A Community Effort - Virgin Islands National Park Receives a New Exhibit and Garden

From its earliest days, private philanthropy has played a significant role in the development of our nation’s National Park system, and continues to play an important role today.

To recognize and honor the American ideal of private philanthropy and National Parks, local architect Glen Speer, the National Park Service, Friends and other local businesses have teamed up to create a permanent exhibit and garden in front of the Visitors Center in Cruz Bay.

This exhibit will acknowledge the vital role of philanthropy in establishing our National Park system; and in these times of dwindling National Park Service budgets, remind us that private philanthropy is today as important, if not more important, in maintaining critical levels of protection and preservation of the natural and cultural resources of our parks.

Main features of the new garden include a beautiful stonewall with a planter on top that will shield the parking area from view, a shelter structure that will provide a shady place to sit and relax, and garden areas that will feature many native plants.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on December 1st as part of Virgin Islands National Park’s 50th Anniversary Commemorative Day Event at the Visitors Center. Newly appointed National Park Service director Mary Bomar was our honored guest and keynote speaker that day, and cut the ribbon opening the new garden.

We thank Glen Speer for his commitment, contributions and creativity that went into the development and implementation of this project, Michael Milne for donating his expertise, Eleanor Gibney and Gary Ray for their landscape design, and all our community partners who have contributed materials, time and talent to this effort.