Honduran Mosquitia

Canoes in front of Ahuas community on the Patuca River. © Lynda Richardson

The Nature Conservancy and local partners are working together to conserve the Honduran Mosquitia, focusing on the 2 million acre Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve.  First declared a World Heritage Site in 1982, it hosts a rich array of habitats including: an extensive expanse of mangroves; an important coastal-marine area consisting of wetlands, lagoons,  coral reefs and cays; the only representation of Miskito pine forest in the world; and the largest unfragmented block of Central American moist forest in the region. 

In addition to its high biodiversity, the Honduran Mosquitia is known for its cultural diversity.  Five ethnic groups live in the area: the Miskito, Tawahka, and Pech indigenous groups, the Garífuna - descendents of a mixture of African and Carib peoples, and Ladino - descendents of a mixture of Spanish and indigenous groups. The Mosquitia also harbors more than 200 archeological sites, including the site of Ciudad Blanca.

Location
Located in the  northeastern portion of the country along the Caribbean, the Honduran Mosquitia includes all of the department of Gracias a Dios, and parts of the departments of Colón and Olancho.  

Animals
The Honduran Mosquitia supports large populations of rare species such as:

• Jaguar
• Baird's Tapir
• White-lipped Peccary
• White-faced Capuchin Monkeys

The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve also provides refuge for more than 750 bird species including the Great Green Macaw, Harpy Eagle, and the Great Curassow.
 
Plants
The Honduran Mosquitia harbors more than 500 plant and tree species including:

• Mahogany 
• Spanish Cedar 
• Oak (Quercus oleoides)
• Tropical Pine (Pinus caribaea var. Hondurensis)

Why the Conservancy Works Here
The Mosquitia is increasingly threatened due to logging and the advance of the agricultural frontier. A lack of appropriate environmental policies and a lack of enforcement of current environmental policies also threaten this World Heritage Site.

What the Conservancy Is Doing

Canoe on River Patuca in the Honduran Mosquitia © Lynda Richardson

• The Honduran and Nicaraguan Mosquitia share similar ecological and socioeconomic characteristics as well as face common environmental threats.  This illustrates the need for a bi-national environmental agenda for the management and protection of the entire Mosquitia region. Recognizing this, in August 2002, a bi-national forum has been planned to advance cross-border discussions between local non-governmental organizations, governmental agencies, and local communities.
   
• The Nature Conservancy is working with local partner MOPAWI to promote conservation efforts at the two-million-acre Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve in the Mosquitia. For example, first established in 1995, the Marine Turtle Conservation Project continues to be implemented by community members in Plaplaya and this year, the project was nominated for the Environmental Award.
   
• As part of a biological inventory of Río Plátano, the Conservancy and MOPAWI are training reserve residents and local scientists to gather needed ecological and socioeconomic data. The information will lead to the development of a community-led monitoring program which tracks the condition of plants and animals used by local residents.
   
• Thanks in part to efforts by the Conservancy's local partners, the Honduran government in 1999 declared two new protected areas that link Río Plátano with the Bosawas Reserve in Nicaragua. The newly formed corridor covers 5 million acres and forms the largest area of protected land in Central America.

Learn more about our work in the Nicaraguan Mosquitia.