Arrêté of 15 March 1947 declaring the Mornes du Cap reserved national forests

The arrêté of 15 March 1947, published in Le Moniteur No. 24 of 20 March 1947 under President Dumarsais Estimé, taken under the law of 3 February 1926 on reserved national forests.

The preamble is explicit about cause and effect: the many springs rising in the Mornes du Cap supply Cap-Haïtien with drinking water; clearing followed by annual cropping and mass cutting of wood for charcoal have caused an alarming fall in their flow; and the city's social and sanitary development rests on an abundant supply. Article 1 declares reserved national forests the rural sections and habitations of the commune of Cap-Haïtien forming part of the mountain. Article 2 suspends all agricultural activity on the reserved land from publication. Article 3 provides funds to the agriculture department to administer the land and undertake reforestation. Article 4 puts precise delimitation with the agriculture department and the Direction Générale des Contributions jointly.

Cap-Haïtien is Haiti's second city and its water supply still depends on this catchment, so the arrêté is still operative.