TEGUCIGALPA -- Despite numerous efforts on the part of international and national environmental organizations to save vast tracts of broadleaf and rain forest environments in Honduras, these will have virtually disappeared by the year 2011, according to a recent study conducted by the National Forestry School.

This study, which focuses on mahogany, estimates the size of existing broadleaf forests to be 620,000 hectares (this amount also represents 47.8 percent of the forests in Honduras), and at the same time estimates deforestation of these regions at 48,000 hectares yearly. At this rate of destruction, the forests will have ceased to exist within 13 years from the date of the study. This is not to say there will no longer be any trees, trees will exist, but not in a forest environment.

According to the study, in this region -- concentrated on the North Coast of Honduras and the Mosquitia -- the main concern should be the protection and conservation of biodiversity and not logging, given the well known fact that the area contains a large number of the world's living species. However, inadequate or non-existent management plans have given way to a boom in illegal logging of the area, speeding up destruction. Squatting and cattle ranching within and around protected areas also have contributed to the non-regeneration of humid, tropical forests.

Species such as Honduras mahogany, a precious hardwood famous for its beauty and durability, are in danger of extinction. Such is the case of pink mahogany, once abundant in southern Honduras, but now gone. Mexico, and other neighboring countries have already reduced by 80 percent the extent of their mahogany-containing forests.

Honduras is slated for the same fate if it continues to convert logged areas to other uses, such as farming and cattle ranching. According to the study, active forest management is the best alternative for big-leaf mahogany conservation.

However, the USDA Forest Service and USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, when reviewing the possibility of including some species of mahogany under Appendix II of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) states: "selective logging is not conducive to the regeneration of mahogany, since (1) selective logging removes mahoganies but leaves other species behind to take over their space; (2) the openings created by a single tree fall do not provide conditions suitable for regeneration such as the provision of adequate light and disturbed mineral soil; and (3) logging removes seed sources."

Appendix II of CITES requires exportation permits of endangered species based on scientific research stating such exports will not endanger existing natural stocks. In other words, natural regeneration is nearly impossible given current circumstances in Honduras.

By WENDY GRIFFIN

The environmental NGO PROLANSATE is responsible for the protected areas of Lancetilla, Punta Sal, Punta Izopo and Texiguat. All are currently open to tourists.

At the Lancetilla Botanical Gardens, some trees fell down and the plants in its nursery rotted from all the rain during Mitch. However, the gardens have been restored and the nursery reopened. "Esta lindisima ahora" (It is very beautiful now), said Marisol Fuentes, a PROLANSATE guide.

The Punta Sal park suffered the most damage. The Laguna de Micos flooded, covering the Garifuna village of Miami and joining the sea. The mangroves seem to be ill now, probably because they did not tolerate the increased salinity of the water, said Punta Sal Director Denis Sierra.

Rio Tinto, another Garifuna village inside the park, overflowed its banks and rose six feet, nearly up to the level of the roofs. Two helicopters had to rescue people stranded on their roofs immediately following the hurricane. Tournabe was less affected, although the cabanas built there were damaged. In San Juan some of the mahogany houses fell or were otherwise damaged.

The guides at Garifuna Tours say the people at Miami have almost completely rebuilt their community, which was made of local materials. Save the Children, together with the Association of Garifuna Women, have helped bring food, beds, and a latrine project. PROLANSATE staff say the people have also received help getting banana trees and yuca (manioc) plantings, since most of their crops were lost.

PROLANSATE also helped repair schools, clean wells, deliver aid to these and other communities in the park. This helped improve its relationship with the communities, even if it put a strain on the organization's budget.

Lethal yellowing, a disease that kills Jamaican tall coconut trees, is an airborne virus. The hurricane has helped to spread it faster. Mrs. Alvarez of San Juan said Garifuna women were learning to make coconut bread with green Filipino coconuts, because "el otro ya no hay" -- there are no more coconuts from Jamaican tall trees. The beaches are also hotter without the coconut trees.

Sierra said PROLANSATE is preparing a proposal to deal with this disease, by having a nursery for hybrid coconut trees. Four years after the appearance of the disease, they are planning a program called, "Salvamos el Coco" (Let's save the coconut tree).

The animals of Punta Sal fled to the highlands of the park when faced with the floods. Unfortunately, the highlands of the park have been invaded by people, particularly cattle ranchers. Upon seeing deer, agouti and paca, the people have hunted and eaten them. However, Sierra does not believe that many were lost from hunting and thus it will not have a big impact on the ability of local species to recover.

Sierra said he is very concerned for the coral off the coast of Punta Sal. Even before the hurricane, the coral was dying because of sedimentation and water contamination. When the hurricane hit, it tore up the coral barrier off the east side of Punta Sal, leaving three feet of dead coral on the beach. The sea no longer breaks on the barrier, but now comes onto the shore, leaving Punta Sal more exposed to erosion by the sea.

The flooding caused by Mitch dumped more sediment on the coral, damaging it further. Fifty percent of the soft fan coral (sea feather in Bay Islands English) has died since the hurricane. "We need an analysis of the coral by an expert, so we can know what to do," said Sierra.

Part of the infrastructure of the park was also damaged. The storm surge destroyed an observation tower and a warehouse in Miami was left in pieces. Parts of the park trails were destroyed and many of the signs lost. The most expensive loss had to do with marking the border of the park with mojones or cement markers, a task that cost Lps. 750,000.

Since the sediment left by the flooding was 3-4 feet high, while the mojones were smaller than that, they believe about 40 percent of the markers were lost due to the hurricane.

In spite of these losses, tours to protected areas can still be rewarding. However, tourists have stayed away so long, that it has led to the bankruptcy of most tour operators. Out of seven operating before Mitch, only Garifuna tours and two independent operators continue to offer tours. Even PROLANSATE is having problems, because 12 groups that usually generate Lps. 500,000 a year for the organization canceled in January due to post-Mitch fears.

Mahogany plantations such as this one in Trujillo could help preserve rain forest habitats by supplying alternative sources of this precious hardwood. (Photo by María Fiallos)