Discover Martinique : Mount Pelée and the peaks of northern Martinique listed as Unesco World Heritage sites

A third Unesco label for Martinique

With this inscription, Martinique acquires its third Unesco label, following that of Biosphere Reserve in 2021 and the classification in 2020 of good practices for safeguarding intangible heritage relating to the round yawl, a traditional boat. France now has 8 natural and mixed sites on the World Heritage List.

These listings recognize the great responsibility for biodiversity conservation borne by the French overseas territories, which are home to 80% of France's species biodiversity, as well as numerous endemic species, both terrestrial and marine.

Thanks to this listing, the territorial authority of Martinique, in collaboration with the State and with the support of management structures and operators such as the Martinique Regional Nature Park and the National Forestry Office (ONF), is committed to preserving the site's outstanding universal value and reinforcing the protection of its biodiversity.

Mount Pelée, an iconic volcano

The exceptional natural heritage of the Volcanoes and Forests of Montagne Pelée and the Pitons of northern Martinique covers an area of 14,000 hectares, encompassing the two volcanic and forested massifs in the north of the island.

Mount Pelée witnessed a momentous event in the history of volcanology: the eruption of May 8, 1902. The eruption is world-renowned for its contribution to the study of Earth sciences.

The Pitons du Carbet are a remarkable expression of a geological phenomenon that is extremely rare on a global scale.

These volcanic areas are home to the most diverse and best-preserved and best preserved forest continuum in the Lesser Antilles (the term "forest continuum" refers to the notion of a "continuum of forests") refers to the notion of a geographical area where forests are continuously connected, without significant interruption by urban, agricultural or other land types. This means that forests extend over a large area in an uninterrupted manner, creating a continuous forest habitat for flora and fauna). They cover an area from coast to summit, and include examples of very old rainforests. Conserving the forest continuum is important for biodiversity, as it enables species to move, migrate and adapt to environmental change.

The region's forests are home to the most representative forest types in the Lesser Antilles, and to almost 90% of its tree species. The site is home to exceptional flora and fauna, with the greatest diversity of endemic plant species in the Lesser Antilles, conferring a global responsibility for conservation.

Located within the Parc naturel régional de la Martinique, the site benefits from a number of protection measures, including three integral biological reserves, guaranteeing the preservation of the massifs and the free evolution of the forest ecosystems.

Volcanism and an exceptional ecosystem

In Martinique, volcanoes play an essential role in enriching the island's biodiversity. The island lies at the heart of the Lesser Antilles, at the boundary between the sliding movements of the Caribbean and Atlantic plates.

Seismic activity is linked to continental drift, an interplay of tectonic plates which, as they move relative to one another, store up stresses in the rocks which, sooner or later, eventually release and trigger earthquakes. In the Lesser Antilles region, the convergence of the Atlantic plate with the Caribbean plate is progressing at a rate of 2 cm per year: this boundary, known as the subduction zone, is the site of potentially major earthquakes.

Martinique's volcanic activity began 50 million years ago with submarine volcanism, giving rise to the first formations: the Caravelle and Sainte-Anne peninsulas, to the east and south of the island. This period is known as the ancient arc or external arc: it corresponds to a period during which volcanism was entirely submarine. Volcanic activity then continued with the construction of "shield" volcanoes, as can be seen in the François region, with its multitude of mornes, vestiges of this period.

Between 6 and 1 million years ago, the Morne Jacob, the Pitons du Carbet, then Mont Conil (between 1 and 0.5 million years ago) and finally Mont Pelée (around 0.5 million years ago) came into being.

The history of Madinina has therefore been marked by numerous episodes of volcanic activity, which have often had a destructive effect on the flora and fauna. Unexpectedly, this alternation between phases of volcanic activity and phases of rest has been conducive to the emergence of new ecosystems.

Specific vegetation has developed on the volcanic slopes of Mount Pelée and the Pitons du Carbet. The effects of volcanism (gas, heat) combined with those of altitude (wind, meteorological variations) contribute to biological diversity and the selection of adapted species.