Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve is a protected area in Belize, Central America. It falls under category (Ia) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature protected areas categories. [1] It is managed by the Belize Forest Department and co-managed by the Belize Karst Habitat Conservation.
Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve (TMNR), Belize’s very first nature reserve, comprises 6,286 acres of pristine lowland tropical evergreen forest on limestone (karstic) soils. Nestled in the lowland foothills below the north-facing escarpment of the Maya Mountains Massif, it is located a mere eight miles southwest of Belmopan, Belize’s capital, and five miles south of the Western Highway corridor that connects Belize City with the Guatemalan border. TMNR lies entirely within the Belize River watershed and provides significant protection of the Barton Creek and Roaring Creek sub-watersheds. Barton Creek partially defines TMNR’s western boundary and Roaring Creek its eastern boundary. The undisturbed forested landscapes of TMNR drain into these two creeks, providing a significant watershed buffer for the downstream communities of Teakettle, Ontario, and Blackman Eddy. Characteristic landscape features of the reserve’s rugged limestone topography include sinkholes and underground streams and caves formed from erosion of the porous karstic layer. Water can be scarce in this karst landscape, especially during the dry months, during which smaller streams that emerge as springs within the hill slopes, retreat underground. Due to reduced rainfall and seasonally dry conditions, forests on limestone tend to have species adapted to drought conditions.
The primary stakeholder communities of TMNR are located on the Western Highway. These include Teakettle (population: 1,747), Ontario (population: 775) and Blackman Eddy (population: 534). Their primary focus is agricultural activities and employment in the tourism sector. Other communities also considered in the area include Upper and Lower Barton Creek (populations: 380 and 193 respectively) and El Progresso-7 Miles (population: 483). All three are farming communities.
The forest ecosystems of TMNR support a rich diversity of flora and fauna with perhaps as many as a thousand species of plants (of which only a fraction have been documented to date), at least 55 mammal species, and more than 340 species of birds (and counting). The reserve protects two of Belize’s high-risk species –Central American Spider Monkey and White lipped Peccary. Three species – Baird’s Tapir, Central American Spider Monkey, and Yucatan Black Howler Monkey are globally ‘Endangered’ under IUCN classification, and one (White-lipped Peccary) is classified as ‘Vulnerable’. TMNR has also been identified as an important wintering habitat for migratory bird species and as an important forest foraging site for the critically endangered Orange-breasted Falcon, which nests in the Mountain Pine Ridge three miles to the south.
Protected areas of Tasmania consist of protected areas located within Tasmania and its immediate onshore waters, including Macquarie Island. It includes areas of crown land managed by Tasmanian Government agencies as well as private reserves. As of 2016, 52% of Tasmania's land area has some form of reservation classification, the majority is managed by the Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service. Marine protected areas cover about 7.9% of state waters.
Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Bố Trạch and Minh Hóa districts of central Quảng Bình Province in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam, about 500 km south of Hanoi. The park borders the Hin Namno National Park in Khammouane Province, Laos to the west and 42 km east of the South China Sea from its borderline point. Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park is in a limestone zone of 2,000 km2 in Vietnamese territory and borders another limestone zone of 2,000 km2 of Hin Namno in Laotian territory. The core zone of this national park covers 857.54 km2 and a buffer zone of 1,954 km2.
The Macal River is a river running through Cayo District in western Belize. Sites along the river include the ancient Mayan town of Cahal Pech and the Belize Botanic Gardens. The Macal River discharges to the Belize River. There are several tributaries to the Macal River including the following streams: Privassion, Rio On, Rio Frio, Mollejon and Cacao Camp.
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the Stann Creek District of south-central Belize. It was established to protect the forests, fauna and watersheds of an approximately 400 square kilometres (150 sq mi) area of the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains.
Monkey River is a coastal watercourse in southern Belize that rises in the Maya Mountains and discharges to the Caribbean Sea near Monkey River Town. One of Belize's major rivers, Monkey River has northern headwaters which originate in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, where the Swasey Branch drains the East Basin of that wildlife sanctuary. Further south, the Bladen Branch watercourse drains the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains including the ancient Mayan settlement areas of Lubaantun and Nim Li Punit. These two watercourses join to form the Monkey River approximately 16 kilometres upstream from the mouth of the Monkey River. The Monkey River is readily navigated throughout the year using small boats, but navigation above the major confluence becomes more difficult due to lack of depth when the dry season starts about February. Habitats in this watershed provide cover for such diverse species as the ocelot, jaguar, Guatemalan black howler, bare-throated tiger heron, Morelet's crocodile, fer-de-lance and manatee.
