By WENDY GRIFFIN

Waiting in La Ceiba's airport, the sight that dominates the scene is Honduras' third tallest mountain, Pico Bonito. Unlike the mountains that surround Tegucigalpa, this one is green from base to peak with different species of hardwood trees. The location of Pico Bonito Park, Honduras' largest, may explain why La Ceiba had little flooding or landslide damage after Hurricane Mitch.

"In the mountains where these rivers begin, there was very little damage," says Rossell Pavon, Coordinator of Public Use for the Pico Bonito National Park Foundation (FUPNAPIB). "Only down below where the trees beside rivers like Rio Cangrejal have been cut down was there flooding."

However, there was some damage to parts of the park. After the hurricane, the Pico Bonito Foundation prepared a five-year plan to rehabilitate the park. The task of the first year was to clear fallen trees off park paths and repair the path beside the Zacate River and Waterfall. This has been completed and tourism operators like Mosquitia Eco-Adventures are currently accepting tours for the area.

Previously, the visitor center to Pico Bonito was located in the central part of the park, known as CURLA-Campamento -- the most damaged part of the park. The Bonito River flooded and ruined 4 km. of access highway. This river almost reached the airport. When the flood waters receded, the river continued to flow over the highway rather than return to its old river bed.

FUPNAPIB is planning to build a new visitor center near the Rio Zacate, which is closer to the main road. Next year, FUPNAPIB is also planning to open a tourist path beside the Rio Cangrejal, at the other end of the park, where they already have an environmental education center. White water rafting is reported to be excellent.

The animals in Pico Bonito have had a hard year after the hurricane. High winds caused leaves and fruits to fall prematurely. The birds migrated to other areas for food and monkeys were seen outside their usual range. This year, the plants, jaguars, coatis, monkeys and raccoons seem to have recovered, said Pavon.

The other protected area near La Ceiba is Cuero y Salado National Park. As a wetland park accessible principally by boat, the park flooded 100 percent during Hurricane Mitch. There was a significant loss of life among the animals, because this park has no nearby highlands to which the animals can escape. Bird watchers report that populations of egrets, herons, and other water birds seem higher this year after the hurricane.

In spite of the flooding, there was little loss of infrastructure since the park has very little. To reach it from La Ceiba, go to the town of La Union by car or bus. From there, a guide meets you and you can travel by railroad pushcart (burra) or a tourist railroad car. Once inside the park, travel is by boat (lancha). Since making all the connections is a pain, this is one place in Honduras where I recommend signing up for a tour.

The park is rich in wildlife. Twenty-eight percent of all bird species in Honduras -- 193 different types -- live or migrate to the park, reports Ana Luisa Avila of FUCSA. Toucans and pelicans are some of the most noticeable. By early November, the migratory birds like herons and egrets are here. As a breeding ground for marine species, there is an ongoing struggle to keep fishermen with nets out of the park. Only hook and line fishing is permitted, which causes some conflict with local Garifuna communities. Unlike other North Coast parks, FUCSA reported no problems with its mangroves after the flooding.

Animals in the park include the opossum, giant anteater, three-toed sloth, armadillo, kinkajou (mico de noche), white-nosed coati (pizote), raccoon, paca (tepescuintle), agouti (guatusa), porcupine, river otter, skunk, howler monkey, peccary, deer and crocodile. The big cats include jaguar, marguay, ocelot, tayra (lepasil) and jaguarundi. The park was particularly formed as a protected area for the manatee, a large sea mammal also called sea cow. The snakes are well represented with the boa, coral snake, and fer-de-lance (barba amarilla).

Human activities impact the refuge. Cattle ranching and agriculture cause sedimentation and erosion. The plantations of pineapple, grapefruit, African palm and cacao dump pesticides and fertilizers into the estuary. Eighty-four families live inside the reserve. When the hurricane destroyed some of the houses, FUCSA helped rebuild them including several at Boca Cerrada, which is inside the nuclear zone of the park, reports Avila.

Pico Bonito Foundation can be contacted at Plaza Caribe, 2ndo piso, Avenida de la Republica y 11 calle, La Ceiba. Their e-mail is <fupnabip@laceiba.com>, telefax 443-3824.

FUCSA can be reached at P. O. Box 674, La Ceiba, Atlantida, telefax: 443-0329, e-mail <fucsa@laceiba.com>. Their office is located one block west of Hotel Paris on Central Park in La Ceiba. This is the Mazapan district controlled by the Standard Fruit Co. and the FUCSA office is inside the Honduras National Railroad Building.