|
Once the home of Foreign Broadcast Information Service, the gently rolling hills of the refuge lie within the sub-tropical dry forest belt. Because of decades of over grazing much of the native vegetation has been replaced by plants from other regions. These exotics are undesirable because they complete with the native vegetation, reducing diversity and therefore decreasing optimal food and nesting habitat for wildlife.
Grassland management, through haying will alter composition from exotic to native grasses and provide a better home for the native species. Native trees are being planted to return the land to its original mature hardwood forest.
In 1999 an additional 1,249 acres from the Cabo Rojo Salt Flats were added to the Refuge. These lands are considered the most important stop over for migratory and shorebirds in the Eastern Caribbean.
The refuge is also a center for scientists to conduct research. The information they gather helps managers make decisions on how to protect and preserve native wildlife. |
