Sierra de las Minas

Geobox Mountain Range
name = Sierra de las Minas
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =


image_size =
image_caption =
etymology =
country = Guatemala
country1 =
state =
state1 =
region = Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, El Progreso, Zacapa, Izabal
region1 =
district =
district1 =
city =
city1 =
unit =
unit1 =
part_count =
part =
part1 =
border =
border1 =
geology =
geology1 =
period =
period1 =
orogeny =
orogeny1 =
area =
length_imperial =
length_orientation =
length_round =
width_imperial =
width_orientation =
width_round =
highest = Cerro Raxón
highest location =
highest_country = Guatemala
highest_state =
highest_region = Alta Verapaz
highest_district =
highest_elevation = 3015
highest_lat_d = 15.163063
highest_lat_m = -89.851255
highest_lat_s =
highest_lat_NS =
highest_long_d =
highest_long_m =
highest_long_s =
highest_long_WE =
lowest =
lowest_location =
lowest_country =
lowest_state =
lowest_region =
lowest_district =
lowest_elevation_imperial =
lowest_lat_d =
lowest_lat_m =
lowest_lat_s =
lowest_lat_NS =
lowest_long_d =
lowest_long_m =
lowest_long_s =
lowest_long_WE =
woods =
free_name =
free_value =


map_size =
map_caption =
map_first =

Sierra de las Minas is a mountain range in eastern Guatemala, extending 130 km west of the Lake Izabal. It is 15-30 km wide and bordered by the valleys of the rivers Polochic in the north and the Motagua in the south. Its western border is marked by the Chuacús mountain range. The highest peak is Cerro Raxón at 3,015 m.The Sierra's rich deposits of jade and marble have been mined throughout the past centuries. These small scale mining activities also explain the name of the mountain range.

The range has several different habitats, including Mesamerica's largest cloud forests, and is home to a great variety of wildlife. Part of the Sierra de las Minas was declared a biosphere reserve.

Biosphere reserve

Geobox|Protected Area
name = Sierra de las Minas biosphere reserve
native_name =
other_name =
category = VI
etymology =
official_name =
motto =
nickname =

---

image_caption = The reserve has a significant Margay population


symbol =
country = Guatemala
state =
region = Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, El Progreso, Zacapa, Izabal
district =
municipality =
city =
landmark =
river =
location =
elevation =
prominence =
lat_d = | lat_m = | lat_s = | lat_NS =
long_d = | long_m = | long_s = | long_EW =
highest = Cerro Raxón
highest_location = | highest_region = | highest_country =
highest_elevation = 3015
highest_lat_d = | highest_lat_m = | highest_lat_s = | highest_lat_NS =
highest_long_d = | highest_long_m = | highest_long_s = | highest_long_EW =
lowest =
lowest_location = | lowest_region = | lowest_country =
lowest_elevation = 150
lowest_lat_d = | lowest_lat_m = | lowest_lat_s = | lowest_lat_NS =
lowest_long_d = | lowest_long_m = | lowest_long_s = | lowest_long_EW =
length = | length_orientation =
width = | width_orientation =
area = 2366
geology =
biome = - Subtropical thorn forest - Premontane dry subtropical forest - Premontane tropical wet forest - Lower montane subtropical moist forest - Cloud forest
plant =
animal =
established =
date = 1990
management = CONAP, Defensores de la Naturaleza
management_location = | management_region = | management_country =
management_elevation =
management_lat_d = | management_lat_m = | management_lat_s = | management_lat_NS =
management_long_d = | management_long_m = | management_long_s = | management_long_EW =
owner =
leader =
public =
visitation = | visitation_date =
access =
whs_name =
whs_year =
whs_number =
whs_region =
whs_criteria =
iucn_category = VI
free = | free_type =


map_caption =
map_background =
map_locator =
map_locator_x =
map_locator_y =
website = [http://www.defensores.org.gt Defensores de la Naturaleza]
footnotes =In 1990, part of the Sierra de las Minas (236,626 hectares, including buffer zones and transition areas) was designated a biosphere reserve. [cite web | url=http://www.conap.gob.gt:7778/conap/areas-protegidas/sigap/listado-areas-protegidas/listado-areas-protegidas | publisher= | title=Listado áreas protegidas | author=CONAP | access=2008 | format= |language=Spanish]

