The cloud forest of the Peaks National Park is the only remaining densely vegetated habitat type on St Helena that can still be considered predominantly native. The black cabbage trees Melanodendron integrifolium act as a keystone species in this ecosystem, with their presence facilitating the necessary conditions for the endemic Endangered St Helena dogwood Nesohedyotis arborea and the endemic Endangered whitewood Petrobium arboretum to germinate. The Peaks are a very important area for endemic flora and invertebrates, with a number of completed and on-going projects to conserve these species, clear/ control invasive plants, and maintain access for public awareness and enjoyment but with minimised disturbance to the fragile environment (EU BEST project 2016). They also constitute one of the proposed Ramsar Sites.
Further details about past and current projects can be viewed at the UKOTCF Database resource.