----- Original Message -----
From: NY Transfer News <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2000 5:52 AM
Subject: [CubaNews] MEXICAN BIOLOGIST SAYS CUBA SETS EXAMPLE IN ECOSYSTEMS MANAGEMENT
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Prensa Latina - DIRECT FROM CUBA
MEXICAN BIOLOGIST SAYS CUBA SETS EXAMPLE IN ECOSYSTEMS MANAGEMENT
BY SISSI ARENCIBIA
MEXICO, Nov 17 (PL) Mexican biologist Gonzalo Merenis asserted that Cuba is
an example of natural resource preservation and integral handling of coastal
ecosystems.
Merenis, member of the Amigos de Sian Kaan Civil Association, from Quitana
Roo State, told Prensa Latina that the Island has increasing interest in
providing proper coastal treatment and sustainable environmental
development.
He emphasized the integrity of Cuban policies in this sense and pronounced
for applying this same experience in Sian Kaan, a zone declared a Biosphere
Reserve in 1986 and part of the world's second most important coral reef
barriers.
The scientist recalled that Sian Kaan, a region where -according to Mayan
legend- the sky begins, is on Quintano Roo State's central coast and one of
Mexico's largest protected areas.
This zone (650,000 hectares) and Guanacabibes' Biosphere Reserve (100,000
hectare), in Cuba's westernmost province are twins, he said.
Merenis commented that both reserves have been supporting each other for
over five years, since Guanacabibes has done environmental protection work
very useful for his organization, dedicated to promote the values of nature.
The Cuban reserve has enormous biological wealth and its greatest
socio-economic importance lies in the forest, regarded as the one with most
autochthonous value in Cuba, with 14 local endemic species, of 500
registered, he noted.
When asked about strategies the Mexican states should carry out to attain
sustainable development, he answered that the environment demands urgent
attention, since there are many zones whose ecosystems have been greatly
damaged.
There is the need for "a deeply analyzed strategy including all sectors and
human settlements living in a coastal zone to preserve the sea ecology," the
biologist observed.
Merines said "the fact that the sea and coast, in many cases, share
elements, causes problems when activities such as oil extraction, cutting of
mangrove trees, tourism, destruction of coral, and fishing are carried out."
In most of the cases, these actions damage the ecosystems, bio-diversity,
and even human safety, the scientist upheld.
He maintained that it is necessary to be sensitive to understand that a
nation's sustainable development demands collective and joint actions,
because preservation is "each human being's priority and responsibility."
DIG/CCS
(c) 2000 Prensa Latina, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
=================================================================
NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems
Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us
339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012
http://www.blythe.org e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
=================================================================
-------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~>
eGroups eLerts
It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free!
http://click.egroups.com/1/9698/0/_/_/_/974613177/
---------------------------------------------------------------------_->
Post comments to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Send an email to subscribe:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To unsubscribe from this CubaNews group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
