Despite its modest size and significant environmental challenges, Haiti boasts a remarkable richness in ecosystems and species diversity, making it the second largest center of biodiversity in the Caribbean after Cuba. The country’s varied topography and geomorphological characteristics result in distinct climatic zones.

Along its coastline, diverse habitats such as deltas, estuaries, coastal plains, and lagoons are found. This variety supports a broad range of ecosystems, including humid, dry, and mountain forests; inland wetlands like lakes, ponds, rivers, and marshes; semi-arid areas; and coastal and marine environments such as mangroves, estuaries, coral reefs, and seagrass beds, as well as satellite islands.

	Score	Rank	Change
Total Score – NCI 2024	50.1	155	N/A
Land Management	55	86	N/A
Protected Areas (Terrestrial)	28	146	N/A
Ecological Representativeness of Terrestrial Protected Areas	100	1	N/A
Connectedness of Terrestrial Protected Areas	50	104	N/A
Protected Areas (Marine)	6	80	N/A
Pristine Habitat (Converted Land)	100	1	N/A
Sustainable Nitrogen Management (Soil Pollution)	39	87	N/A
Sustainable Pesticide Use	61	47	N/A
Threats to Biodiversity	60	114	N/A
Threatened Species (Terrestrial)	46	176	N/A
Threatened Species (Marine)	63	71	N/A
Threatened Species’ Coverage by Protected Areas	80	122	N/A
Species Coverage by Marine Protected Areas	94	63	N/A
Species with Declining Populations (Terrestrial)	0	165	N/A
Species with Declining Populations (Marine)	0	10	N/A
Depleted Fisheries	63	4	N/A
Fishery Pressure in the High Seas	100	56	N/A
Invasive Species Pressure	91	110	N/A
Capacity and Governance	39	180	N/A
Total Management Cost	99	40	N/A
Conservation Culturomics	27	154	N/A
Conservation Legislation	38	93	N/A
Ratification of CBD	100	1	N/A
Ratification of CITES	100	1	N/A
Political Stability and Absence of Violence	30	124	N/A
Control of Corruption	20	172	N/A
Government Effectiveness	14	177	N/A
Future Trends	48	52	N/A
Climate Change Mitigation	48	52	N/A

Four pillars elaborated:

Land Management

Haiti currently encompasses 27 protected areas, which safeguard 8.61% of its land and inland waters, along with 1.47% of its marine and coastal regions, crucial for preserving the country’s biodiversity and natural legacy. In 2013, Haiti established a network of nine marine protected areas in the South Department, safeguarding vital marine ecosystems and species like coral reefs, mangroves, and sea turtles. Recently, in 2021, Haiti expanded its protected areas with seven new additions, including the Miragoâne Pond Natural National Park and the Port Salut/Aquin Protected Area, reinforcing its dedication to conservation and sustainable progress.

Threats to Biodiversity

Haiti’s abundant biodiversity faces a myriad of anthropogenic threats due to the challenging socio-economic conditions of local communities. Direct pressures include overexploitation of natural resources, extensive deforestation, habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, urban sprawl, pollution, and weak environmental governance exacerbated by political instability. Deforestation, driven by agricultural expansion and charcoal production, has decimated forest cover to just 13%, with primary forests representing a mere 0.36% of the country.

Marine and coastal ecosystems suffer from overfishing, mangrove degradation, pollution, and coral reef damage, exacerbated by climate change and recurrent natural disasters like hurricanes and droughts. With numerous species at risk due to their limited geographic range, the compounding effects of these threats pose a significant risk of irreversible biodiversity loss in Haiti.

Capacity and Governance

Haiti has implemented significant measures to conserve biodiversity, including the 2005 Framework Decree on Environmental Management, which incorporates biodiversity conservation and the protection of ecosystem services into national planning. The country submitted its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan in 2020, aiming to reduce biodiversity loss and ensure equitable benefits for present and future generations.

While Haiti has ratified several international agreements related to biodiversity, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, others like the Cartagena Protocol and the Nagoya Protocol remain pending. Protected areas play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, with Haiti’s National System of Protected Areas covering 4.5% of the country’s area, including 11 marine protected areas, along with UNESCO biosphere reserves like La Selle and La Hotte. However, financing mechanisms for these areas are still in development.

Future Trends

The 2021 Environmental Action Plan in Haiti strives to stop the degradation of biodiversity and ensure the effective management of protected areas. This initiative emphasizes the integration of biodiversity into the country’s long-term sustainability goals. Collaborating with the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, Haiti aims to establish sustainable revenue sources that directly benefit protected areas and conservation endeavors.

Biodiversity

Haiti’s remaining forests, although fragmented, still harbor significant biodiversity. These forests provide habitats for species such as the Hispaniolan hutia, a rodent found only on Hispaniola, and a variety of reptiles and amphibians. Birdlife is also diverse, with species like the Hispaniolan parakeet, the palmchat, and the critically endangered Ridgway’s hawk. The mountainous regions, including the Massif de la Hotte and Massif de la Selle, are particularly important for biodiversity. These areas are home to numerous endemic species of plants and animals. The cloud forests in these mountain ranges support a variety of rare and endangered species, such as the Haitian solenodon, a nocturnal insectivore, and the Hispaniolan trogon, a colorful bird. The mountains are also home to a range of orchids, ferns, and other plant species that are adapted to the cool, moist conditions.

The country’s coastal areas and marine environments are equally important for biodiversity. The mangrove forests along the coast provide crucial nursery habitats for fish and other marine species and serve as important feeding grounds for birds. Haiti’s coral reefs, particularly those around the island of Île-à-Vache and the southern peninsula, are rich in marine life, including colorful coral species, fish, sea turtles, and various invertebrates. These reefs play a vital role in protecting the coastline from erosion and supporting local fisheries.

In the table below are the number of known species in several main groups, how many of these species are Threatened with extinction, and how many of them are Endemic (unique to Haiti only):

	Species (World rank)	Threatened	% Threatened	Endemic	% Endemic
Mammals	56 (#160)	4	7.1%	7	12.5%
Birds	244 (#156)	17	7.0%
Reptiles	126 (#76)	54	42.9%	34	27.0%
Amphibians	57 (#56)	49	86.0%	21	36.8%
Fishes	531 (#110)	46	8.7%	12	2.3%
Plants	5,000 (#68)	93	1.9%	210	4.2%