Morne Trois Pitons National Park
Morne Trois Pitons National Park | |
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Location | Dominica |
Coordinates | 15°19′30″N 61°19′00″W / 15.32500°N 61.31667°W |
Area | 68.57 km2 |
Established | 1975 |
Type | Natural |
Criteria | viii, x |
Designated | 1997 (21st session) |
Reference no. | 814 |
Region | Latin America and the Caribbean |
Morne Trois Pitons National Park is a national park in Dominica established in July 1975, the first to be legally established in the country. It became a World Heritage Site in 1997.[1] The park is named after its highest mountain, Morne Trois Pitons, meaning mountain of three peaks. The park is an area of significant volcanic activity. Features within the park include the Valley of Desolation, a region of boiling mud ponds and small geysers; the Boiling Lake; Titou Gorge; and Emerald Pool. The mountain is the second-highest peak in Dominica, being exceeded only by Morne Diablotins (1,447 m (4,747 ft)).[2]
Background
The park was established in 1975 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Its area is about 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres), and it is dominated by the Morne Trois Pitons volcanoes (1,342 m (4,403 ft)), from which it gets its name. The three major types of geological formations found in the park are
The park is managed by the Division of Forestry, Wildlife and National Parks, under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The steep and rugged terrain has discouraged development, and there are no human settlements within the park. However, there is a small quarry and some limited farming in the southern portion; the government's electric utility company has certain rights, but these are being used for
Flora
Most of the area of the park retains its natural habitat and there are a number of different vegetation zones,
Fauna
Mammals found in the park include agoutis, wild pigs, common opossums, numerous small rodents, and bats. There are large numbers of birds in the forest, but they are often heard rather than seen. There are four species of hummingbird, the rufous-throated solitaire, and two endemic parrots, the imperial amazon, and the red-necked amazon. The endemic Dominican anole Anolis oculatus can be found here as well as numerous species of tree frog.[5]
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Emerald Pool and Waterfall
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Middleham Falls
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Dominican Jungle
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Freshwater Lake
See also
References
- ISBN 978-9004194083 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Morne Diablotins, Dominica". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Morne Trois Pitons National Park". UNESCO. 1997. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- .
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84162-217-0 – via Google Books.
External links
- Virtual Dominica.com
- UNEP-WCMC
- Morne Trois Pitons National Park - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- Friends of World Heritage Non profit organization that identifies projects that support local tourism enterprises that can help alleviate poverty and conserve World Heritage sites.
- "Morne Trois Pitons". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 27 June 2021.