Cuba’s Amistad Forestal hydrologic substation has been reopened in the westernmost province of Pinar del Rio, after the completion of a two million pesos-worth investment project.

The only one of its kind in the country, the facility is devoted to the study of the influence of forests on water regulation and their impact on drainage basins in tropical conditions.

Created in 1978 on an initiative of Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro, the institution is located in La Palma municipality and aims to protect rivers and reservoirs more effectively, local media reported.

According to Tele Pinar YouTube channel, the substation is the second of its kind in Latin America.

In statements to the press, Agriculture Minister Gustavo Rodriguez said that the facility is part of the Tarea Vida national program to combat climate change and mitigate its effects. Overseen by the Cuban Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, program is based on a multidisciplinary scientific approach that prioritizes 73 out of 168 Cuban municipalities, including 63 coastal areas and 10 inland territories.