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© St Helena National Trust |
A project to establish a protected area plan for the peaks
> Historical wildlife of the cloud forest
. Causes of decline and extinction of the peaks flora
> Special animals of the peaks
> Special scientific interest and relationship of the flora
> What value are the peaks for the future?
What’s the project achieved so far?
What are the Peaks?
The central ridge forms a huge peaked curve around Sandy Bay from Hoopers Rock (>700m) in the west, northeastwards via The Depot (>670m), High Peak (798m) and Mount Vesey (>740m) on to Casons Gate (>690m) and east along the Sandy Bay Ridge to Stiches Ridge and to the three Peaks – often referred to as the Peaks - of Mount Actaeon (800m), Diana’s Peak, the highest point of the Island at 820m, and Cuckold’s Point the southern most extension of the ridge.
The Central ridge has much higher rainfall than elsewhere on the Island, and for much of the time is shrouded in mist. It is in this area where fragments of the original cloud forest, an extraordinarily biologically rich habitat, still survive and the only place where one can get an impression of native forest before human disturbance.
The endemic vegetation of the uplands has developed in a climate where mists have been a regular occurrence, annual rainfall is high c. 1,200mm (compared to 200mm in Jamestown) and can be 5 -10oC cooler than Jamestown. Low cloudbanks form over the peaks such that the forest is actually immersed in clouds much of the time. Water is deposited directly onto vegetation from clouds and light mist. This constant supply of above-ground water makes the peaks excellent habitat for epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants). Tree trunks are almost always covered with mosses, ferns, seedlings of other plants of the forest and other plants.
At a symposium on the Island debating conservation issues in 1994, Quentin Cronk had alerted attendees to the worrying trend that tree fern thicket was disappearing under New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax) at a rate of about 5 m a year.
Work thus began in 1994 to set up and implement a management plan which was published in 1995 and culminated in the establishment of St Helena’s first National Park, Diana’s Peak National Park.
Diana’s Peak National Park, which includes the three tallest Peaks, Mount Actaeon, Diana’s Peak (823m) and Cuckold’s Point, was established on the 14th March 1996 to protect the largest remaining fragments of endemic Tree Fern Thicket and Cabbage Tree Woodland on the eastern end of the Island’s central ridge which were in danger of being lost to the advance of introduced New Zealand Flax.
“New Zealand flax, appears, from my own observations, to be spreading at a rate of about 5 m a year from abandoned flax plantations into the tree fern, germinating on the trunks of the ferns and eventually rooting into the ground to form a dense cover destroying the indigenous ecosystem entirely”, Quentin Cronk.
A programme of alien plant control and planting of native species has been carried out in Diana’s Peak National Park since 1995 by the Environmental Conservation Section of the St Helena Government Agriculture and Natural Resources Department through. Initial efforts focused on the key invasives, New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax), Fuchsia (Fuchsia coccinea), Bilberry (Solanum mauritianum) and Buddleia (Buddleja madagascariensis) and many areas which were heavily invaded are today much cleaner, increasing the chances of survival for these special plants and their attendant invertebrates. Another introduced weed, Whiteweed (Eupatorium pallidium) has now replaced flax as the species that is the cause of greatest threat to the survival of native plants and animals. It rapidly colonises areas that have been cleaned of other alien species, it grows rapidly and seeds profusely. Need – strategic planning for the recovery of the native habitats.
Further along the island’s central ridge to the west is High Peak at 798m, and also the nearby Peaks of Mt Vesey, and The Depot. These too are extraordinarily rich in biodiversity, desperately endangered and isolated from the main fragments of native forest within the Diana’s Peak National Park by pasture, forestry and former flax plantation. Alien invaders, including flax are eliminating what remains of these unique ecosystems. Despite its small size the fragment is surprisingly rich in endemic plants and animals, many of which are critically endangered.
