Jamaica’s First UNESCO World Heritage Site: Highlights of Biodiversity Hotspot

Jamaica’s First UNESCO World Heritage Site: Highlights of Biodiversity Hotspot

Question: Blue and John Crow Mountains in Jamaica is the first natural and cultural site of this country which has been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Provide the key highlights of this biodiversity site.

- In a first for the country, a natural and cultural site namely the Blue and John Crow Mountains in NE Jamaica has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

- This natural biodiversity hotspot covers more than 200,000 acres creating more than 4% of the island’s land mass

- This encompasses an extensively forested region which provided refuge for Taino Indians and Maroons

- Groups resisting the European colonial system in isolated region had sought refuge here

- Blue and John Crow Mountain is the world’s second largest butterfly habitat

- It is a biodiversity hotspot with one of the largest migratory bird habitats in Caribbean

- This mountain region also has a high proportion of endemic plant species

- This natural and cultural site is UNESCO’s only new “mixed” site meeting cultural and natural qualifications

- Combining the highest peak in Jamaica with limestone plateaus, this site has diverse ecosystems and habitats

- It has a high proportion of unique species of plants such as flowering plants, lichens and mosses

Facts and Stats

- Half of the flowering plants grew at 900 to 1000 m on John Crow plateau are found nowhere else in the world

- Unique montane tropical forests are also part of this natural site

- This region makes up the national park with hiking trail and the Blue Mountain peak is more than 7000 feet above sea level needing a 7 mile hike