Jardin Botanique des Cayes

What Jardin Botanique des Cayes does

Jardin Botanique des Cayes is a Haitian nonprofit botanical garden founded in 2002 by forestry engineer William Cinéa in Les Cayes, Sud Department. It operates as a reference center for biodiversity research, conservation, and public education, organized around two stated pillars: human health (phytotherapy, ethnobotany, medicinal-plant validation) and nature's health (floristic inventories, ex-situ conservation, ecological restoration). Its product portfolio spans a Data & Decision-Making Center, Conservation Programs (including a documented ex-situ rescue of the endemic Amyris apiculata from 250 to over 10,000 individuals), a Horticulture Department with living collections of 200+ native and endemic species, an Education Department offering school visits and certifications, and a Science & Research function producing publications such as the forthcoming Flora Haiti book.

The institution is currently in an existential crisis. Following the June 2024 death of the Gérard family matriarch who signed the original land lease, a daughter-in-law forcibly closed the garden in July 2025: staff were barred entry, plant collections were cut and burned for charcoal, the 1+ hectare ecological reserve was set on fire, and banana plantations were installed on the site. Seven of nine heirs have publicly opposed the action, and the team is pursuing state intervention under Article 256 of the Haitian Constitution alongside a global petition that has gathered 3,602 signatures from 57 countries.

Revenue is generated through three-tier memberships ($25/$50/$100 annual), plant sales, event venue rental, landscaping services, educational certifications, and project-based institutional support from partners including the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH), Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), Naples Botanical Garden, and the Haitian Ministry of Environment. The garden received the 2023 BGCI/CCABGN World Exemplary Institution Award for Research and Plant Data. Operations remain suspended as of early 2026, with no second physical site to absorb the disruption.

Name

Jardin Botanique des Cayes

Legal name

Jardin Botanique des Cayes

Website

https://jardinbotaniquecayeshaiti.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jardin Botanique des Cayes is a Haitian nonprofit botanical garden founded in 2002 that conducts biodiversity research, ex-situ conservation, ethnobotanical documentation, and public education on medicinal plants and ecology, serving schools, healthcare professionals, researchers, and government partners. Currently forcibly closed since July 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Botanical Garden & Biodiversity Conservation Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAMADAF

Native Species & Restoration Plant Nurseries

Agriculture & Food Production/Forestry & Logging/Forest Nurseries & Seed Supply

SECONDARYHSAIAFAL

Native, Pollinator & Drought-Tolerant Garden Installations

Home & Personal Services/Landscaping, Lawn Care & Outdoor Maintenance/Garden & Planting Services (Beds, Mulching, Seasonal Color)

Keywords

• Botanical garden services
• Plant conservation programs
• Ethnobotanical research
• Medicinal plant validation
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Les Cayes

HQ country

Haiti

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Plant Sales: Sale of ornamental and fruit plants produced in the nursery, with proceeds directly funding conservation projects. Additional landscaping services for individuals and businesses.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership subscriptions at three tiers: Student ($25/year), Individual ($50/year), and Family ($100/year). Provides exclusive benefits, research access, and community membership.
3. Event Hosting: Venue rental for celebrations, weddings, corporate symposiums, and spiritual retreats in the botanical sanctuary, generating revenue for operations.
4. Landscaping Services: Design of ecological gardens for individuals and businesses, fostering local biodiversity, with technical support for municipalities.
5. Educational Programs & Certifications: Public courses and certifications in Health & Wellness, Nature & Ecology, and Specialized Techniques (nurseries, biodiversity inventory, beekeeping).
6. Institutional Support: Support from government, international organizations (BRH, BGCI, Naples Botanical Garden), and development partners for conservation and research programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jardin Botanique des Cayes operates a botanical garden in Les Cayes, Haiti, offering biodiversity data and scientific research, ex-situ and in-situ conservation of native and endemic plant species, plant nursery production and landscaping, educational programs for schools, universities, and the public, and phytotherapy and ethnobotanical research documenting and validating traditional medicinal plant knowledge. The garden serves as Haiti's only comprehensive botanical institution in the south, combining applied science, conservation, and public education around two pillars: human health and nature's health.