A Project to establish a protected area plan for the peaks
In June 2004 the Trust secured funds from the Overseas Territories Environment Programme to establish a protected area plan for the central peaks. The programme is jointly funded by the UK Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The project aims to establish a framework for the ecological restoration of the upland forest and cloud forest ecosystems and link this to improving the quality of life for Islanders through access to information, education & enjoyment, increased potential for tourism and other related small-scale economic opportunities and improved water catchment management.
The majority of streams or guts that supply much of the surface water for St Helena have their sources within the upland areas. Studies by the Institute of Hydrology have revealed that the moisture content of soils under native tree fern thicket and regenerating native habitat is higher than under Pine Plantation or Flax. This means that more water filters down into ground water aquifers and springs under native forest than other vegetation types.
Continuing to converting former Flax plantation to native forest thus has the potential to make more water available for the Island’s use.
The historical wildlife of the cloud forest
The plants of the peaks are ancient relicts, dating back over 10 million years to a wetter time in the earth’s history. They are most unusual species, distinct from almost anything else on earth.
“St Helena versus the world would perhaps be the first division [of a phytogeographical system]” Charles Darwin, 1844 in notes from conversations with J.D Hooker.
Historically ‘moist gumwood woodland’ of Gumwoods, Redwood, Rosemary, ferns, small bellflower covered the slopes of the central ridge from 500 – 650m (11%), where conditions were humid.
Cabbage tree woodland is today non existent but in the past occupied about 9% of the island’s area between 600 – 750m. False Gumwoods, Redwood, Whitewood and tree ferns and the rather shorter lived He and She Cabbages which grew quickly taking advantage of light gaps formed by fallen trees.
Tree fern thicket originally occupied about 3% of the area of the Island covering the highest parts of the Island from 700 – 820m. Ironically it is the only past vegetation type that survives today – though it remains threatened! Here the drought-intolerant plants grew. The main canopy species were tree ferns, black cabbage tree, Olive and dogwood, with an understorey of Large Bellflower, Lobelia, Dwarf Jellico, extinct Stringwood and ferns and epyphitic ferns.
Forming a broad crescent around the central ridge below the tree fern thicket the canopy of trees could have grown up to 6 metres high with Redwoods, False Gumwoods, Whitewoods, Tree ferns and.
Rich biological heritage
Most of the plants and animals of the Peaks are found nowhere else.
“A heritage not just for St Helenian’s but for all humans; we shall be the poorer if they cannot be saved” (Philip & Myrtle Ashmole (2000)).
Biological heritage – 18 species of endemic flowering plants - it is home to some of the rarest plants on the planet.
c. 370 species of endemic invertebrate (of c.420 endemic species for the whole island.
12 species of endemic fern species of lower plants (mosses, liverworts and hornworts)
Any losses mean a loss to global biodiversity.
Causes of decline and extinction of the Peaks flora
Huge areas of tree fern thicket and cabbage tree woodland were cleared, for timber, fuel, tanning and agriculture, by the East India Company settlers between 1659 and 1750 (Cronk, 2000). This was the main cause of decline for many of the peaks species.
The decline of the Peaks habitats coincides with attempts in history to establish economic prosperity for St Helena through agriculture.
The spread of introduced plants followed. Experiments with exotic species, such as quinine (Cinchona spp.) and Bilberry (Solanum mauritianum), Buddleia (Buddleja madagascariensis) and Paper Tree (Tetrapanax) introduced by Kew in the late nineteenth century were particularly damaging. More so was New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax) which was widely planted on the central ridge at the beginning of the 20th century, so destroying much of the last remaining cabbage tree woodland. Despite its collapse in 1965; the flax industry still has a major impact on the natural ecology of the Peaks.
“On both the steep sides of the Ridge the ruthless and rapacious flax growers have hacked down and grubbed out wild olive, tree ferns, cabbage trees, lobelia and everything else which God planted there, in order to grow their flax, which would grow just as well in many other parts of the island. Let us hope that at this eleventh hour the Government of St Helena will forbid, once and forever, a single tree, shrub or fern to be destroyed in such a wanton manner. The Ridge should be inviolate. It should be in the safe keeping of the Island for all time, and not one square foot of it should belong to a private individual or company”, strong words from Philip Gosse, 1938 after witnessing the destruction of the Peaks. However it wasn’t until nearly 60 years later, and over a hundred years too late for some species, that a committed attempt to save the Peaks was made.
