- Guadeloupe National Park
Infobox_protected_area
name = Guadeloupe National Park
iucn_category = II
caption =
locator_x = 55
locator_y = 175
location =Basse-Terre Island ,Guadeloupe (France )
nearest_city =
lat_degrees = 16
lat_minutes = 5
lat_seconds = 0
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 61
long_minutes = 41
long_seconds = 0
long_direction = W
area = convert|173.0|km2|abbr=on "(core area)"
convert|162.0|km2|abbr=on "(buffer zone)"
convert|37.0|km2|abbr=on "(marine reserve)"
established = 1989
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = Parcs nationaux de France [http://www.parcsnationaux-fr.com/accueil/]Guadeloupe National Park ( _fr. Parc national de la Guadeloupe) is a
national park inGuadeloupe , anoverseas department ofFrance located in theLeeward Islands of the easternCaribbean region. The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve (French: "Réserve Naturelle du Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin") is amarine protected area adjacent to the park and administered in conjunction with it. Together, theseprotected area s comprise the Guadeloupe Archipelago (French: "l'Archipel de la Guadeloupe")biosphere reserve .History
The General Council of Guadeloupe created the Guadeloupe Natural Park in 1970 to recognize the exceptional
biodiversity of Basse-Terre's tropical forest and mountain massif. Although it was initially placed under the management of theNational Forests Office , proposals emerged in 1977 to establish anational park , in order to improve management and control of the park lands. These proposals came to fruition on 20 February 1989 with the official establishment of Guadeloupe National Park.The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve was established in 1987, and subsequently placed under the management of the park.
In 1992, Guadeloupe National Park achieved international recognition when the core area of the park and the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve were designated as an international biosphere reserve by
UNESCO .For most of its history, it was the only French national park outside of metropolitan France. However, it lost that distinction with the 2007 creation of
Reunion National Park (Réunion ) andGuiana Amazonian Park (French Guiana ).Geography
The boundaries of the national park encompass a core area of convert|173|km2|acre, and a buffer zone of convert|162|km2|acre. The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve comprises convert|21|km2|acre marine, and convert|16|km2|acre terrestrial.
The core area encompasses 10% of the total territory of Guadeloupe, two-thirds of Basse-Terre's tropical forest, and covers a range of elevations from approximately convert|250|m|ft to the summit of the mountain massif at convert|1467|m|ft. The highest point in the park is the summit of La Soufrière, an active
volcano . Other notable peaks include: Échelle (convert|1397|m|ft|abbr=on), Grand-Sans-Toucher (convert|1354|m|ft|abbr=on), and the twin side-by-side summits of the Mamelles (convert|768|m|ft|abbr=on).The park comprises parts of 11 communes:
*Vieux-Habitants
*Bouillante
*Pointe-Noire
*Lamentin
*Petit-Bourg
*Goyave
*Capesterre-Belle-Eau
*Trois-Rivières
*Gourbeyre
*Saint-Claude
*Baillif Vegetation
Guadeloupe National Park may broadly be divided into three
ecosystem types:Tropical rainforest
The park's
tropical rainforest varies in its character and species among several sub-ecosystems, depending heavily on elevation.
* The lower elevations (up to convert|500|m|ft|-2|disp=s|abbr=on) of the park's buffer zone support a mesophilic forest, featuring trees such as white and redmahogany , rosewood, andjatobá . This ecologic area is also used foragriculture , including bananaplantation s and other food crops.
* Amontane moist forest covers 80% of the core area of the park, at elevations between convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on and convert|1000|m|ft|abbr=on. This dense and luxuriant ecosystem harbors a great diversity of plant species: very large trees that grow above convert|30|m|ft|abbr=on (tabonuco,acomat boucan ,chestnut ); mid-level trees between convert|6|m|ft|abbr=on and convert|10|m|ft|abbr=on (bois bandé,oleander ); shrubs and herbaceous plants below 10 m (mountain palm ,heliconia ,fern s); and epiphytic species (giant philodendron, aile-à-mouche, orchids).
* The high-elevation forests above convert|1000|m|ft|-2|abbr=on are much less dense than the park's other forests, due to the extremely wet conditions and constant cloud cover. These forests resemblesavanna s.Coastal forest
Vegetation in the coastal zone faces the challenges of salinity in the air and soil, intense heat from the sun and its drying effect, and the constant wind. Notable plant species in this environment include seagrape and
pear .Mangrove
The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve includes coastal
wetland forests that are flooded either permanently or intermittently by fresh or salt water, comprising nearly half of Guadeloupe'smangrove swamps (convert|37|km2|acre of convert|80|km2|acre).Wildlife
Due to intensive
hunting during an earlier period in Guadeloupe's history, animal life in the park is limited in diversity and in populations. Some species, includingparrot s andparakeet s, have been eradicated altogether.Mammals
The most commonly seen
mammal s in the park are theGuadeloupe raccoon ,bat s (two species of which are endemic to Guadeloupe),mongoose s (introduced fromIndia ), and the endangered agouti.Birds
Bird s are more numerous than mammals, and the visitor may encounterhummingbird s,frigatebird s, thrushes,partridge s,pigeon s,tyrant flycatcher s,pelican s, endemic Guadeloupe woodpeckers, and others.Reptiles
Some
sea turtle s are found.Fish
Crustaceans
Aquatic and marine life includes
big-claw river shrimp andcrab s.Insects
Insect s are indubitably the most plentiful creatures in the park, their exceptional diversity resulting in a number of surprising forms. Some attain great size, such asHercules beetle s, the duppy bats (black witch moths), and walking sticks.Tourist attractions
Among the interesting visitor sites in Guadeloupe National Park are:
* La Soufrière
*Carbet Falls
* the two Mamelles and the Traversée road
* Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve
* numerous hiking trails throughout the parkee also
*
National parks of France
*World Network of Biosphere Reserves External links
* [http://www.guadeloupe-parcnational.com/ Official site of Guadeloupe National Park]
* [http://www.guadeloupe-grandculdesac.com/ Official site of Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve]
* [http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/wdbpa/sitedetails.cfm?siteid=147297&level=nat UNEP-WCMC data sheet on the core area of the park]
* [http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/wdbpa/sitedetails.cfm?siteid=147298&level=nat UNEP-WCMC data sheet on the buffer zone of the park]
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