Eastern Scrub Island

A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species, B(ii)Site contains an exceptional number of species of high conservation importance

This island didn’t qualify under the threatened habitat criteria for TIPAs despite having large areas of the nationally threatened Coastal shrubland and some areas with Dry salt flats and Mangroves, as these habitats were better represented in other islands. However, it did qualify for the presence of globally threatened and rare plants.

This TIPA is located on Scrub Island, east of the isthmus, in an area also known as Big Scrub. This side of the island is mostly undeveloped, and several plant species of high conservation importance have been recorded.

This TIPA is one of 5 best sites nationally for the Puerto Rican Bank endemics Agave missionum (VU) and Malpighia woodburyana (VU), commonly known as century plant and mad dog, respectively. The century plant is under severe threat in the BVI as the species is being attacked by the non-native agave snout weevil, resulting in plant death in large numbers. Many healthy agave individuals have been recorded within this TIPA, making it an important site for the species. Other plant species of high conservation importance grow in this TIPA, mainly in the Seasonally deciduous forest and woodland which cover more than half of the island. They are the Virgin Islands endemic Croton fishlockii (NT), found growing in the central area of the TIPA and north towards Gravel Bay Point, and the Puerto Rican bank endemic orchids Psychilis macconnelliae (NT) and Tolumnia prionochila (NT).

The TIPA have large areas of the nationally threatened Coastal shrubland and some areas with Dry salt flats and Mangroves. Seasonally deciduous forest and woodland habitat cover more than half of the island.

Future development is a threat to this TIPA as the island has been subdivided into lots and could result in habitat loss and population declines of its rare and threatened plants.

BVI TIPAs National Team, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands - BVI Ministry of Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration