Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information Six (6) RRS and no Globally-threatened species are found. Other notable species found in the area include the Black Hawk and Scaly-naped Pigeon.

Site description King’s Hill is the oldest Forest Reserve in St. Vincent and the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere. It was established in 1791 to ‘attract the clouds and rain’ and thus provide rain for surrounding areas that were otherwise dry and windswept. The natural vegetation of the area is Dry Woodland forest and soils are generally light and sandy. The site also contains the oldest remaining sample plot established by J. S. Beard in1949 (Ivor Jackson and Associates, 2004). Due to its age and historical significance, the site is often used by the Forestry Department for research, school tours and dendrology training. However, use of the site is restricted and legally requires the permission of the Director of the Forestry Department.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
King's Hill	Wildlife Reserve	0	is identical to site	21

Habitats

Land use

Other biodiversity The endemic lizards A. griseus and A. vincentiana are found, along with endemic sub-species M. bruesi. It is possible that species endemic flora may also be present.

Management considerations The Reserve is located near the highway and thus is easily accessible to residents and tourists. Human pressure on the site will continue to be a concern. Illegal hunting of the iguana, agouti and opossum is a major issue within this Reserve. All species are protected year-round within this site, however wild yams and other plant material are also harvested from this Reserve and this threatens the integrity of the ecosystem. It is possible that domesticated animals (cats, dogs, chickens and small ruminants) use this Reserve. Finally, the accumulation of debris during the dry season creates a possible fire hazard.

Protection status King's Hill is the oldest Forest Reserve in St. Vincent and the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere. It was established in 1791 to 'attract the clouds and rain' and thus provide rain for surrounding areas that were otherwise dry and windswept

Further web sources of information 

Site profile from Important Bird Areas in the Caribbean: key sites for conservation (BirdLife International 2008)

References Ivor Jackson and Associates. 2004; Simmons and Associates, Inc. 2000

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: King's Hill Forest Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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