Carbet Mountains

Carbet Mountains
Carbet Mountains
	Pitons de Carbet as seen from the Route de la trace linking Fort de France to Morne Rouge. From right to left: Piton Lacroix, Piton Dumauzé and Piton de l'Alma.
Highest point
Elevation	1,197 m (3,927 ft)
Geography
	Carbet Mountains Location in Martinique
Location	Martinique

Last updated December 04, 2024

The Carbet Mountains (French : Pitons Du Carbet, or Carbet Nails) are a massif of volcanic origin on the Caribbean island of Martinique.

Geography

The scenic Carbet Pitons range occupy an 8 km long area of outstanding natural beauty through the centre of the island, and include some of its highest peaks, though Martinique's highest point Mount Pelée is not part of the range. The singularly steep peaks of the Carbet Pitons range, a defining landmark of Northern Martinique's landscapes, form a series of volcanic andesite domes and peaks covered with thick, pristine rainforests towering above the bay and city of Fort de France.

Despite appearing as distincts mountains, these volcanic dykes are actually various lava domes of a single volcano. They were erected in various eruptions as a result of the collapse of the caldeira of the former Pitons du Carbet paleovolcano, which developed 10 kilometers to the southwest of the older shield volcano of Morne Jacob. The rock contains crystals of quartz, biotite, amphibole and plagioclase.^[1] The deposits of ash and boulders at the foot of the peaks show that their emplacement was not smooth and that they or parts of them have collapsed several times in their history.^[2] According to the most recent datings, the peaks are between one million and 322,000 years old, which is relatively young on the geological time scale. They are, however, older than Mount Pelee further north.

The various peaks are grouped together in a fairly small area. The highest peak is Piton Lacroix, which peaks at 1,197 m. Other important peaks are the ridge of Morne Piquet (1,160 m, to the north), the Dumauzé peak (1,112 m) and the Alma peak (1,107 m). The ascent of these peaks is possible but should be reserved for the highly trained hikers due to the very steep slopes and trails made slippery by the extreme humidity of the climate (trails eastward from Morne-Vert on the Caribbean coast or westward from the abandoned thermal station of Absalon or Plateau Boucher near the Route de la Trace in the deeply forested central north of the island).

The Pitons du Carbet's primeval forest natural reserve, which has been granted by the French Government, together with a dozen of other forests nationwide, the label of "Forêt d'Exception", is a hotspot of biodiversity. It's primeval rainforest include very diverse and complex fauna and entomofauna (including the West Indian Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis), the most feared Spearhead snake (Bothrops Lanceolatus), the Martinique Northern Tarentula (Caribena Versicolor) and rare or endemic species of hummingbirds such as the Blue headed hummingbird, the green throated carib, the purple throated carib or the Antillean crested Hummingbirds), as well as exceptionally rich and precious flora and plant organisations (some of which are virgin, primary forest free of any past human modifications).

At its lowest altitudes and downwind, the zone presents submontane rainforest formations, replaced at higher altitudes by the topographic facies of the tropical mountain rainforest. This is mainly located on narrow, steeply sloping interfluves, but also in less steep areas of the slopes. In addition, at the highest altitudes, the cloud forest is densely populated with endemic species including bryophytes, Praestoea montana and/or tree ferns. To the summits or in very exposed areas, dense thickets are very diverse and rich in endemic species. These summit areas boast almost pure populations of rare orchids such as Bracchionidium sherringii). Finally, the most unstable terrains show a high level of herbaceous formations also containing rare or endemic species such as the small fern Odontosoria flexuosa, endemic to the Lesser Antilles and victim of erosion of the tracks.^[3]

Peaks

The five highest mountain peaks of the Carbet range and their heights are:

Piton Lacroix or Morne Pavillon (1197 m)
Morne Piquet (1160 m)
Piton Dumauzé (1109 m)
Piton de l'Alma (1105 m)
Piton Boucher (1070 m)

Protection

On September 16, 2023, the Carbet Mountain and the volcanoes and forests of Mount Pelée were inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List.^[4] It is the 7th natural site in France to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.^[5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Dominica</span>

Dominica is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located about halfway between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Its coordinates are 15 25 N, 61 20 W. It is known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which is protected by an extensive natural park system. It is the fourth largest island in the Eastern Caribbean with a population of people mainly of African descent.

Martinique is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. A part of the French West Indies (Antilles), Martinique is an overseas department and region and a single territorial collectivity of the French Republic. It is a part of the European Union as an outermost region within the special territories of members of the European Economic Area, and an associate member of the CARICOM, but is not part of the Schengen Area or the European Union Customs Union. The currency in use is the euro.

Mauritius is an island off Africa's southeast coast located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. It is geologically located within the Somali Plate.

The French Overseas Department of Martinique is a Caribbean island belonging to the Lesser Antilles group in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Cuba and north of Trinidad and Tobago. It is part of the French West Indies. It lies near the Tropic of Cancer between 14° 26' and 14°53' latitude north and 63° 9' and 63° 34' longitude west. At most some 50 miles long and 22 miles wide, Martinique covers an area of 425 square miles. Its coastline is so indented that no part of the island is more than seven miles from the sea.

Mount Pelée or Mont Pelée, meaning "bald mountain" or "peeled mountain" in French, is an active volcano at the northern end of Martinique, an island and French overseas department in the Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc of the Caribbean. Its volcanic cone is composed of stratified layers of hardened ash and solidified lava. Its most recent eruption was in 1932.

