Update to Jeannette Kawas National Park After the Fire
This past weekend, a group of persons set fire to the heart of Jeannette Kawas National Park. The raging fire burned over 400 hectares, equivalent to about 1000 acres, of pristine tropical forests. It took the effort of the Honduran Air Force, the Honduras Army, the Tela Firemen and most of the population of Tela to extinguish the fire. The success was made possible thanks to the support and direct actions by the United States Bravo Task Force based at the Soto Cano Air Force base near Comayagua, who pitched in with a total of 4 helicopters, and a large contingent of persons who worked day and night for over 5 days.
Although the result is tragic, and we hope the culprits are found, put before a trial and sentenced, the good news is that no human lives were lost. It will take years to quantify the damages caused to the eco system.
On the bright side, we can categorically state that the most visited natural attraction in Tela is completely unaffected and open to the public. I refer to the Punta Sal Peninsula, which is part of the Jeannette Kawas National Park. The damage to the park is deep inside, and there are no visible signs of it from the coast line, which you follow on the boat trip from the beaches in Tela to Punta Sal. In addition, for those looking to visit the Garifuna Village of Miami, access is normal and there is no damage to be seen neither from the access road nor from the Los Micos Lagoon, which is also one of the main tourist attractions for the Jeannette Kawas National Park.
From a visitor’s point of view, Tela, and the Punta Sal National Park continue to be a very attractive part of Destination Atlantida and can be enjoyed to the fullest.
I hope you find this update to Jeannette Kawas National Park useful and that can proceed to continue your plans of visiting Tela and Jeannette Kawas National Park. As a matter of fact, if you are interested in helping restore the damaged area of the park; one good way to do so is by visiting Tela and buying a tour to the park. When you do so with one of the official tour operators, you are paying an entrance fee that goes to the park administration, and the funds will be extremely handy in the wake of efforts to restore the damage and keep invaders out of the park.