From Coast to Cloud Forest

Exploring Saba’s Trees Through Roots & Routes

The Sea & Learn Foundation (SLF) kicked off 2026 with a fresh, green focus through its Roots & Routes campaign — a 12-week celebration of Saba’s forests, trees, and the many ways the community connects with nature. Running from January through March, the campaign invited residents to step outside and explore the island from a new perspective. And as many participants discovered, Saba might be small, but it’s packed with incredible biodiversity!

Exploring Saba’s Five Climate Zones

One of the most fascinating parts of Roots & Routes was exploring Saba's five climate zones (or some prefer to reference as vegetation zones). As you move from the coast up toward the summit of Mount Scenery, the landscape changes dramatically. Along the coast, plants deal with salty winds and strong sun. Species like sea grape thrive here, holding their ground along rocky cliffs and shorelines. On the lower slopes, the forest becomes warmer and drier. Plants here are more sun-tolerant, with hardy shrubs and trees adapted to these conditions. Further up the mountain, hikers pass through the montane forest, where tall tree ferns and lush green vegetation dominate the trails. Just below the summit, the elfin forest takes over. Trees grow shorter and twist in the wind, creating a magical, dense forest that feels almost otherworldly. At the very top of Mount Scenery, clouds and mist often drift through the forest. This cool, damp cloud forest is full of mossy branches, epiphytes, and plants that thrive in constant moisture.

Tree Hunt & Share

A big highlight of the campaign was the Tree Hunt & Share, which encouraged participants to get outside and start spotting trees. People hiked trails, explored their neighborhoods, and photographed plants they encountered along the way. Observations were uploaded to the citizen science platform iNaturalist, helping build a growing record of Saba’s biodiversity.

Throughout the campaign, SLF also spotlighted twelve different species, including:

• Breadfruit

• West Indian Almond

• White Cedar

• Turk’s Cap Cactus

• Mountain Mahogany

• Epiphytes

• Gumbo Limbo

• West Indian Mahogany

• Tree Fern

• Elephant Ear

• Sea Grape

• Mango Tree

Each week, fun facts about these plants and their habitats were shared on social media, helping everyone learn a little more about the forests we walk through every day.

A Creative Twist

For those who preferred pencils and paintbrushes over hiking boots, the Creative Tree Challenge offered another way to get involved. Community members of all ages were invited to submit tree-inspired artwork, showing just how much creativity nature can spark. The entries submitted were locally made handcrafted pieces — celebrating trees in its own unique way.

We’ll Take “Saba’s Trees” for $200

To wrap up the campaign, the community gathered at Colibri Cafe for a fun and lively Tree Jeopardy Night. 5 teams competed in trivia rounds covering everything from Saba’s climate zones to tree species and forest ecology. The setting was full of laughter, friendly competition, and plenty of impressive tree knowledge. It was the perfect way to celebrate a campaign that brought people together around nature.

The evening also recognized participants from throughout the campaign. Winners of the Tree Hunt, Creative Challenge, and Jeopardy trivia received unique, locally handcrafted prizes, including:

• Hand-carved walking sticks

• A handmade knife

• Coconut-carved keychains

• A woven manta ray artwork

• Bamboo cutlery

A great mix of nature, creativity, and local craftsmanship!

Rooted in Curiosity

The Roots & Routes campaign showed how much there is to discover right outside our doors. Whether people joined by hiking, photographing trees, creating art, or answering trivia questions, the community came together to celebrate the natural beauty of Saba.

And hopefully, the next time someone heads out on a trail, they might just pause for a moment and look a little closer at the trees along the way.

Supported by NEPP: protecting nature, reviving resources, sustaining our islands.