The variation and diversity in ecosystems and land uses at Green Castle Estate is a primary attraction to tourists and researchers alike. Conservation and restoration of the land in conjunction with educational and recreational uses is the primary focus of the Greencastle Tropical Study Center mission. The 1600 acres of forest and aquatic ecosystems intermingled with built systems of fields, pastures and gardens provide the naturalist, researcher, student and guest with endless opportunities to observe Jamaica’s unique flora and fauna, and to study how the ecosystems are affected by land use on small and large scales.

Terrestrial ecosystems that range from sea level to an elevation of 500 feet are primarily associated with agricultural and livestock production within secondary limestone forest and coastal scrub. Organically certified tree crops of coconut palm, pimento, cocoa and limes are grown in patches within the woodlands, maintaining habitat and diversity. A 5-acre reservoir with depths ranging to 25 feet drains into the Calabash Bottom stream to provide water for irrigation. The stream flows through a plain used for agricultural and livestock production to a small river along the Estate’s border where it enters Annotto Bay of the Caribbean Sea. Marine ecosystems along more than a mile of coastline are also quite diverse. The shoreline is distinctly characterized by both sandy and rocky shores, with freshwater and brackish pond and riparian aquatic ecosystems within the coastal scrub vegetation.

Current land use by approximate acreage is:

• Woodlands – 800 acres
• Pasture Lands – 300
• Organic Tree Crops – 300
• Organic Agriculture Plain – 80
• Coastal shoreline and scrub - 50
• Wetlands - 30
• Roads and Facilities – 30

The variety and scale of the terrestrial and aquatic landscapes at Green Castle create a unique setting to study the interaction between the land uses and the underlying ecosystems. While a primary focus of sustainable land use is to maintain a balance between the health of the ecosystems and the need to create a viable economic and social use of the land, another major goal of the Tropical Study Center is to study and document these relationships in all their forms. Base-line surveys of the Green Castle Estate ecosystems and the associated flora and fauna are key, targeted goals to assist in defining a sustainable land use at this remarkable site.