“Flax has had a pervasive impact on the ecology of St Helena” (Ashmole & Ashmole 2000). During expansion of the flax industry no attention seems to have been paid to the conservation of the native plants. Land used for flax extended up just below the central ridge, all that remained of the cabbage tree woodland and much of the tree fern thicket was grubbed out as the industry expanded.
1502 133 ha convert to acres- possible original extent of tree fern
thicket
1875 flax growing wild and abundant in the high lands
1873 100 acres of flax
1875 150 acres of flax
1885 200 acres of flax
1965 ?
1995 ?
1995 15.7 hectares – convert to acres tree fern thicket
Immediately after the collapse of the industry some uplands were converted back to pasture and forestry. Clearance is by physical removal of the plant and often demands the ‘grubbing’ out of the roots. Once it is removed however, rates of regeneration are low and alternative vegetation can be successfully established.
However the shear volume of former flax plantations remaining has led to a gradual spread of the flax upwards, initially by seed, into the ridges and crowding out of the native vegetation.
Alien invasive species are the Island’s greatest threat to the conservation of native biodiversity and agriculture (quote from EU alien invasive species project? [yes please]). Although physically demanding, flax is the easiest of the alien invasive species to control and successfully convert former plantations back into native cabbage trees and tree ferns.
Today, the central ridge faces other more serious alien menaces than flax, Bilberry (Solanum mauritianum) and Buddliea (Buddleja madagascariensis) in the guts, Fuchsia (Fuchsia coccinea) on the ridge, all introduced for ornamental purposes. Most worrying of all Whiteweed (Eupatorium pallidium), a rapidly invading species that spreads in disturbed areas and can even spread in amongst flax.
Large populations were reduced to small numbers very quickly leading to a loss of genes from the population. For example selection for the tallest, straightest trees would remove them from the gene pool. In small populations inbreeding decreases heterozygosity and increases homozygosity which further undermines the health of a population. Consequently in the St Helena Redwood today, trees are multi-branched and non grow with the tall straight trunk to a height that they were once described as attaining. Inbreeding is particularly damaging for those species which have mechanisms to avoid mating with close relatives like the St Helena Olive, which is now extinct.
Peaks habitats are being lost primarily due to the spread of alien (not native) invasive plants species like whiteweed, bilberry and flax. Outcompeted native species are reduced to small fragmented populations and habitats remain fragmented and less able to withstand encroachment. Small populations sizes and reproductive isolation are more susceptible to stochastic events, inbreeding, pests and diseases (exotic and indigenous).
Our ability to combat the spread is limited by the amount of funds available to meet the costs of employing people to physically remove the invasive plants and plant back native species. There are also fewer people willing and available to work on the peaks and this is likely to be even more of a key issue for the near future.
The spread of invasive species in areas of the peaks outside Diana’s Peak National Park is also of concern because the weeds will spread up into the park. Many people will have witnessed the dramatic spread of whiteweed over the last 10 years, it’s along roadsides, in pastures and forestry areas and now it’s even spreading into areas of flax. The investment in people and money to control this and other invasive secies on abandoned flax plantations, agricultural and forestry land is enormous, and to be successful and sustainable there needs to be a return on the investment. Under the present economic climate the returns are unlikely to match the investment needed. However, without control on the spread of invasive species across the whole island, the peaks habitats will remain forever at risk.
If we are to be successful in securing more investment in the Peaks we need people to care. This we believe will grow if we understand more about the peaks and their value in our lives. Financially, the peaks are a part of the island’s tourism attractions, socially the peaks are a catchment for our water, they define our landscape, provide an important educational resource for our young people and a place of recreation, and environmentally, they are a place of very special biological importance that we have a responsibility to conserve for future generations.
