Crossing Place

TCI_08
Crossing Place

Country: Turks-Caicos Is.

Administrative region: Middle Caicos (Island)

Central co-ordinates: 21.84237 N, 71.83479 W

Area: 5.24km²

Qualifying IPA Criteria

A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species, B(ii)Site contains an exceptional number of species of high conservation importance, B(iii)Site contains an exceptional number of socially, economically or culturally valuable species, C(iii)Site contains nationally threatened or restricted habitat or vegetation types, AND/OR habitats that have severely declined in extent nationally

IPA assessment rationale

This site qualifies as a TIPA due to being one of the five best sites for the threatened orchid Encyclia caicensis. It also meets the thresholds for both criterion B(ii) and (iii), due to having 10 species (greater than or equal to 20%) from the list of species of high conservation importance and 28 species (greater than or equal to 15%) from the list of socially, culturally or economically valued species. This site qualifies under criterion C(iii) for threatened habitats, due to being one of the five best sites for the coastal scrub and ironshore habitats.

Site description

This TIPA is situated at the north-western end of Middle Caicos and encompasses the entirety of Crossing Place, including Juniper Hole and Indian Cave, and extends along the coast as far as Mudjin Harbour, encompassing the north-eastern part of Fish Ponds.

Botanical significance

This site is one of the five best sites in Turks and Caicos for the threatened orchid Encyclia caicensis. Species of high conservation importance found at this site include Agave inaguensis, Chromolaena Lucayan and Encyclia inaguensis. This site is exceptionally botanically rich, being the TIPA with the second highest number of socially, culturally or economically valuable species in the network. The site supports species such as Guiacum sanctum, Coccothrinax inaguensis, Mammillaria nivosa, Bursera simaruba and four of the five native Encyclia orchids. Other interesting botanical features include a population of the bromeliad Wittmackia lingualata, very rare in TCI, which grows at the top of Indian Cave.

Habitat and geology

This TIPA consists largely of scrubland and coastal scrub, with additional large areas of limestone thicket, palustrine marsh and swamp and coastal coppice. On the north-eastern coastal side of the TIPA, there are areas of herbaceous dune and iron-shore. The coastal area around Juniper Hole is one of the five best sites for the ironshore habitat, which consists of weathered coastal limestone which forms large spikes. This site is also one of the five best sites in Turks and Caicos for coastal scrub, which occurs on limestone or sandy coastal ridges. Here, the coastal scrub is dwarfed and includes large dunes covered in dune grass.

Conservation issues

Part of this TIPA is recognized as an area of outstanding natural beauty and is designated under planning ordinance as a nature reserve. However, there remain pressures from development within the area. Other threats include the impact of severe storms and also fires.

Site assessor(s)

Assessed by:

Bryan Naqqi Manco, Department for Environment and Coastal Resources, Turks and Caicos Government

Junel Blaise, Department for Environment and Coastal Resources, Turks and Caicos Government

Dodly Propser, Department for Environment and Coastal Resources, Turks and Caicos Government

Amy Barker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Sara Bárrios, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Elloise Budd, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Stuart Cable, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Colin Clubbe, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Marcella Corcoran, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Thomas Heller, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Juan Viruel, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Tim Wilkinson, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Date of first assessment: 14th Feb 2025

IPA criterion A species

Species Qualifying sub-criterion ≥ 1% of global population ≥ 5% of national population 1 of 5 best sites nationally Entire global population Socio-economically important Abundance at site
Encyclia caicensis A(i) False False True False True

Encyclia caicensis

Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
False
≥ 5% of national population:
False
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
True
Entire global population:
False
Socio-economically important:
True
Abundance at site:

IPA criterion C qualifying habitats

Habitat Qualifying sub-criterion ≥ 5% of national resource ≥ 10% of national resource 1 of 5 best sites nationally Areal coverage at site
Ironshore C(iii) False False True

Ironshore

Qualifying sub-criterion:
C(iii)
≥ 5% of national resource:
False
≥ 10% of national resource:
False
Areal coverage at site:

General site habitats

General site habitat Percent coverage Importance
Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Sand Dunes No value
Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic) - Caves No value
Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Shrubland No value
Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes No value

Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Sand Dunes

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:

Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic) - Caves

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:

Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Shrubland

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:

Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:

Threats

Threat Severity Timing
Residential & commercial development - Tourism & recreation areas Medium Ongoing - increasing
Climate change & severe weather - Storms & flooding High Ongoing - increasing
Natural system modifications - Fire & fire suppression Medium Past, likely to return

Residential & commercial development - Tourism & recreation areas

Severity:
Medium
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing

Climate change & severe weather - Storms & flooding

Severity:
High
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing

Natural system modifications - Fire & fire suppression

Severity:
Medium
Timing:
Past, likely to return

Recommended citation

Bryan Naqqi Manco, Junel Blaise, Dodly Propser, Amy Barker, Sara Bárrios, Elloise Budd, Stuart Cable, Colin Clubbe, Marcella Corcoran, Thomas Heller, Juan Viruel, Tim Wilkinson (2025) Tropical Important Plant Areas Explorer: Crossing Place (Turks-Caicos Is.). https://tipas.kew.org/site/crossing-place/ (Accessed on 20/06/2025)