Wallings Forest (20875)
Antigua and Barbuda, Caribbean

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Wallings Forest

Central coordinates: Latitude: 17.0368, Longitude: -61.8038

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 120 to 280

Area of KBA (km²): 1.87829

Protected area coverage (%): 62.59

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Walling’s Forest IBA is in south-west Antigua, in the volcanic Shekerly Mountains. The forest is on the north-west slopes of Signal Hill (Antigua’s second highest mountain). Boggy Peak (and Sage Hill) lies c.4 km to the west, beyond which is the Christian Valley IBA (AG009). The slopes of Signal Hill are traversed by contour drainage ditches so that all most run off feeds into Walling’s reservoir, created by a dam built in 1900 with a view to supplying neighbouring villages with potable water (something it no longer does). The IBA supports the largest and best remaining tract of moist evergreen forest on the island. A popular trail to the top of Signal Hill starts near the reservoir which is quite heavily used by tourists, and locals at weekends.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)

Additional biodiversity: This IBA supports populations of nine (of the 11) Lesser Antilles EBA restricted-range birds. Within Antigua, some of these species (Bridled Quail-dove Geotrygon mystacea, Scaly-breasted Thrasher Margarops fuscus, Pearly-eyed Thrasher M. fuscatus and Antillean Euphonia Euphonia musica) are entirely confined to the Walling’s Forest and Christian Valley IBA (AG009) ecosystem. A significant population of the Near Threatened White-crowned Pigeon Patagioenas leucocephala also occurs. Non-bird biodiversity: Seven species of bat occur including the Near Threatened insular single leaf bat Monophylus plethodon and Brazilian free-tailed bat Tadarida brasilensis.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	100

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Walling’s Forest and reservoir are partially state owned. About 5 ha of Wallings was reforested in the early 1900s to protect the watershed. The Forestry Department (Ministry of Agriculture) offers some protection from logging for building and charcoal – the primary threat to this area. However, the draft Forestry Act (of the 1990s) which would enable formal protection to this area has not been enacted. Forestry Department maintain some areas, some trails and offer guided tours. A management plan has been written but not implemented. Forest conversion and disturbance for residential development, tourism (e.g. the recent construction of an aerial ropeway) and agriculture pose a real threat to the integrity of this ecosystem.

Additional information

References: Bacon, PR., (1991);Bunce, L., (1993);Caribbean Conservation Association. (1991);Lindsay, k. and Horwith, B. (1997);MacPherson, J. (1973);Martin-Kaye, P., (1969);Martin-Kaye, P., (1959);Pregill, GKD et al.(1994);Raffaele, H., et al. (1998); Spencer, W (1981)