The predicted increase in tourism following the development of air access and wharf improvement could bring benefits to conserving the peaks, if managed well, by creating new streams of revenue for alien plant control. With more people living on the island then perhaps we might find there are more people to be involved. There may even be more tourists wishing to actively engage in the conservation work. Increased visitor numbers could however also cause damage, through wear and tear, to the paths and habitats if they stray off the paths, and thus it makes sense to consider now how many people per day the peaks can reasonably absorb and how best to manage visitors, without either causing excessive damage or reducing people’s ‘wilderness’ experience by being too ‘busy’.
Small population sizes
Habitat fragmentation
Pests and diseases (exotic and indigenous)
The biggest threat is the competition from introduced species. The Tree Fern thicket is severely invaded by a variety of exotic plants ranging from bilberry and buddleias in the guts to whiteweed and redundant flax plantation. All of which have managed to reduce the area of thicket. In 1996 tree fern covered an area of only 16 hectares, compared to in excess of 130 hectares estimated by Cronk.
The effort being taken since 1995 to prevent the final loss of the tree fern thicket within Diana’s Peak National Park may have been just in time to save many of the unique plant and animal species that make up this remarkable cloud forest.
Extinctions
Stingwood (Acalypha rubrinervis) became extinct circa 1865
Bellflowers Wahlenbergia roxburghii extinct 1872 & Wahlenbergia burchellii, extinct 1877
St Helena Redwood (Trochetiopsis erythroxylon) became extinct in the wild, circa 1960 and had been rare since the 1720s
St Helena Olive (Nesiota elliptica), extinct 2003
Caption for picture of olive.
The Olive probably survived longer before extinction than the other species because it was a long lived tree, but reduced to only a few individuals (about 12 trees in 1875) self incompatibility prevented mating with close relatives and prevented regeneration.
The death of the last St Helena Olive in 2003 was like the death of a well known friend – “the Olive slipped away quickly after a long illness, gone but not forgotten”. A modern extinction, and a stark warning that several of St Helena’s endemic plants remain on the brink of extinction. Let us hope this will be the last extinction that we have to bear witness to.
Cabbage tree woodland (600 - 750m) once covered about 9% of the island’s land area. Today 5 False Gumwoods (Commidendrum spurium) – four at Mount Vesey and one near Coles Rock and half a dozen she cabbages at Osbornes and Grape Vine Gut are all that remains of the cabbage tree woodland.
The She Cabbage was once a major species of the cabbage tree woodland. The tree pictured here has like most of the population has been lost, together with its attendant invertebrates.
She Cabbage (Lachanodes arborea)
She cabbage grew with a tall straight trunk and was used in the building of houses of the uplands. A small population was re-discovered by George Benjamin in 1976 at Osbornes. Successful planting and propagation by the Agriculture and Forestry Department in the late 1970s and early 1980s followed but was short lived.
More recent efforts have established healthy young trees at Grape Vine Gut and the Peaks, but nevertheless the isolated tiny remnant populations of she cabbages and false gumwoods are vitally important for maintaining the existence of their attendant endemic invertebrates and effort to reinforce these populations must continue.
Special plants of the Peaks
Cabbage Trees
What are they?
How do they get their name?
Endemic He Cabbage (Pladaroxylon leucodendron) tree
Despite their names, the He Cabbage and She Cabbage are not very closely related, they are in different genera (a higher order than species), although they are in the same Family: Asteraceae (or Compositae, sunflower, daisy and dandelion family).
Endemic Dogwood (Nesohedyotis arborea)
The Dogwood has evolved on St Helena to have male and female flowers on different trees. It is dioecious. This prevents self pollination and is a mechanism to avoid inbreeding.
Endemic Whitewood (Petrobium arboreum)
The Whitewood, not to be confused with the introduced invasive whiteweed, is the most distinctive (different) of all of the endemic plants. It’s distant relatives can be found in French Polynesia.
The wide geographical separation of St Helena’s flora to its distant relatives can be explained by the extinction of their common ancestors in Africa and the evolution of the St Helena plants and their surviving relatives separately over millions of years.