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is a nature reserve in the Cayo District of southern central Belize. It was established in 1944 to protect and manage the native Belizean pine forests. Its boundaries are poorly defined, but it is estimated to cover an area of 106,352.5 acres (430 km2), although much of the reserve has been leased.
Chiquibul National Park is Belize's largest national park. It is 1,073 km2 (414 sq mi) in size. The park is located in Belize's Cayo District. The national park surrounds Caracol, a Mayan city. Caracol has been designated as an archaeological reserve and is not included within the park's total area. Chiquibul Forest Reserve is adjacent to the park.
The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center is a zoo in Belize, located some 47 kilometres (29 mi) west of Belize City on the Western Highway. Set in 12 hectares, the zoo was founded in 1983 by Sharon Matola. It is home to more than 175 animals of about 48 species, all native to Belize. The natural environment of Belize is left entirely intact within the zoo. The dense, natural vegetation is separated only by gravel trails through the forest. The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center receives over 68,000 visitors annually, with 15,000 being students, teachers, and parents.
Bladen Nature Reserve is a landscape of caves, sinkholes, pristine streams and rivers, undisturbed old growth rainforest and an abundance of highly diverse flora and fauna which includes a great deal of rare and endemic species.
Rio Abajo State Forest is a forest preserve in Puerto Rico owned by the Department of Natural Resources and one of the 20 state forests in the island. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1980 and constitutes an area of 3,590 acres. It consists mostly of subtropical wet and moist karst forest. Mogotes and sinkholes fill the landscape. The forest preserve is located in the municipalities of Arecibo and Utuado. In addition to its ecological value the forest also contains a number of archaeological sites.
Pook's Hill is a private forest reserve, bird sanctuary, and archaeological site in Cayo District, Belize, 12 miles (19 km) west of Belmopan. The Mayan site contains temples, a plazuela, midden, banquet hall, and burial sites. Facilities within the reserve include Pook's Hill Lodge, an ecotourism resort.
Shipstern Conservation and Management Area is a protected area located in the Corozal District of northeastern Belize.
The Golden Stream Corridor Preserve is a nature preserve in Belize with a unique diversity of habitat types and ecosystems. The preserve is owned and managed by Ya'axche' Conservation Trust. The preserve protects the Golden Stream watershed.
Five Blues Lake National Park is a 10-acre parcel of tropical forest in Belize, which is enclosed by over 4,000 acres of limestone hills. The lake obtained its name from the different shades of blue it reflects from the different water depths and the reflection of sunlight through the trees that frame the lake. The lake is maintained by an Association of Friends living in the Village of St. Margret's, a few minutes from the lakeside. Beside the lake is a shoreline of sunken limestone at the edge of the lake which leads to Orchid Island, where an abundance of wild orchids grows. In 2007, a drought was thought to have condemned the lake; studies were conducted to determine the cause.
The Billy Barquedier National Park is a national park in Belize, located between 16.5–19 miles on the Hummingbird Highway in Stann Creek District, south of Belize City. It is located between the Mullins River and Stann Creek watersheds.
The Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the Toledo District of southern Belize. It encompasses approximately 5,492 acres (22.23 km2) and was declared a sanctuary in 1998. The Sanctuary is critical for the preservation of biodiversity in Belize and the region. The National Park protects the central wetlands areas which consist of three fresh water lagoons and a hot-spring connected by a number of creeks hence the name Aguacaliente. It is co-managed by the Aguacaliente Management Team (AMT), a consortium of people from adjacent villages.
The Maya Golden Landscape is an area in Belize of approximately 275,000 hectares consisting of protected areas, agriculture, private lands and many small communities that is under the management of the Ya'axché Conservation Trust in Toledo District. The Landscape area encompasses the Bladen Nature Reserve, Colombia River Forest Reserve, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Deep River Forest River Reserve, Port Honduras Marine Reserve, along with commercial and subsistence farmland. Most of the area is dominated with various types of broadleaf forests which varies with topography, soil type and the disturbance history. One disturbance that affect the area, as well, is fires caused by agricultural farming due to the slash and burn practice.
The Samar Island Natural Park, in Samar, is the largest contiguous tract of old-growth forest in the Philippines. It is the country's largest terrestrial protected area, with an area of 333,300 hectares. The buffer is spread north to south over the island's three provinces and totals 458,700 hectares, about a third of the entire island of Samar.
Selva El Ocote is a biosphere reserve in Mexico. It includes mid-elevation and highland rain forests and extensive caverns.