Despite a United States trade embargo against Cuba, a substantial exchange progam between the two nations still flourishes. Ducks and songbirds by the thousands migrate from the forests and prairies of North America to winter in the wetlands and cloud forests of Cuba. Fish larvae from the coral reefs of Cuba can wind up in the shallows of Florida Bay. Sea turtles hatched on lonely Cuban cays can hitchhike along the Gulf current and enter U.S. coastal waters.

This environmental exchange program is not limited to animals. Citizens of the two nations are working together on projects to help protect this shared heritage. The U.S. Treasury Department can issue permits to conservation organizations in the United States to fund projects in Cuba acceptable to the Cuban government.