St.Maarten/St.Martin
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sugar. There are more guavaberry trees growing here than anywhere else in the world. The Hidden Forest of Loterie Farm in Pic Paradis boasts 135 acres of lush, tropical vegetation. Here you can wan- der through a towering 300-year-old mango plantation, see the breadfruit trees that infamous Captain Bligh left behind, and walk among verdant cano- pies of banana, royal palms, cashew, silk cotton, indigo, cherry and tropical pines. You can also take a tour called the “Fly Zone” – a speedy, exciting journey through the treetops provided on zip lines. St. Maarten Park is a unique zoo- logical, botanical and floral garden where you can admire many of the island’s most colorful blooming boughs. Mangroves play one of the most important roles in the ecological health of this island. Nature foundations from both the Dutch and French sides have been working in tandem to ensure existing forests are well protected for generations to come as they act as virtual nurseries for new fish life and nesting areas for waterfowl. If you would like more information or would like to donate toward the continued preservation of the mangroves, visit www.naturefoundationsxm.org or www.epicislands.org. Regardless of which beautiful boughs of this island you set out to discover, you are sure to agree with American poet Karle Wilson Baker who wrote, “Today I have grown taller from walking with the trees.” 63 Nights Scenery Photos by James Johnston Breadfruit Flamboyant Guavaberry blossoming beauty from May until September. Roland Richardson, one of St. Martin’s best-known artists, often pays homage to it on canvas. The tamarind tree is also note- worthy for its orange blossoms, but its pods are more appreciated for their pulpy fruit, which is used to make the sweet and sour syrup popular in many West Indian dishes. The tamarind also holds a place in ancient folkloric super- stition. Legend has it that the “jumbies” (unhappy dead spirits) come out to spook the living who happen to linger under its branches at midnight. The guavaberry tree is very tightly tied to this culture since the famous guavaberry spirit, the island’s national liqueur, is made from its tiny berries along with oak-aged rum and cane 62 Nights Scenery Early European settlers cleared much of the original hardwood forests of mahogany, silk cotton, white cedar and lignum vitae for their timber and to make way for agriculture. Today, the second and third generations of trees consist of many different species typical of the West Indies, like coconut palms whose buoyant seeds have traveled to countless shores. However, there are some trees that definitely stand head and shoulders above the rest as intrinsically tied to this island’s unique identity, culture and history. The flamboyant tree (also known as the royal poinciana and more collo- quially as the “flame tree”) takes center stage as the national tree of both sides of the island. It turns the tropical hills into a flaming sea of red and orange Beautiful Boughs by Susan Campbell Throughout the ages, the trees of this island have inspired artists, sheltered and fed generations, provided unique products for export and secured havens for entire ecosystems. The Manchineel Tree looks harmless enough, but its bark secretes a poisonous sap that causes a painful rash and its sweet-smelling green fruit is highly toxic. Never sit on one or take shelter under one when it rains. If you come into contact with this toxic tree, seek medical help immediately. Tamarind Caution! This Bark has Bite! Manchineel
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The trees of the island.
Transcript of St.Maarten/St.Martin
sugar. There are more guavaberry treesgrowing here than anywhere else in the world.
The Hidden Forest of Loterie Farmin Pic Paradis boasts 135 acres of lush,tropical vegetation. Here you can wan-der through a towering 300-year-oldmango plantation, see the breadfruittrees that infamous Captain Bligh leftbehind, and walk among verdant cano-pies of banana, royal palms, cashew,silk cotton, indigo, cherry and tropicalpines. You can also take a tour calledthe “Fly Zone” – a speedy, excitingjourney through the treetops providedon zip lines.
St. Maarten Park is a unique zoo-logical, botanical and floral gardenwhere you can admire many of theisland’s most colorful blooming boughs.
Mangroves play one of the mostimportant roles in the ecological healthof this island. Nature foundations fromboth the Dutch and French sides havebeen working in tandem to ensureexisting forests are well protected forgenerations to come as they act asvirtual nurseries for new fish life andnesting areas for waterfowl. If youwould like more information or wouldlike to donate toward the continuedpreservation of the mangroves, visitwww.naturefoundationsxm.org orwww.epicislands.org.
Regardless of which beautifulboughs of this island you set out to discover, you are sure to agree withAmerican poet Karle Wilson Baker whowrote, “Today I have grown taller fromwalking with the trees.” l
63Nights
Scenery
Photos by James Johnston
Breadfruit
Flamboyant
Guavaberryblossoming beauty from May untilSeptember. Roland Richardson, one ofSt. Martin’s best-known artists, oftenpays homage to it on canvas.
The tamarind tree is also note-worthy for its orange blossoms, but itspods are more appreciated for theirpulpy fruit, which is used to make thesweet and sour syrup popular in manyWest Indian dishes. The tamarind alsoholds a place in ancient folkloric super-stition. Legend has it that the “jumbies”(unhappy dead spirits) come out tospook the living who happen to lingerunder its branches at midnight.
The guavaberry tree is very tightlytied to this culture since the famousguavaberry spirit, the island’s nationalliqueur, is made from its tiny berriesalong with oak-aged rum and cane
62 Nights
Scenery
Early European settlers clearedmuch of the original hardwood forestsof mahogany, silk cotton, white cedarand lignum vitae for their timber andto make way for agriculture. Today, thesecond and third generations of treesconsist of many different species typicalof the West Indies, like coconut palmswhose buoyant seeds have traveled tocountless shores. However, there aresome trees that definitely stand head andshoulders above the rest as intrinsicallytied to this island’s unique identity,culture and history.
