Macaya

Overview

Macaya is the largest mountain range of the Massif de la Hotte of southwestern Haiti, and largest hot spot of biodiversity in Haiti. It is immediately east of Chaîne de la Grande Colline and consists of two east-west oriented ridges (Morne Formon and Morne Macaya) attached by a saddle near the middle. The highest peak (Macaya) is 2347 meters in elevation, and 8588 hectares of land are above 1000 meters (468 hectares above 2000 meters). The upper elevations of the mountain range are contained within Macaya National Park, the larger of the two national parks in Haiti, home to about 900 species of plants (including 123 species of orchids), 31 species of frogs, 27 species of reptiles, and 73 species of birds. New species of amphibians, reptiles, and other organisms continue to be discovered in Macaya. The mountain range is the focus of protection and a management plan that is in the process of being developed by the Ministry of Environment. However, tree-cutting continues somewhat in the park, even at the highest elevations.