A devastating fire at the Botanical Gardens of Les Cayes, founded in 2003, broke out on the same day as World Earth Day was celebrated. A major portion of endemic and native plants, collected across the country since 2003, have been reduced to ashes. The site, which served as a research sanctuary, now has completely charred areas. More than 20 years of conservation efforts were wiped out by this disaster. The ecological space, which served as a sanctuary for local wildlife, was totally devastated, making the site unrecognizable.

The Ministry of the Environment condemns with the greatest rigor the acts of vandalism occurring at the Les Cayes Botanical Garden, and ordered the temporary closure of the garden to the public to allow order to be restored and the precise extent of the damage to be assessed. The site has been placed under the protection of the competent authorities, in particular with the support of the National Agency for Protected Areas (ANAP).

The Ministry expresses its deep dismay at actions which harm not only the environment, but also a collective good of inestimable value for the Nation.

While calling for calm and responsibility, the Ministry informs that the authorities concerned have taken the necessary measures to secure the site and order the suspension of all activities taking place there, pending the legal outcome of this case currently being examined by the competent authorities.

This fire having ravaged a large part of the site, acts of vandals or criminals (an investigation is open) represents an ecological, scientific and cultural loss of an unprecedented scale. The initial damage is considerable : disappearance of rare species and destruction of local ecosystems, and loss of scientific data accumulated over more than twenty years of research.

Ecovert Haiti emphasizes that the destruction of the Les Cayes Botanical Garden is not only a scientific and ecological loss : it is an alarm signal for the entire Nation. Ecovert Haiti calls on citizens, institutions and international partners to stand up together to defend natural heritage. This tragedy must become a catalyst for a national movement for the protection of biodiversity and the construction of a sustainable future.

S/ HaitiLibre