Established in 1999, the Portland Bight Protected Area (PBPA) is the largest protected area in Jamaica, encompassing 724 square miles of both marine and terrestrial areas ("bight" refers to the curved nature of the shoreline here).
The PBPA was originally created to protect the coral reefs off this section of Jamaica's southern coast, though it also protects endemic species and over 30 square miles of wetlands. Little Goat Island is also part of the PBPA.
But it's not all coral and wetlands, over 50,000 people live on the PBPA, which is also home to massive dry limestone forests and scores of caves.
The Salt River Tours are operated by Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM), an environmental non-profit located in Clarendon Parish that has developed with the mission of managing the PBPA.