CubaPLUS Magazine

A rather unusual landscape in the Cuban archipelago welcomes the traveler in  Los Pretiles Ecological Reserve, located on the grounds of Mantua, in the western province of Pinar del Río, where it extends 17,100 ha.

Rather, two large groups of landscapes characterize it: the originating on a complex cumulative fluvio-marine plain located in Arroyos de Mantua-La Esperanza and the largest, which is the one existing in the submerged natural kingdom of Los Archipelagos Colorados.

It has the Buenavista, Rapado Grande and Rapado Chico keys, of the Los Colorados archipelago, an inland sea that dies in the sand where the beautiful very low emerged plain begins, sustenance of complex sandy vegetation, mangrove forests and swamps; in addition to exhibiting valleys with gallery forests, among other natural values. The forests are splendid, where pine trees predominate in this protected area.

The swamp (evergreen microphyllous), forest in gallery, pine forest, sandy savannah with pines, pine forest mangroves, complex of sandy coast and seagrasses, with great rich ways of life. A great wealth of geological components define it, with the observation of different lithological formations, in total 8. There are very low areas with marsh and river deposits.

Towards higher bordering parts, the Esperanza formation appears, while among the enclaves of the mountain range is the San Cayetano formation. Its magnificent forests, made up mostly of specimens of the so called Cuban female pine, grow in defiance of a patch of very white sand, a uniqueness that makes them of special interest to conservationists and very attractive for passing visitors, since those places are unique.

Along with mangroves, they are highly valued, and even more so, when lavish in other species of the flora of studied endemism and resilience in such an original environment, where there is a strong interaction with natural elements.

Most of the extensive ecosystem is within the  Beauty and exclusivity in Los . Rather, two large groups of landscapes characterize it: the originating on a complex cumulative and denudative fluvio-marine plain located in Arroyos de Mantua-La Esperanza and the largest, which is the one existing in the submerged natural kingdom of the Los Archipelago Colorados. It has the Buenavista, Rapado Grande and Rapado Chico keys, of the Los Colorados archipelago, an inland sea that dies in the sand where the beautiful very low emerged plain begins, sustenance of complexes of sandy vegetation, mangrove forests and swamps; in addition to exhibiting valleys with gallery forests, among other values natural. The forests are splendid, where pine trees predominate in this protected area. The swamp (microphyllous evergreen), forest in gallery, pine forest, sandy savannah with pines, pine forest mangroves, complex of sandy coast and seagrasses, with great richness of ways of life. A great wealth of geological components define it, with the observation of different lithological formations, in total 8. There are very low areas with marsh and river deposits.

Towards higher bordering parts, the Esperanza formation appears, while in the enclaves of the mountain range is the San Cayetano formation. Its magnificent forests, made up mostly of specimens of the called Cuban female pine. They grow in defiance of a patch of sand very white, a uniqueness that makes them of special interest to conservationists and very attractive for passing visitors, since their places are unique.

Along with mangroves, they are highly valued, and even more so, when lavish in other species of the flora of studied endemism and resilience in such an original environment where there is a strong interaction with natural elements. Most of the extensive ecosystem is within the platform underwater.

However, the terrestrial flora has 345 species, of which 327 are registered as superior plants, among them 18 of ferns, with notable endemism. The fauna is also incredible, both in the terrestrial and underwater environment and the isolation and time have contributed to its evolution and conservation, a fact that is appreciated better when humans are interested in contacting that wealth in the platform underwater.

However, the terrestrial flora has 345 species, of which 327 are registered as superior plants, among them 18 of ferns, with notable endemism. The fauna is also incredible, both in the terrestrial and underwater environment and the isolation and time have contributed to its evolution and conservation, a fact that is appreciated better when humans are interested in contacting that wealth.