JAMAICA – an international brand synonymous with top athletes, conscious reggae music, intoxicating culture and breathtaking beauty.
It is hard to deny the natural wonder of this island which measures 10,990 square kilometres (4,240 sq mi). She is the third largest in the Caribbean and hosts the most endemic birds and plant species. Jamaica is also ranked 5th amongst the world’s island’s having the most endemic plant species.
One of the country’s biological hotspots is the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP). These mountains present a unique combination of biological and cultural diversity leading to it being inscribed a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 2015.
Approximately ten percent (10%) of the national park’s forest is located within the upper slopes of the Yallahs and Hope River watershed managements units. These watersheds are therefore home to an array of flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world.
Over 500 species of flowering plants have been collected from the Blue Mountain (with 40% of the higher plants being endemic. The area is believed to be the home of about 50% of the 530 ferns known to Jamaica. Tree ferns for example, are a spectacular feature of the mountains and 15 of the 21 species are endemic to the Blue Mountain.
There are no other mountain ranges in the island with an altitude as that of the Blue Mountain – 2,256 metres to be exact. The forests are exposed to the highest levels of rainfall in the island and trees can reach a canopy height of 24-28 metres with emergent getting up to 40 metres.
Though many botanists have worked in the Blue Mountain, there is still a large unexplored area with many species to be discovered.
Effectively managing and protecting the biodiversity within this area is one of the major goals of the Yallahs-Hope Project. Through targeted interventions within buffer zone communities, and support at the policy level, the natural gems, discovered and undiscovered within the national park can be preserved for generations to come.
The Biological Treasures Within
2