▁bodies ▁and ▁waters h eds . ▁ ▁Hab itats ▁ ▁The ▁terrest rial ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁May a ▁Golden ▁Land s cape ▁compr ises ▁habit ats ▁of ▁spect ac ular ▁divers ity ▁and ▁variety . ▁The ▁kar st ▁lim estone ▁hills ▁of ▁the ▁May a ▁Mountains ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁Sea ▁are ▁evidence ▁of ▁possible ▁stream ▁action ▁within ▁the ▁hills . ▁Hab itats ▁to ▁be ▁encountered ▁in ▁the ▁terrest rial ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁landscape ▁includes ▁tropical ▁rain for ests , ▁p ine ▁sav ann as , ▁coast al ▁wet lands ▁and ▁mang ro ve ▁for ests . ▁ ▁The ▁Marine ▁component ▁of ▁this ▁landscape ▁is ▁most ▁recogn izable ▁for ▁its ▁protected ▁bar rier ▁re ef s . ▁Rec ogn ised ▁under ▁the ▁Mes o - American ▁Bar rier ▁Re ef ▁System , ▁the ▁Bar rier ▁Re ef ▁is ▁a ▁ke yst one ▁agent ▁in ▁maintain ing ▁and ▁protect ing ▁the ▁marine ▁environment ▁for ▁end anger ed ▁marine ▁species . ▁ ▁Dist urb ance ▁History ▁ ▁F ires ▁and ▁H urr ican es ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁fires ▁documented ▁are ▁from ▁the ▁period ▁from ▁the ▁years ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁The ▁fires ▁are ▁usually ▁ign ited ▁during ▁the ▁dry ▁season , ▁which ▁is ▁generally ▁from ▁March ▁to ▁May , ▁as ▁means ▁of ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁cro ps ▁and ▁may ▁often ▁escape ▁into ▁surrounding ▁far ms ▁and ▁nearby ▁for ests , ▁especially ▁if ▁the ▁season ▁and ▁conditions ▁ade qu ate . ▁The ▁areas ▁dam aged ▁by