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Bladen Nature Reserve is a landscape of caves, sinkholes, pristine streams and rivers, undisturbed old growth rainforest and an abundance of highly diverse flora and fauna which includes a great deal of rare and endemic species. Widely described as the crown jewel of Belize’s protected areas, Bladen is considered to be one of the most biodiversity-rich, and geographically unique areas within the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. At Bladen forms a significant portion of the Key Biodiversity Area〔Meerman J. (2007). Establishing a Baseline to Monitor Species and Key Biodiversity Areas in Belize. Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund〕 of the Maya Mountains Massif which was identified as one of the most important blocks of protected areas within Belize and more broadly, Mesoamerica, itself a region considered a world ‘hotspot for species diversity’〔Conservation International (2003) Biodiversity Hotspots - Mesoamerica. www.biodiversityhotspots.org〕 and considered critical for the preservation of the biodiversity of the Western Hemisphere. At its most sheltered points, west of the rugged karst (limestone) hills, Bladen has protection from many of the destructive storms that hit the Caribbean coastline, resulting in a forest with a little-disturbed structure, tall trees of impressive stature and intact ecosystems. The large number of ecosystems encompassed within the Nature Reserve highlights its importance as a strictly protected conservation area. Bladen protects species diversity across a great range of elevations, which according to recent evidence includes several potential new and endemic species.〔Nicholas Wicks N., Pizii B., Walker P., Matamoros W., Medina M., Miller N., Bonilla V., Rapid Ecological Assessment of Central River (2010) (Ya'axche Conservation Trust )〕 Within the Maya Mountains, Bladen forms a crucial link between Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary to the northeast and Columbia River Forest Reserve to the southwest. Chiquibul National Park and Forest Reserve lie to the northwest, connecting to the protected areas system in Guatemala. With the rapid clearance of forested areas throughout Central America, this is part of the last remaining large, relatively intact block of forest within the region – the Selva Maya - stretching from Belize through to Guatemala and Mexico. This large expanse of primarily forested uplands and valleys is essential for the survival of species such as the jaguar, scarlet macaw, white-lipped peccary and harpy eagle, which need large contiguous forest stretches in order to maintain viable populations. Management Bladen is one of three nature reserves within Belize, and is managed through partnership between the Government of Belize and the Ya'axché Conservation Trust (Ya’axché). Ya’axché took over management in December 2008 and has a letter of intent from the Belize Forest Department to co-manage the protected area. Ya'axché now assumes responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Reserve. ==Characteristics== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bladen Nature Reserve」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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