FCG International Ltd TECHNICAL REPORT 10 in association with AFC Consultants International GmbH Presented to the European Commission and Banana Industry Trust NATIONAL FOREST DEMARCATION AND BIO-PHYSICAL RESOURCE INVENTORY PROJECT CARIBBEAN – SAINT LUCIA SFA 2003/SLU/BIT-04/0711/EMF/LC BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT OF SAINT LUCIA’S FORESTS, WITH MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS By JENNIFER C. DALTRY Conservation Biologist, Fauna & Flora International 2009 Cover illustrations: Cloud Montane Forest on Mount Gimie Range (Roger Graveson, FCG); Saint Lucia iguana (Matthew Morton, FCG-Durrell); Deciduous Seasonal Forest at Grande Anse (Jenny Daltry, FCG- FFI). THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OPINION OF FCG INTERNATIONAL LTD, FAUNA & FLORA INTERNATIONAL, THE BANANA INDUSTRY TRUST (BIT), THE GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA, OR THE EUROPEAN UNION. THE AUTHOR AND FCG INTERNATIONAL LTD TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY MISREPRESENTATION OF MATERIAL THAT MAY RESULT FROM THE TRANSLATION OF THIS DOCUMENT INTO ANY OTHER LANGUAGE, NOR FOR ANY ATTEMPT TO USE THE MAPS OR GEOREFERENCES IN THIS DOCUMENT FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES. PUBLISHED BY FCG (Finnish Consulting Group) International Ltd Helsinki, Finland COPYRIGHT © 2009 Government of Saint Lucia REPRODUCTION FOR RESALE OR OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSES IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER. RECOMMENDED CITATION Daltry, J.C. (2009) Biodiversity Assessment of Saint Lucia‟s Forests, With Management Recommendations. Technical Report No. 10 to the National Forest Demarcation and Bio-Physical Resource Inventory Project, FCG International Ltd, Helsinki, Finland. The National Forest Demarcation and Bio-Physical Resource Inventory Project was funded by the European Union under the auspices of the Banana Industry Trust, and implemented by the Finnish Consulting Group (FCG) International Ltd in collaboration with the Saint Lucia Forestry Department. Table of Contents Executive Summary ..........................................................................................................................1 1. Introduction ..............................................................................................................................3 1.1. Context of this Report ......................................................................................................... 3 1.2. Biodiversity Research Team ................................................................................................ 3 1.3. Saint Lucia: A Brief Introduction ......................................................................................... 5 2. The Forests and Their Biodiversity ............................................................................................6 2.1. Forest Diversity ................................................................................................................... 6 2.2. Plant Diversity ................................................................................................................... 10 2.3. Animal Diversity ................................................................................................................ 13 2.4. Functions and Values ........................................................................................................ 16 3. Priority Forest Biodiversity Areas .......................................................................................... 21 3.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 21 3.2. Priority Areas Within the Forest Reserve .......................................................................... 21 3.3. Priority Areas Outside the Forest Reserve ........................................................................ 26 4. Priority Forest Species for Conservation ............................................................................... 34 5. Threats to Forest Biodiversity ................................................................................................ 41 5.1. Forest Threat Analysis ....................................................................................................... 41 5.2. Discussion of Two Major Threats to Saint Lucia’s Forests ................................................ 44 6. Management Recommendations .......................................................................................... 57 6.1. FOREST RESERVE AND PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT ............................................... 57 Objective 1: Within the Forest Reserves and existing protected areas, establish and implement site management plans that integrate biodiversity conservation with other forest uses and services .......................................................................................................................................... 57 6.2. FORESTS ON PRIVATE LANDS ............................................................................................ 58 Objective 2: Make a concerted effort to safeguard important forests outside of the current Forest Reserves, with particular attention to deciduous and semi-evergreen seasonal forests .. 58 6.3. NATIONAL LEGISLATION .................................................................................................... 59 Objective 3: Revise and amend the national legislation to reflect the current status and needs of Saint Lucia’s forest biodiversity..................................................................................................... 59 6.4. ALIEN INVASIVE SPECIES ................................................................................................... 60 Objective 4: Control the introduction and spread of alien invasive species that seriously endanger Saint Lucia’s forests and their biodiversity ................................................................... 60 Daltry – Biodiversity Assessment 6.5. THREATENED AND EXPLOITED SPECIES............................................................................. 63 Objective 5: Develop species management plans for threatened and exploited species, and update their Red List status. ......................................................................................................... 63 6.6. APPLIED RESEARCH AND MONITORING ............................................................................ 64 Objective 6: Conduct applied research to inform and monitor the management of Saint Lucia’s forest biodiversity ......................................................................................................................... 64 6.7. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS .......................................................................................... 68 Objective 7: Strengthen local and national understanding and support for forest biodiversity conservation, with special attention to the lesser-known forest types ....................................... 68 6.8. CIVIL SOCIETY .................................................................................................................... 69 Objective 8: Foster the development of a civil society organisation(s) as a tool for lobbying for and enhancing the conservation of forests and their biodiversity ............................................... 69 6.9. CAPACITY BUILDING .......................................................................................................... 70 Objective 9: Ensure the Saint Lucia Forestry Department and other groups responsible for forest management have the necessary skills, resources and information to manage forest biodiversity effectively ...................................................................................................................................... 70 7. References ............................................................................................................................. 71 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 74 Annex I Species Checklists ............................................................................................................ 75 Table A Seed Plants (Angiosperms and Gymnosperms) of Saint Lucia ........................................ 76 Table B Ferns and Their Allies (Pteridophytes) of Saint Lucia ...................................................... 91 Table C Beetles (Coleoptera) of Saint Lucia ................................................................................. 93 Table D Flies (Diptera) of Saint Lucia .......................................................................................... 101 Table E Dragonflies (Odonata) of Saint Lucia ............................................................................. 103 Table F Butterflies and moths of Saint Lucia (preliminary list). ................................................. 104 Table G Reptiles and Amphibians of Saint Lucia ........................................................................ 105 Table H Birds of Saint Lucia (excluding vagrant records) ........................................................... 106 Table I Mammals of Saint Lucia .................................................................................................. 108 Annex II Decision Matrix for Species Recovery Planning............................................................ 109 Annex III Skills Assessment Form ...............................................................................................