Country: Turks and Caicos Islands
Administrative region: Grand Turk (Island)
Central co-ordinates: 21.43397 N, 71.13358 W
Area: 1.03km²
Qualifying IPA Criteria
A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened 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 under criterion A(i), by supporting two globally threated species. The endemic herb Lepidium filicaule can be found at this site, which supports both more than 1% of the global population and >more than 5% of the national population. At Gun Hill, more than 5% of the national population of Argythamnia argentea is estimated to grow. This site also qualifies under C(iii), as one of the five best sites for the herbaceous dune habitat.
Site description
This TIPA is found at the south-eastern end of the island of Grand Turk. It encompasses the area immediately south of Hawkes Nest Salina and the area known as Gun Hill to the north-east, extending as far as the mouth of South Creek.
Botanical significance
This site supports a population of Lepidium filicaule, which is highly range restricted in TCI and is assessed as globally Endangered. It is also an important site for the Vulnerable shrub Argythamnia argentea, with an estimated more than 5% of the national population occurring here. There is also a population of the threatened shrub Chamaecrista caribaea growing here. It is an important host plant for butterflies. The national flower of TCI, Limonium bahamense grows here. It is the only native member of the Plumbaginaceae family in TCI.
Habitat and geology
This site is one of the five best sites for the herbaceous dune habitat, which is primarily found along the coast south of Hawkes Nest Salina. Other major habitat types found in this TIPA are scrub and coastal scrub, with smaller areas of palustrine swamp. Grand Turk’s largest mangrove swamp was also found here. The waterbodies in the area are saline (salinity similar to the nearby ocean) or hypersaline with salt encrusting at the water’s edges. Two steep 10m-15m ridges can be found on the southern coast between the herbaceous dunes and Hawkes Nest Salina, and the other on the eastern coast being Gun Hill itself.
Conservation issues
This site faces high pressures from development and sand mining. Additionally, the presence of tourists and quadbikes on the sand dunes results in the trampling of plants and deterioration in habitat quality.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argythamnia argentea | A(i) |  |
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| Chamaecrista caribaea | A(i) | |
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| Lepidium filicaule | A(i) | |
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Argythamnia argentea
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Chamaecrista caribaea
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Lepidium filicaule
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbaceous dune | C(iii) | |
|
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Herbaceous dune
Qualifying sub-criterion:
C(iii)
≥ 5% of national resource:
≥ 10% of national resource:
Areal coverage at site:
General site habitats
| General site habitat | Percent coverage | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Shrubland | |
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| Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Sand Dunes | |
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| Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools | |
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| Marine Intertidal - Mangrove Submerged Roots | |
Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Shrubland
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Sand Dunes
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Marine Intertidal - Mangrove Submerged Roots
Percent coverage:
Importance:
Threats
| Threat | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Residential & commercial development - Tourism & recreation areas | High | Ongoing - increasing |
| Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying | High | Ongoing - increasing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance - Recreational activities | High | Ongoing - increasing |
| Climate change & severe weather - Storms & flooding | High | Ongoing - increasing |
Residential & commercial development - Tourism & recreation areas
Severity:
High
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing
Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying
Severity:
High
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing
Human intrusions & disturbance - Recreational activities
Severity:
High
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing
Climate change & severe weather - Storms & flooding
Severity:
High
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing
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: Hawkes Nest and Gun Hill (Turks and Caicos Islands). https://tipas.kew.org/site/hawkes-nest-and-gun-hill/ (Accessed on 01/07/2025)