Description: Cuba’s System of National Protected Areas (Sistema Nacional de Areas Protegidas [SNAP]) are managed by the Center for Natural Protected Areas (Centro Nacional de Areas Protegidas [CNAP]). Although the first National Park, Pico Cristal, was established in 1930 and the first national environmental protection laws were passed in 1959, the establishment of SNAP in 1999 created the unified, legally protected system that exists today. Cuba’s eight Protected Areas management categories follow IUCN Protected Areas Categories System definitions. These categories are: natural reserve (IUCN Category 1a equivalent), national park/ecological reserve (IUCN Cateogry II equivalent), natural outstanding element/monument (IUCN Category III), wildlife refuge/managed flora reserve (IUCN Category IV equivalent), protected natural landscape/seascape (IUCN Category V), and protected area of managed resources (IUCN Catatory VI).
Copyright Text: I.U.C.N. Global Protected Areas Programme