The mangroves of the north coast of Haiti

The study of five mangrove forests was undertaken during the summer of1998 on the north coast of Haiti. Photo-interpretation detected areachanges between 1978 and 1989; the areas were reduced by an averageof 43% each. Two of the sites, Salée River mangrove andHaut-du-Cap River mangrove, were characterized by means of a vegetationsurvey and water and soil analysis. Tree density averaged 58,750 stems/haand 114,250 stems/ha respectively, while tree height averaged 2 m.Interviews with villagers indicated that all the assessed mangroves areintensively harvested for charcoal and fuel wood. This extraction seems tobe the main human disturbance, resulting in changes in forest structure,although heavy fishing and conversion to residential sites constitutedisturbances in some mangroves. The situation is critical but probably notirreversible. However, the socio-economic and environmental conditionsprevailing in the country and the lack of basic information on Haitianmangroves are major obstacles to their preservation.