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| Nearly 400 acres inland from Maho Bay are in private hands. If this land was developed, the Park would be split in two. Sediment from runoff would kill coral and turtle grass in the bay; the north shore would be irreparably changed. |
We have long recognized that a major threat to the resources of Virgin Islands National Park is the development of the many inholdings of privately owned property within Park boundaries. The Friends is now positioned to acquire land that protects the Park.
With our partners, the Trust for Public Land, we completed the purchase of 3.2 acres of Gibney Beach at Hawksnest Bay in April of this year. In early October we purchased a threatened 4-acre tract in the Reef Bay area, using first-year earnings from our endowment fund and donations from individuals. Before year-end we expect to have an option to buy a 12-acre parcel at Maho Bay. Our intention is to complete that purchase by June, 2001.
As we gain expertise in this area, the Friends adds land conservancy as a method to achieving our mission. Many land transactions blend private donations with federal funds to obtain the cash necessary to purchase land for inclusion in Virgin Islands National Park. We are able to secure funding from private sources as well as lobby the Congress for federal appropriations.
As a non-profit organization with rapidly growing experience in land acquisition, the Friends is in a unique position to protect the resources by protecting the land. The Park is developing a priority list of properties representing the greatest threats if developed. Of course, with escalating property prices on St. John, time for action is of the essence.
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| Nearly 400 acres inland from Maho Bay are in private hands. If this land was developed, the Park would be split in two. Sediment from runoff would kill coral and turtle grass in the bay; the north shore would be irreparably changed. |
Help purchase land to protect natural resources. Consider donating cash or appreciated stock earmarked for land acquisition. Contact us |
New Virgin Islands license plates were
launched in October as a fundraiser for the Friends. As soon as
the press release hit the streets, the phones started ringing off
the hook. The daily newspaper’s front page photo drew calls
from all over the Virgin Islands. We knew they would be popular,
but the media attention gave sales a huge boost.
In the first four weeks we raised over $8000 dollars. Our goal to raise $30,000 in the first year will likely be exceeded. We expect to raise $150,000 overall from this multi-year project.
A great deal of thanks goes to Mark Coolidge, owner of MVLS, the company who produces the plates and Lawrence Olive, Director of Motor Vehicles who presented us the project and gave the government’s approval. We also appreciate Don Hebert who donated the photograph used on the plate.
In addition to fundraising, the plates have built a partnership with the territorial government. They charge a small fee for registration of the plates to help out their budget, so everybody wins.
Not only local drivers are buying the plates, they make great souvenirs and gifts.
In October, I traveled to Bali,
Indonesia, to attend the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium,
which drew 1500 participants from 52 countries. Held every four
years, the symposium presents the latest research on coral reefs.
I presented three research papers on the preliminary results from
the Virgin Islands National Park’s coral transplant project;
the impact of nutrients from African dust; and the scientific
basis behind a proposed Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Park.
Preliminary findings from the VI coral transplant project were popular among participants. In our study we found that elkhorn coral is doing much better than the staghorn or finger corals. These results are the reverse of what scientists are documenting in Florida, illustrating the importance of conducting studies in multiple locations over a large area and sharing information.
Particularly encouraging was the attendance by coral reef scientists from developing nations, where the majority of coral reefs are located. Indonesia's seas alone contain 16% of the world's coral reefs. Many of these scientists are working to develop methods for restoring damaged coral reefs and eventually, the associated reef fish and fisheries.
My travels also took me to visit with scientists conducting coral reef restoration projects in Komodo National Park and the Inner Gulf of Thailand. Blasted reefs and from fishing practices and poor, just 10-foot, visibility were startling. Large scale and uniquely local factors were obviously at play to damage and control the recovery of individual reefs.
However, pioneering ways to combat ongoing destruction are underway. An innovative low-tech pilot project in the Philippines trains fishermen to farm coral fragments that are then transplanted to coral reefs severely damaged by destructive fishing practices. Over time, the intent is to farm coral for sale to the aquarium trade, thereby generating income for the village. In other places, cutting-edge technologies combining hyperspectral satellite imagery with image processing software programs are used to detect change on reefs.
Over the past few decades, while we have expanded our knowledge of coral reefs, basic processes underlying the declines of reefs worldwide remain elusive or only partially understood. We have a limited knowledge of this complex ecosystem and its ties to atmospheric, oceanographic, and terrestrial systems. The scope and urgency of the problem make it imperative for all involved in research to share their findings, work together, and pool the limited resources available to study coral reefs.
We’re pleased to announce that Mr. John King will assume the position of Superintendent of Virgin Islands National Park in December.
Mr. King and Acting Superintendent, Judy Shafer joined the Friends’ Board meeting in November on Mr. King’s first visit to the island. "I firmly believe in the value of partnerships" he told the Friends’ Board. "I see friends groups being more than just fundraisers, but ‘friend-raisers’ and advocates for the Park and I’ve heard good things about this group," he added.
Mr. King comes with 31 years of NPS service and work in seven different parks. Currently he is a deputy regional director at the Denver regional office. "I’m looking forward to getting back to where the real work is done," he said.
The Friends is one of 5,000 environmental organizations across the nation that lobbied Congress for passage of the comprehensive Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA). After much horse-trading among congressional leaders and the White House, the President signed the FY 2001 Interior Appropriations Bill that contains a now watered down version of CARA.
Originally, CARA provided nearly $3 billion per year for 15 years to fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and other programs. The monies would provide comprehensive and long-term funding to protect America’s natural and cultural heritage. Now, the funding level is one-half of that originally proposed with no commitment to fund CARA’s programs on a long-term basis. This is a major disappointment for the environmental community and the many conservation organizations that worked tirelessly in Washington to pass comprehensive conservation legislation.