The Mascarene Islands or Mascarenes or Mascarenhas Archipelago is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar consisting of islands belonging to the Republic of Mauritius as well as the French department of La Réunion. Their name derives from the Portuguese navigator Pedro Mascarenhas, who first visited them in April 1512. The islands share a common geological origin beneath the Mascarene Plateau known as the Mauritia microcontinent which was a Precambrian microcontinent situated between India and Madagascar until their separation about 70 million years ago. They form a distinct ecoregion with unique biodiversity and endemism of flora and fauna.

The Piton des Neiges is a 3,069 m (10,069 ft) shield volcano on Réunion, one of the French volcanic islands in the Mascarene Archipelago in the southwestern Indian Ocean. It is located about 800 kilometres (500 mi) east of Madagascar. Piton des Neiges is the highest point on Réunion and is considered to be the highest point in the Indian Ocean.

The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. It comprises three Indonesian national parks on the island of Sumatra: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The site is listed under Criteria vii - outstanding scenic beauty; ix- an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes; and x- contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation. The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra has been placed on the Danger List since 2011 to help overcome threats posed by poaching, illegal logging, agricultural encroachment, and plans to build roads through the site.

Morne Trois Pitons National Park is a national park in Dominica established in July 1975, the first to be legally established in the country. It became a World Heritage Site in 1997. The park is named after its highest mountain, Morne Trois Pitons, meaning mountain of three peaks. The park is an area of significant volcanic activity. Features within the park include the Valley of Desolation, a region of boiling mud ponds and small geysers; the Boiling Lake; Titou Gorge; and Emerald Pool. The mountain is the second-highest peak in Dominica, being exceeded only by Morne Diablotins.

Allobates chalcopis, also known as the Martinique volcano frog or ravine rocket frog, is a species of frog in the family Aromobatidae. It is endemic to Martinique, where it is found at high-altitude areas including Mount Pelée and potentially most of the Carbet Mountains. It is threatened by climate change, which has led to it being extirpated from the lower-lying reaches of its already-small range, and may lead to a continued population decline and range contraction.

Le Morne-Rouge is a commune and town in the French overseas department and island of Martinique.

Guadeloupe National Park is a national park in Guadeloupe, an overseas department of France located in the Leeward Islands of the eastern Caribbean region. The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve is a marine protected area adjacent to the park and administered in conjunction with it. Together, these protected areas comprise the Guadeloupe Archipelago biosphere reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of Martinique-related articles</span>

Articles related to the French overseas department of Martinique include:

Morne, Morné, Mörne, etc. may refer to:

Piton is a rock climbing tool.

The 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée was a volcanic eruption on the island of Martinique in the Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc of the eastern Caribbean, which was one of the deadliest eruptions in recorded history. Eruptive activity began on 23 April as a series of phreatic eruptions from the summit of Mount Pelée. Within days, the vigor of these eruptions exceeded anything witnessed since the island was settled by Europeans. The intensity then subsided for a few days until early May, when the phreatic eruptions increased again. Lightning laced the eruption clouds and trade winds dumped ash on villages to the west. Heavy ash fell, sometimes causing total darkness. Some of the afflicted residents panicked and headed for the perceived safety of larger settlements, especially Saint-Pierre, about 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Pelée's summit. Saint-Pierre received its first ash fall on 3 May.

El Tepozteco National Park is a national park in Morelos state of central Mexico. It protects 232.58 km² in the mountains of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. The park includes El Tepozteco, an archeological site featuring an Aztec temple.

Parc naturel régional de la Martinique is one of 54 French regional nature parks. With a surface area of approximately 63,000 ha (240 sq mi), it covers more than half of the island, overlapping 32 of 34 communes - including approximately 100,000 inhabitants. The park works to preserve one of 34 biodiversity hotspots on the planet. The biodiversity hotspot map identifies areas for preservation by two criteria, one being a certain rate of endemism: that the flora and fauna are not found elsewhere, and because at least 70% of its primary vegetation has been lost.

References

↑ Aurélie Germa, « Évolution volcano-tectonique de l'île de la Martinique (arc insulaire des Petites Antilles) : nouvelles contraintes géochronologiques et géomorphologiques », thèse de géologie appliquée, Université Paris Sud - Paris XI, 2008
↑ Volcanisme de l’île de la Martinique, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris
↑ "LES SOMMETS DES PITONS DU CARBET" (PDF).
↑ "Martinique : la montagne Pelée et les pitons du nord inscrits au patrimoine mondial de l'Unesco". Les Echos (in French). 2023-09-17. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
↑ "Un volcan de l'île française de la Martinique au patrimoine de l'Unesco". LEFIGARO (in French). 2023-09-16. Retrieved 2023-09-18.

14°41′54″N61°06′50″W / 14.6982°N 61.1138°W / 14.6982; -61.1138

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] Aurélie Germa, « Évolution volcano-tectonique de l'île de la Martinique (arc insulaire des Petites Antilles) : nouvelles contraintes géochronologiques et géomorphologiques », thèse de géologie appliquée, Université Paris Sud - Paris XI, 2008

[2] Volcanisme de l’île de la Martinique, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris

[3] "LES SOMMETS DES PITONS DU CARBET" (PDF).

[4] "Martinique : la montagne Pelée et les pitons du nord inscrits au patrimoine mondial de l'Unesco". Les Echos (in French). 2023-09-17. Retrieved 2023-09-18.

[5] "Un volcan de l'île française de la Martinique au patrimoine de l'Unesco". LEFIGARO (in French). 2023-09-16. Retrieved 2023-09-18.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]