Cuban Ecologists Bring Back Nature
Sunday morning the machetes are still sharp as they cut undergrowth at the Rincon de Guanabo nature center east of Havana on the first day of a renewed mission to preserve Cuban wildlife.

Its beginning almost a decade ago included many world friends like the Dutch Hivos, or Italian Havanecopolis, and has even included a group of performance artists who did a nature dance.

Eduardo Guillen, historian, current director and member of the Cuban caving society for 20 years, appreciates that solidarity and stresses even more today´s national participation of collaborators like the NGO Pro-Natureleza, the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Science Environment and Technology and national system of protected areas.

The new project leader says "any patriot has to love his or her and sea, and that´s what we´re here to protect."

Salsa music plays while ajiaco stew is prepared for lunch, and the 20-strong group of militant environmentalists work intently on restoring this locale, a little abandoned after recent hurricanes and management neglect.

Carlos Vazquez, collaborator from the Botanical Gardens of Cuba, says they´re going to try and recover some very local species and forgotten Cuban fruits like sea grapes.

Juan Santana, a new administrator, gives a tour of the lagoon trail and points out evidence of land crabs and mangroves. He says "some migratory birds make a layover here on their way north," but with ducks swimming behind him says he has heard on no cases of bird flu.

Jaime Corona, a diver with the project since its beginning, says "of course I am an ecologist. I believe in protecting the environment above all over things. Our project extends over a massive area east of Havana, called by the aborigines Sibarimar."

When he is underwater viewing the fragile coral reef, he says he feels like "we have lost so much already, and it´s time to put it back."

* Mike Fuller is an American writer and translator who is currently residing in Havana.