The Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park was designated in 1993 under the Natural Recources Conservation Authority (NRCA) Act. It protects the biological diversity and ecosystem services of 41,198 hectares of forest. In July, 2015 its 26,000 ha core, Preservation Zone was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The World Heritage inscription recognizes both the rich bidiversity of the area and the associated cultural heritage of the Windward Maroons. The National Park is important globally for the large number of endemic plants, amphibians, birds, and mammals. The steep slopes, rugged terrain, cascading streams, and lush forests with diverse flora and fauna provided all the Maroons needed to establish their settlements and traditions and defeat the British, using guerrilla warfare under their indefatigable leader Wueen Nanny to secure their freedom and soverrignty. The Windward Maroons have since settled the valleys but retain their cultural heritage and revere the mountains as the last resting place of their ancestors.