Habitats and land cover types

Due to its size and great variaty in elevation and precipitation, the range has many different habitats and land cover types, including: [cite web | url=http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=GUA+02&mode=all | publisher= | title=MAB Biospheres Reserves Directory: Guatemala - Sierra de las Minas| author=UNESCO | access=2008 | format= |language=]
* Subtropical thorn forest, also known as Motagua Valley thornscrub, with Cactus species., Guayacum species, Acacia farnesiana and Bucida macrostachys.
* Premontane dry subtropical forest with Encyclia diota, Ceiba aesculifolia and Leucaena guatemalensis.
* Premontane tropical wet forest including Orbignya cohune, Terminalia amazonia, Pinus caribaea and Manilkara zapota.
* Lower montane subtropical moist forest with Pinus oocarpa, Quercus species, Alnus jorulensis and Encyclia selligera.
* Cloud forest including Alfaroa costaricensis, Brunellia mexicana, Gunnera species, Magnolia guatemalensis etc.;
* Agroecosystems with coffee, rice, maize, etc.
* Pasture land with Tillandsias distribution

Fauna

The reserve has 885 species, about 70% of all species found in Guatemala and Belize, including threatenend birds like the quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno), harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and the horned guan (Oreophasis derbianus).

Felines with a significant presence are the jaguar (Panthera onca), puma (Felis concolor), onza (Herpailorus yagouaroundi), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and margay (Leopardus wiedii).

Other mammals in the reserve include the red brocket (Mazama americana), the howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) and Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii). [cite web | url=http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/search.php?freetext=&modifier=phrase&criteria=wholedb&taxa_species=1&redlistCategory%5B0%5D=EN&country%5B0%5D=GT&cty_default=1&aquatic%5B0%5D=all&aqu_default=1&regions%5B0%5D=5&reg_default=1&habitats%5B0%5D=all&threats%5B0%5D=all&redlistAssessyear%5B0%5D=all&growths%5B0%5D=all&extendedResults=0&terrestrial=0&marine=0&freshwater=0&sortorder%5B0%5D=spcscientificname&sortorder%5B1%5D=genname&sortorder%5B2%5D=spcname&sortorder%5B3%5D=spcauthor&sortorder%5B4%5D=spcinfrarank&sortorder%5B5%5D=spcinfraepithet&sortorder%5B6%5D=spcinfrarankauthor&sortorder%5B7%5D=spcstockname&sortorder%5B8%5D=comname_comp&sortorder%5B9%5D=rlcabb&sortorder%5B10%5D=rlscriteria&sortorder%5B11%5D=poptrend_code&sortorder%5B12%5D=rlcatcrit2001&sortorder%5B13%5D=rlscaveat&sortorder%5B14%5D=rlspetition&sortorder%5B15%5D=spcrecid&sortorder%5B16%5D=kingname&newsort=&debug=0&kingname=&phyname=&claname=&ordname=&famname=&genname=&spcname=&taxa_subspc=0&taxa_stock=0&cty_intro=0&cty_vagrant=0&cty_uncert=0&aqu_intro=0&aqu_vagrant=0&aqu_uncert=0&reg_intro=0&reg_vagrant=0&reg_uncert=0&spc_petition=0&spc_caveat=0&offset=0| publisher= | title=IUCN - Red List of Threatened Species| author=IUCN | access=2008 | format= |language=]

References

External links

* [http://www.defensores.org.gt Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza]
* [http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany/projects/cpd/ma/ma14.htm Description of Sierra de las Minas biosphere reserve]
* [http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=GUA+02&mode=all UNESCO data on the Sierra de las Minas biosphere reserve]
* [http://www.parkswatch.org/parkprofile.php?l=eng&country=gua&park=smbr Parkswatch]