Haiti - Environment : Nearly 30 hectares of the Pine Forest destroyed by arson
Abner Septembre, the Minister of the Environment, accompanied in particular by members of his Cabinet, Jeantel Joseph Director General of the National Agency for Protected Areas (ANAP) and several Agents of the Brigade for Monitoring Protected Areas (BSAP), visited last week the National Park La visite of the La Selle biosphere reserve, to observe and assess the damage caused by arson in the pine forest.
The delegation went to the various sites where the forest was devastated by fire, which according to the first assessments destroyed no less than 30 hectares in one week... Let us recall that each year part of the largest ecological reserve of pines of Haiti, goes up in smoke, following the actions of certain farmers wanting to illegally recover new lands in order to practice market gardening.
While deploring these acts, Septembre took the opportunity to express its willingness to work towards better management of this part of the Selle biosphere reserve, an important ecosystem in the preservation of biodiversity and essential in the fight against climate change.
The Minister Septembre promised to develop joint actions with the technical and financial Partners as well as the organizations of the local Civil society concerning in particular the watersheds, and the biodiversity to favor the conservation of this ecological wealth. In addition, he announced that he would take a series of measures to better manage the forest and put an end to such acts.
Jeantel Joseph Director General of ANAP said he regretted that these dishonest actions continue to occur at the level of this National Park and said he was ready to sit down with the Minister in order to develop joint strategies to strengthen the workforce of Protected area security brigade officers at this park.