Product overview

Jardin Botanique des Cayes is a botanical garden institution dedicated to biodiversity in Haiti, offering a unified portfolio of interconnected products and services organized around two fundamental pillars: Human Health and Nature's Health. The core offerings include the Data & Decision-Making Center (biodiversity data collection and analysis), Conservation Programs (ex-situ and in-situ conservation), Horticulture Department (nursery and plant production), Education Department (school, university, and public programs), Human Health & Phytotherapy (medicinal plant research), and Science & Research. These products are designed to work together—the data center informs conservation and research; horticulture produces plants for conservation and education; education disseminates knowledge generated by science and data; and phytotherapy translates botanical research into health applications. The institution also offers event participation (Botanical Bridges Congress) and maintains a Scientific Resources Library of technical publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Data & Decision-Making Center National center for collecting and analyzing biodiversity data to support conservation and public health decisions. Transforms field observations into structured databases using international APG IV taxonomic standards, IUCN status assessments, and mapping of Key Biodiversity Areas. Targets researchers, government agencies, and conservation planners needing rigorous floristic data for Haiti's Grand Sud region.
• Conservation Programs Science-driven conservation services including ex-situ conservation (living collections, seed banks, tissue culture), in-situ protection (field monitoring, habitat protection), and ecological restoration using native plant species. Serves conservation partners, government agencies, and international biodiversity programs.
• Horticulture Department Living laboratory producing native and endemic plants for conservation, research, and education. Includes the Conservatory, Ecological Garden, and Ethnobotanical Garden. Provides plant production, landscaping services, and municipal support for urban greening. Produces 1,000+ native and endemic plants annually for reforestation and habitat restoration.
• Education Department Educational programs making science accessible to the public through school programs (garden exploration, school gardens, hands-on planting), university programs (field internships, specialized courses), and public training/certifications in health, nature, and specialized techniques. Serves students, teachers, university faculty, and the general public.
• Human Health & Phytotherapy Documents and validates traditional medicinal plant knowledge through ethnobotany, toxicology, and phytochemistry. Supports doctors, herbalists, naturopaths, and researchers with botanical data for safe plant-based health practices and clinical applications.
• Science & Research Applied scientific research including botanical surveys, taxonomy and evolution studies, ecology, phytochemistry, and scientific data management. Collaborates with national and international research institutions on Haiti's biodiversity.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership subscriptions available in three tiers: Student ($25/year), Individual ($50/year), and Family ($100/year). Provides exclusive benefits, research access, and community membership for individuals and families supporting the garden's conservation mission.
• Guided Garden Visits & Tours Three visit types offered at the Les Cayes garden: Simple Visit (free walk), Scientific Visit (expert-guided for researchers and students), and Phytotherapy Visit (natural remedies discovery). Serves general public visitors, school groups, and researchers.
• Event Venue Rental Venue rental for celebrations, weddings, corporate symposiums, and spiritual retreats in the botanical sanctuary setting. Serves corporate clients, couples, and event organizers seeking a unique natural venue.
• Plant Sales & Ecological Landscaping Sale of ornamental and fruit plants produced in the nursery, with proceeds directly funding conservation projects. Additional ecological landscaping and garden design services for individuals, businesses, and municipalities seeking to foster local biodiversity.
• Educational Programs & Professional Certifications Public courses and professional certifications in Health & Wellness, Nature & Ecology, and Specialized Techniques (nursery management, biodiversity inventory, beekeeping). Designed for capacity building among institutions, NGOs, healthcare professionals, and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rescued Amyris apiculata from 250 to 10,000+ individuals through ex-situ conservation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Naples Botanical GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner mentioned in Botanical Bridges Congress context. Naples Botanical Garden supports regional botanical garden network development and shares expertise on environmental education, public engagement, and infrastructure development.
• National Agency of Protected Areas (ANAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency responsible for protected areas in Haiti. Facilitated meetings to consider acquiring the garden property for the national budget (2019-2020 process). Collaborates on Macaya National Park management planning and national biodiversity strategy.
• Haitian Ministry of EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry responsible for environmental protection. Listed as institutional supporter and partner. Contacted during the crisis following forced closure to intervene and protect the garden as required by Article 256 of the Haitian Constitution.
• Caribbean and Central American Botanical Gardens Network (CCABGN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network organizing the Botanical Bridges Congress 2026. The network brings together botanical garden professionals and institutions to encourage collaboration on plant innovation and conservation in the Caribbean region.
• Jardín Botánico Nacional Dr. Rafael M. MoscosominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the 2026 Botanical Bridges Congress in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Major botanical garden spanning 2 million square meters with significant collections including seed bank, national herbarium, ecological museum, and medicinal plant garden.
• VIAHSA (Villages Apicoles)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as institutional supporter, operating in the domain of beekeeping villages and honey production. Potential collaboration on pollinator conservation and ecosystem health programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Global leader in botanical science and conservation with the world's largest plant and fungal collections. Comparable in advancing plant science, conservation, and education, though orders of magnitude larger and globally resourced.
• Naples Botanical Garden: Tropical botanical garden in Florida with comparable conservation, education, and horticulture programs. Explicit partner of Jardin Botanique des Cayes and shares expertise on environmental education and infrastructure — directly comparable in mission though considerably larger and US-funded.
• New York Botanical Garden: Major US botanical institution with significant plant science, conservation, and education programs. Comparable in operating a botanical garden as a platform for biodiversity research and public education, with substantially greater resources.
• Jardín Botánico Nacional Dr. Rafael M. Moscoso: Dominican Republic's national botanical garden spanning 2 million square meters with seed bank, national herbarium, and medicinal plant garden. Directly comparable as host of the 2026 Botanical Bridges Congress and a regional counterpart in botanical conservation, though substantially larger and better resourced.
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: US-based tropical botanical garden with extensive conservation, education, and horticulture programs focused on tropical species. Highly comparable in mission to conserve tropical biodiversity and educate the public, though substantially larger and endowed.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: One of the world's leading botanical research institutions with deep expertise in tropical biodiversity, ethnobotany, and plant science. Comparable in mission to advance plant science and conservation globally, though vastly larger in budget and capacity.

Regional players

• Jardín Botánico de Cienfuegos: Cuban botanical garden in the Caribbean with conservation and education programs. Comparable as a regional Caribbean counterpart operating in a similar resource-constrained environment, though without comparable international recognition.

Others

• Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI): Global network coordinating botanical garden conservation efforts. Provides institutional support and recognized the Cayes garden with the 2023 World Exemplary Institution Award. Not a direct peer but the most important ecosystem connector — comparable as the umbrella organization coordinating similar gardens worldwide.

Direct peers

• Montgomery Botanical Center: US nonprofit botanical garden focused on plant conservation, scientific research, and curated living collections. Closely comparable in science-driven, conservation-first mission and modest operational scale.
• Jardín Botánico de la Universidad de Puerto Rico: University-affiliated Caribbean botanical garden with similar Caribbean/tropical conservation focus. Closely comparable in geographic scope, operational scale, and educational mission, serving as a peer botanical institution in the Caribbean.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jardinbotaniquecayeshaiti
• Facebookfacebook.com/jardinbotaniquecayeshaiti
• Xx.com/jbchaiti
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jardin-botanique-des-cayes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jardin Botanique des Cayes