Cayman Islands National Biodiversity Action Plan 2009 3.T.1.

1 Terrestrial Species - Plants Old George

Rev: 19 March 2012

MAT COTTAM

Old George Hohenbergia caymanensis Britton ex L. B. Smith Taxonomy and Range Kingdom: Plantae, Division: Magnoliophyta, Class: Liliopsida, Order: Bromeliales, Family: Bromeliaceae Genus: Hohenbergia, Species: caymanensis Hohenbergia is a genus of about 35 species (Proctor 2009). Old George Hohenbergia caymanensis is a species unique to Grand Cayman. The entire natural population is restricted to a small area of rocky woodland in southwestern George Town. Old George is the only example of this genus found in the Cayman Islands. Status Distribution: Species endemic to Grand Cayman. Conservation: Critically endangered CR A3c+4c; C1+2a(ii) (The Red List, Burton 2008a). Legal: Old George Hohenbergia caymanensis currently has no legal protection in the Cayman Islands. Pending legislation, it would be protected under the National Conservation Law (Schedule I). The Department of Environment would be the lead body for legal protection.
For Reference and Acknowledgement: Cottam, M., Olynik, J., Blumenthal, J., Godbeer, K.D., Gibb, J., Bothwell, J., Burton, F.J., Bradley, P.E., Band, A., Austin, T., Bush, P., Johnson, B.J., Hurlston, L., Bishop, L., McCoy, C., Parsons, G., Kirkconnell, J., Halford, S. and Ebanks-Petrie, G. (2009). Cayman Islands National Biodiversity Action Plan 2009. Cayman Islands Government. Department of Environment. Final Formatting and production by John Binns, International Reptile Conservation Foundation.

Section: 3.T.1.1 Terrestrial Species - Plants - Old George Page: 1

Natural History Old George Hohenbergia caymanensis is a large bromeliad. Mature leaves exceed one metre in length. It is extremely rangelimited, with the remnant natural population now confined to a narrow rocky ridge of Cayman Formation dolostone extant in southwestern George Town. This area is known locally as the Ironwood Forest. Within this small area of forest, Old George is profuse; attaching to tree trunks, and fixing into the crevices on the rocky ground. Old George appears dependent on the high moisture content of the air in the Ironwood Forest. The closed tree canopy, in combination with the forests position within George Town, 1500mm rainfall isohyet, and the close proximity of an adjacent mosaic of wetlands, contribute to the humid understory. Associated Habitats and Species for Old George ASSOCIATED HABITAT PLANS 2.T.4 Forest and Woodland Current Factors Affecting Old George Extreme range limitation: known only from a single population fragment in the Ironwood Forest George Town, Hohenbergia caymanensis is especially prone to localised environmental perturbation. Roads construction: in 2008, a controversial roads development through the Ironwood Forest was shelved amid public outcry. At the present time, however, the forest remains without any form of formal protection. A combination of footprint impact, and more significantly, edge effects arising from the proposed roads project, would likely result in the extinction of this species in the wild. Habitat loss: clearance and development of unprotected habitat. The Ironwood Forest constitutes the last remnant of originalgrowth George Town Forest, and is surrounded on all sides by dense urban and suburban development. Habitat requirements: complex habitat requirements may limit potential for effective ex situ conservation propagation, and the translocation and establishment of viable new populations. Protected areas: no natural population currently exists in protected areas, though a number of individuals have been transplanted to the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. This artificially established population has, however, so far failed to propagate, and the reasons for this should be determined as a matter of urgency. Capacity for protection: given the extremely small area of the known population, protection and in situ conservation should be potentially achievable. Propagation: ad hoc trials have successfully propagated Old George from seed, with ease, under artificial conditions. Vegetative propagation is also simple - the small rosettes budding naturally from the base of adult plants can be removed and planted directly (Burton, pers. comm.). Landscaping potential: in common with most bromeliads, Old George makes for an attractive supplemental to landscaping schemes, however, potential is likely to be limited by the availability of suitable conditions of substrate, shade and rainfall. Opportunities and Current Local Action for Old George Since 2002, long-standing efforts by local conservation groups to establish the Ironwood Forest as a protected area have not been successful. Currently, the Ironwood Forest remains without any form of legal protection. In 2008, a controversial roads development through the Ironwood Forest was shelved amid public outcry. In addition to containing the last natural population of Old George, The Ironwood Forest also represents the last remnant of originalgrowth George Town Forest, and the largest natural population of Ghost Orchid Dendrophylax fawcettii; compounding the conservation significance of this area. ASSOCIATED SPECIES PLANS Ironwood Chionanthus caymanensis Ghost Orchid Dendrophylax fawcettii Silver Thatch Palm Coccothrinax proctorii

Section: 3.T.1.1 Terrestrial Species - Plants - Old George

Page: 2

SPECIES ACTION PLAN for Old George OBJECTIVES 1. Reverse population decline of Hohenbergia caymanensis and raise Red List status by at least one category, from critically endangered. 2. Preserve in situ populations of Hohenbergia caymanensis. 3. Develop inter-situ cultivation and conservation programme for Hohenbergia caymanensis. TARGET 2015 2015 2012

