Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (12) – Forests, natural areas in danger (A)

Forests worldwide are under threat. This includes forests on our islands. Television and newspapers regularly report that forests are being cut down, burned, bulldozed, plundered, and so on. Terms like biodiversity, habitat destruction, impoverishment, and erosion are all used to illustrate the threats to forests. But what exactly does all this mean? What actually happens when a piece of forest is removed while many others remain? And what about this process on our islands?

Wild flowers: Indju, Kwihi, Palu di Kuida

Have you ever noticed the flowers of the Indju, Kwihi or Palu di Kuida tree, also called Mesquite.

Wild flowers: Hilu di diabel

The Hilu di Diabel is very easy to recognize. If you see a bush along the side of the road that is covered with long orange-yellow tentacle-like threads, then you have located a specimen of Dodder

Wild flowers – Sida ciliaris

Yerba di pinda, a native plant, most people will not look at twice!

Wild flowers – Indigofera tinctoria

The True Indigo or Indigofera tinctoria is not native to the islands but was introduced in colonial times.

Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (11) – Cacti; special trees

The most picturesque plant on our islands is simply the cactus, and especially the columnar cactus. On the islands there are three different native columnar cacti that each have their own name on each of the islands. Learn how to differentiate between them.

Wild flowers – Bourreria succulenta

A tree that will lose its leaves when the drought keep going on, but is also often the last one to drop all its leaves when it gets to dry.

Wild flowers – Opuntia elatior

De Opuntia elatior is a rare leaf cactis that can be found on the ABC-islands.

Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (10) – Trees in our local history

Our history is full of trees. Used as building materials, as a food supply for humans and livestock, to tan leather of to make quicklime, the stories are ample.

Wild flowers – Aloe vera

Introduced to the ABC-islands in colonial times, the Aloe vera plant is now almost naturalized on the islands and grows in the wild.

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