Sabbath Hill

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

The area qualified as a TIPA for its importance for globally threatened and national high conservation importance species, botanical richness and nationally threatened Semi-deciduous gallery forest habitat.

This TIPA on Tortola’s eastern side is uninhabited and includes the eastern slopes of Sabbath Hill from Upper Hope towards Kingston Hill. The elevation drops from 241m to 80m as the hills slope down towards Spring Ghut and Brown Ghut which in turn run towards Paraquita Bay.

At the southern end of this TIPA in the Seasonally deciduous forests and woodlands one can find globally threatened species and national high conservation importance species. Two Puerto Rican Bank endemics qualified the TIPA under sub-criterion A(i), Bastardiopsis eggersii (EN) and Agave missionum (VU). The site is one of the five best nationally for each of these species. Despite no high accuracy records for Agave missionum within the TIPA, it has been agreed by the BVI TIPAs National Team during the TIPAs assessment workshop that the species is widespread on Tortola and should be noted. The naturally occurring aroid Anthurium x selloum qualified under TIPAs sub-criterion A(iii), as it is only found in a few locations on Tortola and on St. John in the USVI. There is a population of Tolumnia prionochila (NT) and records for Rondeletia pilosa (NT). The Virgin Islands endemic Reynosia guama (NT) is also present within the TIPA. A large population (c.40-50 plants) of the rare Virgin Islands endemic Solanum conocarpum Dunal was discovered within this TIPA by Kew and NPTVI researchers during two field trips to the area in June and November 2018. This plant was only known from St John in the USVI until this recent discovery. The species hasn’t been considered for TIPAs criteria as the records were post TIPAs workshop and its IUCN assessment is pending.

The northern part of the TIPA, near Lower Hope, Upper Hope and Spring Ghut have large areas of the nationally threatened Semi-deciduous gallery forest habitat, being identified as the best site for this habitat in the BVI under sub-criterion C(iii). More than half of BVI’s Semi-deciduous gallery forests are found on Tortola and most of them are on the eastern side of the island.

The main threats to the TIPA include urban development, deforestation, grazing by feral animals, extraction, clearance for farming (including illegal crops) and invasive species.

The forests within this TIPA found along seasonal ghuts are rich in organic matter and help with freshwater retention and reduction of soil erosion, being important refugia for plants and animals. Spring Ghut is one of the longest primary drainage ghuts (2800 m long) on Tortola.

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