CarambolaBotanical Gardens and Nature Trails - Sandy Bay, Roatan, Honduras |
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Carambola
Botanical Gardens
Where Naturalists, Botanists, Professors and Students Come to Experience Nature!
Opened in 1985
Dedicated to the Environmental
Education of the
Children of the
Bay Islands of Honduras
Inspiration
for the development of Carambola Botanical Gardens on Roatan Island came from several visits to Lancetilla Gardens in Tela, Honduras. Lancetilla
was established as an experimental site by the Tela Railroad Company
in 1926.
In 1974 the name
was change to Botanical Gardens Dr. Wilson Popenoe, in his honor
for establishing this experimental
garden with exotic fruit trees and ornamentals from around the
world. This garden boast the world’s
largest collection of Asian fruit plants and today is one of Honduras
outstanding eco destinations. This
name is appropriate for us at Carambola to honor this extraordinary
American explorer, educator and
friend of Latin America who made a difference in this country
and throughout Latin America, as we strive
to make our island and our country as a whole a better place.
Carambola
Botanical Gardens are situated along the banks of Mahogany
Creek. This 40 acres of 100% Natural, Eco-Friendly, showcase of nature, is spectacular! Bridges connect walkways
that lead the visitor through areas of flowering plants, ferns, fruit and nut
trees such as Cashews,
Soursop and Carambola (Star fruit). Hardwoods include Spanish
Cedar, Teak, Cordia, Carreto. Among
the natives we have Hog plum, Gumbolimbo (the Naked Indian/Tourist
tree), Trumpet tree, Teta, and Masica
to name a few. The palm selection consists of Royal, Fishtail,
Areca, Phoenix, Pindo, Fan Date,
Chamaedorea, Veitchia and the Majestic Norfolk pine that command
the gardens. Magnificent Royal Poincianas
await you at the main entrance.
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Roatan Carambola Botanical Gardens Paths and Walkways
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Throughout
the trails it is common to encounter rusty red rodents locally
known as Guatusa rabbits feeding
on Cohoon Palm nuts; also we find a large number of Anoli lizards
(green and blue) and Green and Black Iguanas sunbathing
on the sunny canopy branches. Other wildlife include endemics
such Guatusa Ruatanica, Norops
roatanensis (American Flag Anole), Ctenosaura oedirhina (Wishwilly
or Garrobo).
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Enulius roatanensis (Roatan Long Tail Snake), and Micrurus ruatanus (Coral Snake) are found on other areas of Roatan. From time to time you may see among the rocks in the dry creek bed a boa constrictor known locally as Pink Boa a very inoffensive shy an elusive snake that feeds mainly on rats. There is a very small population of white Tail Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) on Roatan Island which is the National Mammal.
The Garden
today, is a wildlife habitat to resident tropical birds such as
Caribbean White Crown Pigeon, Smooth
Bill Ani, Golden Fronted Woodpecker, Brown Hawk, Fork Tail Emeralds
and Green Breasted Mango
Hummingbirds just to name the most common and a sanctuary to various
species of migrants such as Warblers,
Vireos, Thrushes, Tanagers and others from Mid August to May each
year. |
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Green Breasted Mango Hummingbirds
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Baby Golden Fronted Woodpecker
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The Environmental Eco-Friendly Education Program
All local Roatan students and teachers are allowed to enter the gardens free of charge. Teachers are encouraged to use the Garden's to teach students the importance of conservation and introduce "hands on" projects that will allow students to gain a better understanding of how nature works.
Middle School and High School students are given an introduction to native flora and fauna so they can better understand the environment they live in and how to preserve it. Agroforestry techniques are also taught to the students to develop school nurseries and engage students in conservation and propagation projects.
Carambola Gardens also participates in a large Roatan Community Outreach Program. A long term collaborative agreement has been signed with the Bay Islands Conservation Association (BICA) which is a local Bay Island non profit environmental organization working since 1990 in protected area management. The Environmental Education and sustainable Development is to further education through field trips for students to learn about the importance and uses of our flora and fauna and promote changes in attitudes. This will lead to our Islands long term protection and hands on activities such as agroforestry techniques in order to promote awareness for reforestation projects and adoption of school nurseries as well as area+s of the Island that need environmental protection.
On an annual basis, plants are donated to schools for school reforestation projects at public selected areas along our streets and main roads. The Gardens also serve as a special location for community meetings and workshops free of charge.
Our ongoing Roatan Recycling Program consists of collecting hundreds of large damaged plastic water jugs donated by Sun Water and then turning them into plant containers for our garden nursery. We also fill them with cement and use them as a support for our garden benches, thus reducing the volume of plastic that goes to our local garbage land fill.
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