Jellico (Sium bracteatum)
Jellico was once common in the guts of the Peaks
The word ‘Jellico’ is a corruption of the European name for the herb Angelica. Both are members of the Umbelliferae, the carrot, fennel and celery family.
The stems of the Jellico were cut and taken to Jamestown market and sold for use as a raw vegetable and eaten like celery. It was probably an important and rich source of vitamin C.
St Helena Lobelia (Trimeris scaevolifolia)
The St Helena Lobelia is a shrubby plant that grows well in light gaps in the forest. Don’t be confused by its name, it is not related to the lobelia grown as an annual bedding plant in Europe. To find the Lobelia’s closest relative you have to go to South America or some Pacific Islands!
Large Bellflower (Wahlenbergia linifolia)
Critically Endangered this species is now restricted to a few small populations from the Depot to High Peak and Washhouse, near Mount Actaeon.
Black Cabbage (Melanodendron integrifolium)
The daisy like flowers of the Black Cabbage tree are reminiscent of the endemic Scrubwood (Commidendrum rugosum) which grows on the dry outer part of the Island.
Genetic studies have revealed that the Black Cabbage tree is related to the Gumwoods - Commidendrum. That is they all started from a common ancestor. However it is so different from them that it is in a different genus -Melanodendron.
Once used for its fine timber there are very few tall Black Cabbage Trees now growing with straight trunks. This tree is one of a couple growing on the upper most parts of the central ridge that support such a rich variety of rare and endangered epiphytic ferns and bryophytes.
Epiphytes
Epiphytes are plants that grow on others. With its high humidity the Peaks provide the right conditions for epiphytes to thrive. The trunks of the tree fern provide the key regeneration niche - a vertical fibrous trunk rising above the dark forest floor provides the perfect medium for seedlings to germinate. Seedlings of Black Cabbages are most commonly seen growing out of the trunks, but also Whitewoods and so too the introduced plants Flax and Fuchsia.
When the cabbage trees get too heavy for the Tree Fern trunk, it collapses and then both continue to grow. The cabbage trees putting their roots down through the peaty humus and into the soil below. As they grow, fallen leaves create a different soil within which other species can germinate. And thus continues the circle of life on the Peaks.
Nervy tongue fern (Elaphoglossum nervosum) and Pleopeltis macrocarpa growing ephiphytically on a Tree Fern trunk.
Nervy tongue fern is one of the most endangered ferns of the Peaks. Found only on the highest parts of the central ridge between Actaeon and Cuckold’s Point.
Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) are simple plants which reproduce sexually by spores.
A survey of the bryophytes of St. Helena was carried out by M. J. Wigginton between 15 October
and 19 November 2005. The primary aim was to document the bryology of the Peaks area, but also to set it in context by carrying out more limited survey in other parts of the island. Most survey was carried out within the Peaks National Park, but with some in surrounding parts of the high land outside the N.P., and elsewhere, to try to get some idea of the wider distribution of the special bryophytes of the island.
Many new species have been added to the known bryophyte flora (about 74 additions, including
those provisionally named), which now stands at about 128 species, comprising
3 hornworts
52 liverworts
73 mosses
These include indigenous species that may be known elsewhere (e.g. on the African mainland), and species that may be new to science and therefore endemic. There is also on the island a significant number of species that are possible or likely (or certain) non-indigenous immigrants, brought into the island through man’s activities. Most may be benign, but some are invasive, and one appears to be threatening the indigenous bryoflora.
Bryophytes (moss, liverworts and hornworts) and epiphytic ferns grow in rich abundance on the cabbage trees where the air is moist all year round.
Scleropodium purum
If the amount of invasive flowering plants was not enough we now know we have invasive bryophytes. One alien species, in particular (the predominantly holarctic Scleropodium purum) is rampant in many of the higher parts of the island, indeed right up to the summit of Diana’s Peak. At least along the highest ridge, it appears to be threatening one very rare indigenous species (Marchantia berteroana) which has greatly declined and now occurs in only one place in the park, just below Diana's Peak. Careful management will be needed of this area, and control of the invasive S. purum should be considered in other sensitive areas of the Peaks.
