The Peaks

Diana's Peak National Park ("The Peaks") are the jewel in St Helena's crown. Within this tiny reserve (the only reserve on St Helena) are found 244 endemic invertebrate species (and 127 of these are found nowhere else on the island) and over 70 endemic lichens and mosses within the ragged remains of a spectacular cloud forest. However, as it most certainly is a cloud forest getting photos of some of the inhabitants can be rather difficult. On a recent rare fine day Fran and I managed to spend a few busy hours on The Peaks grabbing photographs before the cloud once more descended.

Staff of the Environmental Conservation Section inspect a lone black cabbage tree - home to several rare ferns and mosses - in a regenerating tree fern thicket

a collection of endemic ferns (3 species) and mosses on the trunk of a black cabbage tree

Fuchsia coccinea - pretty, but can strangle the forest. This plant plus NZ flax, a wickedly invasive moss and the nasty pheasant-tail fern are the biggest threats to St Helena's unique cloud forest

The unique Elaphoglossum ferns: E. bifurcatum with the finely divided parsely-like leaves, E. nervosum with the straight leaves at upper right, and E. dimorphum - thought to be a hybrid between the two. Note the ever present NZ flax in the background

Looking out over Longwood towards Flagstaff and The Barn. Our house is just off to the left of picture

The view from the green peaks out to the Eastern Arid Zone. Prosperous Bay - site of St Helena's infamous soon-to-be airport - is in the background in front of King and Queen Rocks

The sun sets into the sea at the end of rare cloud-free day on The Peaks. Yep, that's NZ flax all over those hills