One fifth of Cuban territory protected

Lino Luben Pérez

TWO hundred fifty-three identified special areas, including the country's most important marine and terrestrial environments, occupy close to 20% of Cuba's territory.

These include areas on the coastal platform at a depth of up to 200 meters, according to Maritza García García, director of the Protected Areas National Center (CNAP), within the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment.

Speaking with AIN, she added that 119 of these are administered by various entities such as the Flora and Fauna National Enterprise which manages some 50 areas across the island and within territorial waters.

This group of protected areas covers an area of more than 868,000 hectares and includes a variety of ecosystems considered valuable given the nature of their location, their features, fragility, biodiversity and condition, according to the Flora and Fauna website.

This enterprise is responsible for areas surrounding the country's highest peaks on the main island and the Isle of Youth, as well as the most delicate coastal reefs, cays and barrier islands, where staff is locally assigned to administer the areas of national importance.

The national system of protected areas was established to guarantee the long-term survival of unique terrestrial and marine environments, their protection and the conservation of natural resources for careful use by current and future generations.