Abstract

Alejandro de Humboldt National Park is located in the easternmost region of the country, encompassing the provinces of Guantánamo and Holguín. It is one of the most extensive reserves in the country in its terrestrial part and constitutes the main core of the Cuchillas del Toa Biosphere Reserve. Due to its high values of endemism represented both in its flora and fauna, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. The marine-coastal area of the PNAH covers an extension of 2640 hectares of marine area, and as a resource, it possesses a strategic character, representing not only a magnificent opportunity for the social and economic well-being of the area but also a significant challenge for its sustainable development. Among the main objectives of the research are: to conduct baseline environmental studies to have an inventory of natural and physical resources, characterizing the impacts on the natural resources of the marine-coastal sector of the PNAH, train some community members and workers in diving techniques, carry out training activities on sustainable fishing and an environmental education program in local communities for the sustainable conservation of marine resources. Thanks to this project, the official certification of six new divers is achieved, along with the training of area workers and fishers on the protocols for monitoring marine-coastal ecosystems. Baseline environmental studies are being carried out, and the marine inventories continue to be enriched. An environmental education program is implemented. This project works in synergy with the State Plan Tarea Vida