Sphagnumhelenicum
Not seen on the Peaks for many years. A small stretch of path, just 8 m long below Mount Actaeon is now the only place it is known to grow in Diana’s Peak National Park. A second population survives remarkably on exposed damp cliffs at The Depot.
If the amount of invasive flowering plants was not enough we now know we have invasive bryophytes. One alien species, in particular (the predominantly holarctic Scleropodium purum) is rampant in many of the higher parts of the island, indeed right up to the summit of Diana’s Peak. At least along the highest ridge, it appears to be threatening one very rare indigenous species (Marchantia berteroana) which has greatly declined and now occurs in only one place in the park, just below Diana's Peak. Careful management will be needed of this area, and control of the invasive S. purum should be considered in other sensitive areas of the Peaks.
Still common on the ridges over 100 years ago this attractive showy liverwort is in decline along with several other species that require permanently moist conditions to thrive. Planting more black cabbages is their only hope!
This endemic hornwort was found in 2005. It hadn’t been recorded since the botanist Joseph Hooker visited St Helena in the mid 1800s! This hornwort grows on the smooth bark of Black Cabbage and Whitewood trees just beneath the rosette of leaves.
Special Animals of the Peaks
The Island’s plants were not the only ones to suffer from the destruction of the forests and the introduction of new species.
The Island’s native invertebrates (insects and spiders) have also been threatened and in some cases become extinct due to the changes that have taken place. Including the introduction of predatory animals such as rats, mice and frogs and the introduction of highly competitive, though non-predatory species capable of replacing some of the endemics.
Preliminary results from a study of the invertebrates of the Peaks carried out by Philip & Myrtle Ashmole, and Howard Mendel, assisted by islander, Edward Thorpe, between December 2005 and March 2006 have already shown that many of the endemic invertebrates of the Peaks still survive. Their continued health will depend on continued vigorous control of invasive plants and further intensive work on the restoration of native vegetation.
Blushing Snail (Succinea sanctae-helenae)
In 1502 St Helena had some 20 species and five genera of land snails. The Blushing Snail is the only one to have survived in large numbers throughout the Island and mostly in the Peaks.
Ammonite Snail (Helenoconcha relicta)
Discovered by the Belgians on Cabbage Tree Road in the 1960s and not seen again until this year, this tiny snail is the only species left of a family (higher order than genus) of snails that was represented on St Helena by seven species in three endemic genera.
Until 2003 the Blushing snail was thought to be the only survivor, the discovery of the microscopic Nesopupa previously only known from fossil records, on cliffs below Prosperous Bay Plain Signal Station changed that. The re-discovery of the Ammonite Snail (Helenoconcha relicta) on Cabbage Tree Road this year is another reason to celebrate and gives hope that more have managed to survive but haven’t been found yet.
Tree Fern Moth
A long-legged bug (Plyapomus longus)
The largest known member of its family, this endemic species, within an endemic genus, is derived from an ancient colonization of the Island.
Rainbow Bug(Vernonia wollastonia)
An ancient endemic which appears to have a healthy population on the Peaks.
Bush Cricket (Phaneracra spp.)
An endemic species within an endemic genus.
Currently abundant on the Peaks which ‘sing’ at night high up in the Tree Ferns.
Having explored the central ridge, the most special thing about the Peaks is that despite its desperately small size, many of the plants and their attendant animals that make up this unique cloud forest ecosystem are still there.
Tree ferns and other ferns survive under forestry trees at Casons Gate
Elaphoglossum dimorphum – CR fern
Dryopteris napoleonis – Lesser Kidney Fern, Dwarf Jellico and Large Bellflower at the Depot
Along the ridge between the Depot and High Peak – more Dwarf Jellico and Large Bellflower.
Clearance at High Peak – is also revealing that perhaps more Dwarf Jellico survived as an understorey to the flax.
Jellico, one of the few endemics that was eaten. Stems cut from the guts taken to market to sell – probably a rich source of vit C.
