Places We Work

Blue and John Crow National Park
Lush tropical rain forest of the Blue and John Crow National Park
© Dan Campbell
 
 

Blue and John Crow Mountains
Although the two mountain ranges - the Blue and the John Crow - are geographically side by side, their geology, soil and vegetation are vastly different. The Río Grande Valley separates the two ranges.

The Blue Mountains rise sharply within nine miles (15 kilometers) of the coast and are characterized by steep-sided valleys and deeply gorged rivers. The Grand Ridge, which forms the spine of the ridge, extends 10 miles (16 kilometers) and includes Blue Mountain Peak, the highest point in Jamaica (7,405 feet; 2,257 meters).

In contrast, the John Crow Mountains rise gently from the east to a maximum height of 3,740 feet (1,140 meters), and end abruptly in a steep escarpment to the west.

The Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley flows between the Blue and John Crow mountains and provides most of the water for Jamaica’s capital, Kingston. Currently, the river is suffering the consequences of illegal poisoning used to harvest fish and crayfish. The Conservancy is working on a project to educate the local communities to use sustainable fishing practices and protect the river’s health.

Cockpit Country
From above, the thousands of hillocks and valleys of the Cockpit Country's unique karst (porous limestone) topography resemble an upside down egg carton. The rugged, forested terrain of this 150,000-acre (60,705-hectare) region has made it relatively difficult for humans to penetrate.

Maroons have lived in this area since the 17th century. The Maroon population is a mix of indigenous Taino Indians and descendants of African slaves freed by Spanish settlers when the British conquered Jamaica in 1655. A treaty signed by the British in 1739 promises the Maroons perpetual freedom, land and the right to govern themselves.

The Pedro Bank
The Pedro Bank is located approximately 50 miles or 80 kilometers south-southwest of the island of Jamaica, and is one of the biggest offshore banks in the Caribbean Basin. The bank is composed of a variety of marine habitats such as sand, coral reefs, deep reefs, sea grass beds, and three coral cays known as the Pedro Cays. Because of its size and distance from mainland Jamaica and its relatively intact biological systems, it is one of the country's last remaining healthy marine ecosystems.