Old George PROPOSED ACTION Policy & Legislation PL1. Pass and implement the National Conservation Law. PL2. Implement the Endangered Species (Trade & Transport) Law. PL3. Protect Hohenbergia caymanensis under Schedule I of the National Conservation Law, through establishment of conservation regulations. PL4. Reduce the threat of a catastrophic loss of the remaining population, through involvement with the Millennium Seedbank Project. PL5. Promote amendment of the Planning Law, to facilitate rapid imposition of stop-orders on illegal developments and provide a responsive and effective enforcement mechanism. PL6. Strengthen the Development Plan on Grand Cayman, incorporating a long-term vision for the environmental, social, and economic development of the Islands. PL7. Promote removal of the road gazette through the Ironwood Forest.

LEAD

PARTNERS

TARGET

MEETS OBJECTIVE 1,2,3 1,2 1,2,3 3 1,2

CIG DoE DoE DoE RBGK DoP

DoE CIG CIG QEIIBP DoE CIG CIG MP DoE

2006 2006 2006 2010 2010

DoP CPA DoE NRA

ongoing 2009

1,2 1,2

Safeguards & Management SM1. Use the Environmental Protection Fund to establish a protected area / management agreement with landowners of the Ironwood Forest, to protect Hohenbergia caymanensis population in situ. SM2. Collect seeds under Millennium Seedbank Project protocol and bank at Kew, with replicate collection for local conservation propagation. SM3. Establish local conservation propagation programme and introduce Hohenbergia caymanensis to private gardens and landscaping schemes through the Native Tree Nursery. SM4. Restore the damage done to the Ironwood Forest during the course of preliminary assessments for the road project (restoration of orchids, removal of introduced invasive species, replanting of native trees). SM5. Implement associated HAPs. Advisory A1. Promote use of native plants in landscaping, through maintenance of existing vegetation and use of Recommended Planting Palette in new developments. A2. Targeted awareness of the need for the National Conservation Law and the Endangered Species (Trade & Transport) Law. DoP DoE DoE CIG NT 2009 2006 1,2,3 1,2 CC DoE RBGK QEIIBP QEIIBP DoE NRA DoE DoE RBGK NT, MP DoE CIG 2010 1,2

2012

2008

1,3

CIG

2009 2015

1,2 1,2,3

Research & Monitoring RM1. Survey and map remaining populations of Hohenbergia caymanensis. DoE NT, CN 2010 2

Section: 3.T.1.1 Terrestrial Species - Plants - Old George

Page: 3

Old George PROPOSED ACTION RM2. Collect seed under Millennium Seedbank Project. protocol, including voucher specimens and in situ habit images, and transpose into searchable electronic format, linked to Field Collections Database. RM3. Reassess IUCN Red List status of Hohenbergia caymanensis locally. RM4. Investigate seed dispersal and germination in natural populations, to clarify why this species is not self-propagating in the QEIIBP population, and clarify potential environmental limitations to restoration efforts. CP1. Raise public awareness of the unique nature of Hohenbergia caymanensis with a childrens competition to think of a common name for the plant.

LEAD DoE DoE DoE QEIIBP

PARTNERS RBGK QEIIBP

TARGET 2010 2015

MEETS OBJECTIVE 3 1 3

RBGK IntC

2012

Communication & Publicity DoE MP 2008 1,2,3

CP1.REPORT: Competition launched in Darwin Newsletter, 2008, resulted in a winning entry of Old George, named by Cristiana McMurdo because it is found in the last piece of Old George Town forest. Old George becomes a focal point in public campaign to preserve the Ironwood Forest, 2008. Old George published as common name for Hohenbergia caymanensis in Red List (Burton 2008a). CP2. Subject to SM1, develop and deploy in situ interpretation related to the value of the Ironwood Forest, southwest George Town. CP3. Raise awareness of the value of native landscaping, and promote the use of Hohenbergia caymanensis. CP4. Utilise native flora and fauna, and associated preservation efforts, in the international promotion of the Cayman Islands. DoE DoE DoP NT QEIIBP CIG DE NT CN MP CN GC OS SB LCN DoE DoT NT MP QEIIBP 2012 2010 1,2,3 1,3

2010

1,2,3

References and Further Reading for Old George

Burton, F. (2007). Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands (2nd edition). International Reptile Conservation Foundation, USA. ISBN 978-1-4276-2168-9 Burton, F.J. (2008a). Threatened Plants of the Cayman Islands: The Red List. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew: Richmond, Surrey UK. Burton, F.J. (2008b). Vegetation Classification for the Cayman Islands. In: Threatened Plants of the Cayman Islands: The Red List. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew: Richmond, Surrey UK. Proctor, G.R. (1984). Flora of the Cayman Islands. Kew Bulletin Additional Series XI. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Her Majestys Stationary Office. London. ISBN 0-11-242548-8. Proctor, G.R. (2012) Flora of the Cayman Islands. Kew Publishing. 736 pp. ISBN: 9781842464038

Section: 3.T.1.1 Terrestrial Species - Plants - Old George

Page: 4