Buckshorn, indigenous – not endemic – fly catching.
St Helena’s endemics largely represent ancient forms of species long since extinct elsewhere in the world (with some adaptive radiation). The plants and animals of the Peaks are the most ancient and peculiar of our endemics with closest relatives as far apart as Australisia, South America, the Pacific Islands and French Polynesia.
The Whitewood, our most peculiar endemic has its most closest relatives in French Polynesia.
The older endemics have evolved specialised mechanisms for avoiding inbreeding – separate male and female plants - here a male dogwood, self incompatibility – olive, false gumwood.
These unusual endemic genera are an important resource for science. With potential for studying extinctions and evolution in adjacent continental regions and in-situ evolution.
Picture of gumwood? Caption “scientific studies can unlock the secrets of evolution”.
What value are the peaks for the future?
Wildlife tourism – a small industry now that has potential to grow.
Tourists come to enjoy St Helena unique location, people, heritage and environment. The introduction of air access will provide an opportunity for expansion of the tourism industry and therefore contribute to economic development. The Island needs to consider how to protect and develop the uniqueness of St Helena’s people, heritage and environment for local and international benefit. There will be added value to be gained from development that is sympathetic to the environment, conserving natural resources and contributing to conservation and sustainable development. Good environmental management can make a positive contribution to development (businesses and tourism).
If tourism is to be sustained we must make sure we protect the very assets upon which our industry will be based.
Water Resources – water demands are only set to rise with the development on an airport and associated development. Managing our water catchments to optimize ground water recharge and surface water runoff will make an important contribution to the Island’s available water resources.
Visions of the Peaks
Past
New Zealand Flax still covers substantial parts of the uplands, although large areas have been converted back to pasture and forestry and over the last 10 years in Diana’s Peak National Park – native forests.
The Flax industry provided a vital phase in the island’s history until its collapse in 1966. During the period of the Flax industry (1907-1966) no other industry and non since has been sufficient to sustain the Island’s economy.
The raw material of the Flax industry was the fibre plant, New Zealand Flax, or Flax (Phormium tenax).
Present
On the northern slopes of the Peaks, great success has been achieved from the removal of flax plantation and restoration to tree fern thicket, with its rich variety of cabbage trees, herbs and ferns. Here the weed seed load from lower down the slopes has been small so that the native species have had the chance to grow and recover without competition from weeds such as whiteweed. The story on the southern slopes however is quite different.
The weed load was and still is much higher and clearance of flax plantation, buddleia thicket and bilberry from guts has in some places has allowed whiteweed to spread in, preventing natural regeneration of ferns and the establishment of cabbage trees.
What future therefore for the Peaks?
Successful restoration of the tree fern thicket in Diana’s Peak National Park ?
Or,
the deterioration and loss of areas of tree fern thicket under whiteweed and other introduced invasive species?
If the future prosperity of St Helena is to be derived from “niche-market tourism”, it is essential that the present conservation policy for the Peaks is continued and extended across the Island. The endemic flora and the landscape are the most important resources to be developed for the enjoyment of visitors. The uniqueness of St Helena is paramount. To this end the sway of New Zealand Flax and the relentless onslaught of alien invasive species must be curbed.
Resources are needed to ensure that regular maintenance can be applied to areas cleared of flax and other weeds so that plots do not revert to their previous condition or worse.
The considerable efforts already made and the successes gained in converting flax plantation to natural habitat will be in vain in the long term if weeds cannot be kept under control in other areas.
An average labour force of just 4 men, together with short term contract workers have made the achievements to date. Just think what could be achieved if another 4 man team were permanently based on the Peaks – they could help tip the odds in the battle against the relentless onslaught of introduced weeds, notably whiteweed.
What’s your vision ?
A series of workshops were held in July that brought over 20 people together, from a variety of backgrounds, including conservation, education, private business and councillors, who are involved in the management of land in the Peaks, or with an interest in it, to identify the threats to the special endemic habitats and to propose a vision, aim and objectives for the development of the peaks protected area action plan.
