Are We Losing the Best Parts of Our Protected Areas in Tropical Mountains?

A critical imbalance in forest conservation within the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, Jamaica, reveals that lower-altitude zones face significantly higher deforestation compared to montane regions. Research shows that while only 4% of montane forest was cleared by 2008 with minimal fragmentation, lowland areas experienced seven times more forest loss and an 11-fold increase in fragment density. The study highlights the high conservation value of remaining lowland forests, which harbor 18% endemic species and 71% of threatened tree species, 92% of which are endemic. This 'protected area hotspot zone,' situated between the park boundary and core montane areas, is identified as critical for IUCN categories I and II protected areas, emphasizing the need for targeted conservation efforts to preserve these biodiversity-rich regions.

Chai, S.-L., & Tanner, E. (2010). Are We Losing the Best Parts of Our Protected Areas in Tropical Mountains? Biotropica, 42(6), 739–747. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2010.00634.x