National Forests, Nature Reserves / Preserves and Marine Parks in Jamaica
The Jamaica Protected Areas Trust Limited (JPAT) is a public-private initiative that seeks to protect and enhance Jamaica’s natural resources and biodiversity – JPAT supports the effective management of the country’s protected areas. Jamaica has 249 protected areas that are managed by the Fisheries Division, Forestry Department, Jamaica National Heritage Trust and the Natural Resources Conservation Authority/National Environment and Planning Agency or through co-operatives with other government agencies or nongovernmental organizations.
Some of the more interesting and well known protected areas of Jamaica include:
- Negril Marine Park (west coast of island)
- Coral reefs, sea grass and mangroves and more are protected in the 62 square mile (160 sq km) park
- Negril’s Royal Palm Reserve (west coast of island)
- Although never officially completed / opened, a board-walk was built through the wetland forest along with a museum
- Dolphin Head Reserve (west end of island)
- A highly diverse area in the hills of Hanover
- Cockpit Country Forest Reserve (central / north-west part of island)
- Contains the highest diversity of plants and animals on the island and is likely the most ‘wild and natural’ place left in Jamaica
- Ocho Rios Marine Park (north coast of island)
- Consisting of approximately 12 miles (20km) of shoreline and outwards into the ocean
- Port Antonio Marine Park (north – east coast of island)
- Actually protecting the land and coastlines of the area
- Montego Bay Marine Park (north-west coast of island)
- Covering 6 square miles (15.5 sq km), this is a diverse environment of mangrove, islands, white sand beaches, river estuaries, seagrass and corals
- Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (East end of the island)
- The island’s only National Park covering over 100 thousand acres of mountainous beauty
- Holywell Recreational Park offers hiking trails, a campground and more
- Palisadoes Port Royal Protected Areas (about 30 minutes south of Kingston)
- The world’s seventh largest natural harbor contains threatened habitats for vulnerable animals like the american crocodile, green turtle, west Indian manatee, bottlenose dolphin and lined seahorse
- Portland Bight Protected Area (south-east coast of island, around Old Harbour Bay)
- Including land and sea, this is Jamaica’s largest protected area covering 724 square miles (1,876 sq km) and it’s large variety of birds, reptiles, sea-life as well as humans and their industry
- Black River Morass (south-west coast of the island)
- This biologically diverse area is the largest freshwater wetland ecosystem in the Caribbean
- Located in the centre of the island:
- Cedar Valley Forest Reserve covers an area of 600 acres making it one of the largest protected areas in Jamaica
- Bull Head Forest Reserve – Remote mountainous area
- Mason River Protected Area
- Morant and Pedro Cays
- Morant Cays are small islands about 120km south-east of Kingston
- Pedro Cays are small islands about 180km south of Treasure Beach
Other protected areas of Jamaica include:
- Hellshire Hills
- Rio Nuevo Taino Site
- Dover
- Chepstowe is one of the populated lands in Jamaica, located in Portland
- Great Goat Island Nature PreserveSeven Oaks Sanctuary for Wildlife (not open to the public)
- God’s Well Nature Preserve
- Holland Bamboo National Forest
- Gourie Forest Reserve
- Samuel’s Bay National Marine Park
- Old Harbour Bay
- Coral Spring-Mountain Spring
- Fisherman Beach Nature Preserve
- Big River Nature Preserve
- Bogue Islands Special Fishery Conservation Area (Montego Bay)
- Many Others…
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