1. The Windward Islands moist forests (green) ecoregion is found in much of the central portion of each of the Caribbean’s Windward Islands and is characterized by rugged mountains, lush tropical vegetation and high annual rainfall. Specifically, this includes 70 to 95% of Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada. This is some of the most biologically rich and diverse ecoregions in the Lesser Antilles, if not the entire Caribbean Basin. Steep mountains inhibit extensive human-related development while abundant annual rainfall has allowed for great floral and faunal diversity. The vegetation in Dominica’s forests, for example, comprises over one thousand species of flowering plants with about sixty woody plant and tree species per hectare (ha). The region is home to four islands in this ecoregion suffer from similar human-related pressures, i.e., agricultural encroachment, hunting, and limited enforcement of wildlife and environmental legislation. Increased communication, networking, and effort of conservation on a regional basis are needed to ensure that these rich forests and their wildlife are maintained and protected.

The biologically rich forests of this ecoregion have drawn much conservation attention and consequently several important protected areas exist. Notable examples are Morne Trois Pitons National Park (6,840 ha) and the Northern Forest Reserve (22,000 ha) in Dominica,

Dominica still has large undisturbed montane forests that are regionally significant but inadequately protected. The Minister of Agriculture is able to set up protected areas under the authorization of the National Parks and Protected Areas Act and terrestrial wildlife is protected under the Forestry and Wildlife Act.

Perhaps the most fundamental problem facing the managers of Dominica's forests is the rapidly expanding pressure on the forest resources as a source of timber, fuelwood and charcoal, and as areas increasingly utilized for crop cultivation. Regionally, two aspects of current forestry legislation are considered weak, penalties for forest offenses are too low for deterrence, and there is no mechanism for ongoing co-ordination of decision-making between forestry and other sectors concerning land-use planning and development control.

2.  The northern and western edge of Dominica is included within the Windward Islands xeric scrub ecoregion (yellow), an area impacted by a relatively high population (70% of the island’s population lives on the flatter, western (leeward) side of the island) and extensive agricultural development; circumstances that bring associated problems such as introduced exotics and habitat alteration.

Ecoregions of Dominica (middle island). Source: World Wildlife Fund

1. The Windward Islands moist forests (green) ecoregion is found in much of the central portion of each of the Caribbean’s Windward Islands and is characterized by rugged mountains, lush tropical vegetation and high annual rainfall. Specifically, this includes 70 to 95% of Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada. This is some of the most biologically rich and diverse ecoregions in the Lesser Antilles, if not the entire Caribbean Basin. Steep mountains inhibit extensive human-related development while abundant annual rainfall has allowed for great floral and faunal diversity. The vegetation in Dominica’s forests, for example, comprises over one thousand species of flowering plants with about sixty woody plant and tree species per hectare (ha). The region is home to four islands in this ecoregion suffer from similar human-related pressures, i.e., agricultural encroachment, hunting, and limited enforcement of wildlife and environmental legislation. Increased communication, networking, and effort of conservation on a regional basis are needed to ensure that these rich forests and their wildlife are maintained and protected.

The biologically rich forests of this ecoregion have drawn much conservation attention and consequently several important protected areas exist. Notable examples are Morne Trois Pitons National Park (6,840 ha) and the Northern Forest Reserve (22,000 ha) in Dominica,

Dominica still has large undisturbed montane forests that are regionally significant but inadequately protected. The Minister of Agriculture is able to set up protected areas under the authorization of the National Parks and Protected Areas Act and terrestrial wildlife is protected under the Forestry and Wildlife Act.

Perhaps the most fundamental problem facing the managers of Dominica's forests is the rapidly expanding pressure on the forest resources as a source of timber, fuelwood and charcoal, and as areas increasingly utilized for crop cultivation. Regionally, two aspects of current forestry legislation are considered weak, penalties for forest offenses are too low for deterrence, and there is no mechanism for ongoing co-ordination of decision-making between forestry and other sectors concerning land-use planning and development control.

2.  The northern and western edge of Dominica is included within the Windward Islands xeric scrub ecoregion (yellow), an area impacted by a relatively high population (70% of the island’s population lives on the flatter, western (leeward) side of the island) and extensive agricultural development; circumstances that bring associated problems such as introduced exotics and habitat alteration.

Ecoregions of Dominica (middle island). Source: World Wildlife Fund