La Muralla National Park
Encyclopedia
La Muralla National Park is a national park
in Honduras
. It was established on 1 January 1993. and covers an area of approximately 13,708.35 ha
and a buffer zone of 13,195.05 ha
for a total area of 26,903.48 ha
.
The park is part of three municipalities of the Department of Olancho, Honduras. Approximately 80% of the park is located in La Unión
, with approximately 10% in Jano
and Esquipulas del Norte
, respectively.
it has struggled to maintain the protected area due to lack of government support. Shortly after its creation a community group Organization for the Protection of National Park La Muralla (OPMA) was created, but has since stopped functioning for lack of financial support. On April 23, 2002 the Association of Community Services Union (ASECUN) was founded and is currently providing community support for La Muralla and other environmental projects.
Other players involved in the protection and maintenance of the park include:
, Pasiflorácea and Solanaceae
. In 2001, the Paseo Pantera project cataloged 859 species of plants, including the previously recorded 101, corresponding to 410 genera and 127 botanical families.
The biggest impact of this study was the addition 65 new species not yet registered, and three new genera of plants which are endemic to Honduras
: Bartlettina williamsii, Saurauia molinae, and Tetrorchirium molinae.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. It was established on 1 January 1993. and covers an area of approximately 13,708.35 ha
Ha
-Science and measurement:* Hahnium, an element now called Dubnium* Hectare , a unit of area* Hectoampere, a unit of electric current* Hemagglutinin , an antigenic glycoprotein from Influenza viruses...
and a buffer zone of 13,195.05 ha
Ha
-Science and measurement:* Hahnium, an element now called Dubnium* Hectare , a unit of area* Hectoampere, a unit of electric current* Hemagglutinin , an antigenic glycoprotein from Influenza viruses...
for a total area of 26,903.48 ha
Ha
-Science and measurement:* Hahnium, an element now called Dubnium* Hectare , a unit of area* Hectoampere, a unit of electric current* Hemagglutinin , an antigenic glycoprotein from Influenza viruses...
.
The park is part of three municipalities of the Department of Olancho, Honduras. Approximately 80% of the park is located in La Unión
La Unión
La Union or La Unión may refer to:-Colombia:*La Unión, Antioquia*La Unión, Nariño*La Unión, Sucre*La Unión, Valle del Cauca-Peru:*La Unión Province, Peru...
, with approximately 10% in Jano
Jano
Jano is a town and municipality in the north west of the Honduran department of Olancho, west of Guata, south of Esquipulas del Norte and north of Manto.Jano Fair is an American god, based on the idea of seeking education and freedom....
and Esquipulas del Norte
Esquipulas del Norte
Esquipulas del Norte is a municipality in the north west of the Honduran department of Olancho, east of Guata and north of Jano....
, respectively.
Recent History
La Muralla was designated a national park in January of 1993, but like many national parks in HondurasHonduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
it has struggled to maintain the protected area due to lack of government support. Shortly after its creation a community group Organization for the Protection of National Park La Muralla (OPMA) was created, but has since stopped functioning for lack of financial support. On April 23, 2002 the Association of Community Services Union (ASECUN) was founded and is currently providing community support for La Muralla and other environmental projects.
Other players involved in the protection and maintenance of the park include:
- Institute of Forestry Conservation for the government of HondurasHondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
(ICF) - PANAM Foundation
- Project for Forests and Rural Productivity (PBPR)
- The Nature ConservancyThe Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
(TNC)
Biodiversity
The first studies of biodiversity in La Muralla were conducted by the Forestry Conservation Project of Honduras (CONSEFORH) in 1992. A total of 101 plants were identified, including melastome families, LauraceaeLauraceae
The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The family contains about 55 genera and over 3500, perhaps as many as 4000, species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America...
, Pasiflorácea and Solanaceae
Solanaceae
Solanaceae are a family of flowering plants that include a number of important agricultural crops as well as many toxic plants. The name of the family comes from the Latin Solanum "the nightshade plant", but the further etymology of that word is unclear...
. In 2001, the Paseo Pantera project cataloged 859 species of plants, including the previously recorded 101, corresponding to 410 genera and 127 botanical families.
The biggest impact of this study was the addition 65 new species not yet registered, and three new genera of plants which are endemic to Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
: Bartlettina williamsii, Saurauia molinae, and Tetrorchirium molinae.