Vision for the Peaks
The vision is the long term end desired state or wish for the status of the Peaks habitats. The action plan will only contribute to the vision which has a longer lifetime then that of the plan. Participants agreed that the timeframe for the protected area action plan should be a three year rolling plan, with an annual review and agreed that the long term vision towards which the plan will contribute should be for 15 years.
Participants proposed that the 15 year vision for the Peaks should be:
“Over the next 15 years,
To continue the rehabilitation and management of the existing areas of native peaks forest habitats and expand the area occupied by these habitats by an additional 20%, including corridors linking Diana’s Peak National Park (DPNP) to High Peak, made possible by secured sustainable funding and improved education, visitor access and interpretation of the Peaks developing social awareness and responsibility”.
What else has been happening?
The three man team working on ropes at High Peak has continued the difficult task of clearing invasives from the sheer slope and replanting endemic trees. They’re doing a tremendous job to save the endemic plants and animals that survive there and will continue to work under the OTEP Peaks Project until end of December this year. Thereafter they will continue to work to maintain the cleared areas under the Environmental Conservation Section.
Contracts for clearing re-growth of alien plants and planting native species at High Peak went out in October. The contractors will return to the areas in January and again in March. This, it is anticipated, will provide a good foundation for maintaining the areas post project when the Environmental Conservation Section will be responsible for maintenance.
A bid for funds for the next financial year has been made by the Environmental Conservation Section in order to be able to maintain the alien plant control at High Peak and to expand the work at Diana’s Peak National Park.
The significant increase in production of whitewood, he-cabbage and black cabbage in particular at the peaks nursery at Blackgate has enabled planting to go ahead at High Peak. Both on the sheer slope, planted by the rope team and also on the slopes below, by contractors. Under their contract, contractors are responsible for looking after plantings, which includes large Jellico and ferns for two of the contracts. Well done to Leslie Benjamin, Keith Wade, William Crowie & Clint Clingham for producing the plants.
The work that the Peaks Project has been involved with at Peak Dale has now come to an end. The project has enabled control work for the wild mango and other woody weeds to be carried out and has made a significant difference to the condition of the gumwoods growing on the Old Luffkins (western) side of Peak Dale. Over the last year the Environmental Conservation Section (ECS) has planted well over 500 gumwoods there and will continue to carry out weed control and planting. The possibility of making a joint bid to the Overseas Territories Environment Programme for 2007-8 for
support for Peak Dale and the Millennium Forest is currently being explored.
The Department for International Development have agreed to extend the Peaks project completion date to December 2007. This will enable the continued outgoing expenditure for the identification and reporting on the invertebrate and bryophyte (mosses & liverworts) work. Identification is time consuming because it involves the input of many different specialists from all over the world.
We’re also working with schools to develop educational materials which support the national curriculum.
What’s next?
Over the next two months, participants in the planning process will come to a consensus about what the aim and objectives and activities for the protected area action plan should be. The objectives and activities will flow from the aim, breaking it down into discrete actions that when completed will result in the aim being achieved. We will then aim to produce the first draft of the Peaks Protected Area Action Plan so that by early January we will be able to consult on a much wider level. Giving everyone an opportunity to learn more about the plan and what the implications of the proposed actions might be and to comment upon or question them. Once everyone that should do or wants to has had a chance to contribute we will produce a second draft upon which we will seek political endorsement.
Notes:
Endemic means found on St Helena and nowhere else in the world
Indigenous means that it is found on St Helena, and arrived here naturally without the help of man, and is also found in other places naturally.
Native means found on St Helena naturally, and either endemic or indigenous.
Common names
On St Helena we often use the local name for our special animals and plants. It helps us to remember and recognize them and prevents us getting tongue tied on the latin names. Common names are used locally to identify different plant and animal species. These names often have historical roots. The plants that were found on St Helena were often named after other species with which they shared some physical similarity or character. Names like St Helena Rosemary, St Helena Ebony, St Helena Redwood or St Helena Olive. However don’t be fooled, our endemic plants are not at all related, and in most cases not even related to any other species on earth.