves around the world to 669, scattered in 120 countries.

Haitian Kreyol:

Massif de la Hotte chwazi pa UNESCO kòm Biosphère mete an rezèv

Massif de le Hotte te chwazi pa UNESCO kòm yon rezèv byosfèr. Desizyon sa a te fè nan Perou pa UNESCO pandan ke yo te ajoute 20 sit anplis nan Rezo Mondyal byosfèr Rezèv. Sa a pote kantite total rezèv byosfr atravè mond lan a 669 ki gaye toupatou nan 120 peyi.

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Millions of years ago, the Massif de la Hotte was separated from the rest of the country now known as Haiti by a sea channel that was wide and deep. The remoteness this separation caused gave way to a wellspring of naturally occurring species of plants, birds and reptiles. Today, all that separates the mountain range in the south west of Haiti from the rest of Haiti is its height of 7700 ft.

Found to the far west of the Tiburon Peninsula, the Massif de la Hotte is still home to many of Haiti's most diverse species, endemic to the area and often endangered. The threat comes from the steady decline in Haiti's forests. As it stands, this mountain range has some of the last cloud forests found in Haiti at its peak, deforestation through floods, mudslides and human effort having taken the once abundant geographical feature by force.

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Chardonniére, a township in the Chardonniére Arrondissement, is located within the Sud Department. A coastal town of some 21,000 plus inhabitants, it sits at sea level on the southwestern peninsula of Haiti. Four divisions comprise Chardonniére: Bony, Chardonniére, Dejoie, and Randal.

The township is bordered by the Massif de la Hotte Mountains, lying northward, the town of Port-a-Pepper on the eastern side, and the Caribbean Sea lying southward. Port-au-Prince and Les Cayes lie further away. The sea almost completely surrounds Chardonniére, giving it an island-like feeling. The beaches are made of sand so white, it seems sugar-like. Not only does the town look out at vast vistas of water, but it has water coursing through it, the Rivierè Chardonniére. Because of the town's stunning natural beauty it is a tourist magnet, helping to fuel the local economy.

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