The flamboyant tree (also knownas the royal poinciana and more collo-quially as the “flame tree”) takes centerstage as the national tree of both sidesof the island. It turns the tropical hillsinto a flaming sea of red and orange
BeautifulBoughs
by Susan Campbell
Throughout the ages, the trees of this island have inspired artists,
sheltered and fed generations, provided unique products for export
and secured havens for entire ecosystems.
The Manchineel Tree looks harmlessenough, but its bark secretes a poisonous
sap that causes a painful rash and its sweet-smelling green fruit is highlytoxic. Never sit on one or take shelter
under one when it rains. If you come intocontact with this toxic tree, seek
medical help immediately.
Tamarind
Caution! This Bark has Bite!
Manchineel
65Nights
Paysages
Photos par James Johnston64 Nights
Paysages
dans le monde ne poussent autant d’arbres à guavaberries qu’ici.
La forêt cachée de Loterie Farm, àPic Paradis, regorge d’une végétationtropicale luxuriante sur 135 acres (prèsde 550 m2). Vous pourrez déambulerdans une imposante plantation demanguiers exploitée depuis 300 ans,voir les arbres à pain que le tristementcélèbre capitaine Bligh laissa derrièrelui et marcher sous la canopée verdoy-ante des bananiers, palmiers royaux,anacardiers, capoquiers, indigos vrais,cerisiers et pins tropicaux. On vous ypropose aussi un parcours exaltant dansla cime des arbres, appelé « Fly Zone », àeffectuer en glissant sur des tyroliennes.
Le St. Maarten Park est un jardinbotanique, zoologique et floral vraimentunique. De plus, c’est un autre lieu choi-si où vous pourrez admirer plusieursdes arbres fleuris les plus colorés de l’île.
Quant aux mangroves, elles jouentun rôle prépondérant dans la santéécologique de l’île. Des fondations pour
la nature, tant du côté néerlandais quefrançais, se concertent afin de bienprotéger les forêts existantes pour lesgénérations futures. Ces concentrationsde palétuviers sont de véritables nour-riceries pour les juvéniles et des zonesde nidification pour les oiseaux aqua-tiques. Pour de plus amples renseigne-ments sur les mangroves ou pour faireun don pour leur conservation, visitezles sites suivants (en anglais seulement) :www.naturefoundationsxm.org ouwww.epicislands.org.
Peu importe laquelle des magni-fiques essences de l’île vous entrepren-drez de découvrir, vous serez sansl’ombre d’un doute bien d’accord avecl’Américaine Karle Wilson Baker, poètequi a écrit ce vers :
«Aujourd’hui, de marcher parmi lesarbres, j’ai grandi.» [Notre traduction] l
florissante. Roland Richardson, l’un desartistes les plus renommés de l’île, luirend souvent hommage dans ses toiles.
Le tamarinier aussi se démarque parses fleurs orangées, mais on appréciedavantage ses gousses pour ses fruitspulpeux dont on fait un sirop aigre-douxcouramment utilisé dans la cuisine antil-laise. Les anciennes superstitions folk-loriques se sont approprié le tamarinier :selon la légende, les « jumbies », des es-prits malheureux, surgissent pour fairepeur aux vivants qui s’attardent sous sesbranches à minuit.
L’arbre de guavaberry fait partieintrinsèque de la culture insulairedepuis qu’on fabrique le célèbre guava-berry – boisson nationale – à partirdes petites baies de cet arbre, mélangéesà du rhum vieilli en fût de chêne et dela canne à sucre. Nulle part ailleurs
La majeure partie des forêts origi-nales de bois franc, comme l’acajou, lecapoquier, le cèdre blanc et le gaïac ontcependant été coupées par les premierscolons européens qui avaient besoinde bois de construction et d’espacepour l’agriculture. Aujourd’hui, ladeuxième et la troisième générationd’arbres sont constituées de plusieursessences différentes et typiques desAntilles, nommément les cocotiersdont les fruits flottants se sont échouéssur d’innombrables rivages. Certainsarbres intimement liés à l’identité, à laculture et à l’histoire uniques de l’île sedistinguent tout particulièrement.
C’est le cas du flamboyant, égalementappelé poinciane. Cet arbre national sedresse des deux côtés de l’île. De mai àseptembre, il transforme les collines tropi-cales en une mer rouge orangé de beauté
Au fil des époques, les arbres de Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin ont joué
plusieurs rôles : ils ont inspiré les artistes, abrité et nourri des
générations, fourni des produits d’exportation uniques
et servi de havre à des écosystèmes entiers.
Entre lesbranches
par Susan Campbell
Le mancenillier peut sembler bien inoffensif ; or, son écorce sécrète une sève vénéneuse qui
provoque une dermite. De plus, son fruit vert audoux parfum est extrêmement toxique. Ne vous
assoyez jamais sur cet arbre et ne vous réfugiez passous ses branches lorsqu’il pleut. Si vous touchez
à l’arbre ou à ses fruits toxiques, demandez immédiatement de l’assistance médicale.
Attention ! Fruit défendu !
Mangroves
Arbre à pain
Flamboyants
Tamarinier
Mancenillier
