At the beginning of the week, in the presence of Ministers Dieuseul Simon Desras (Environment), Jean Bauvois Dorsonne (Education), several national and foreign partners as well as the Deputy of Ganthier and Senator Renel Sénatus, was held the official launch of the development works of the first National Botanic Garden of Haiti (JBNH).

The JBNH will be set up in the commune of Ganthier, at Source Zabeth, in the heart of the Biosphere Reserve of La Selle (Southeast). With an area of 70 hectares, comprising more than 27 water sources and more than 80 species of indigenous trees, the JBNH will promote the creation of at least 200 direct jobs, said the Minister Desras, which took the opportunity to remind the richness of biodiversity, which includes more than 5,000 species of plants and more than 600 species of ferns.

Jean Coulanges, gave the assurance that UNESCO fully supports this project, which he believes will give Haiti international visibility and contribute to improving living conditions in the community, recalling "In 2012 and 2016 we launched respectively 2 Biosphere reserves: La Selle or the departments of the West and South-East and that of La Hotte regrouping several communes of the departments of the South, Nippes and Grand'Anse" wishing that Haiti after the JBNH sees the creation of other gardens of this kind in the country.

Representatives of the botanical gardens of Missouri, Shanghai, the Dominican Republic and Cornell University were present to support this initiative, particularly in the training of human resources.

"This Botanical Garden will be a training tool for students in earth sciences and their teachers [...] said Minister Dorsonne, stressing that it "demonstrates our willingness as a people to develop a relationship harmonious and respectful with our environment [...]" before thanking all the partners who contributed to the implementation of the first actions for the establishment of this Garden.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20266-haiti-environment-launch-of-the-work-of-the-national-botanical-garden.html

S/ HaitiLibre