August Newsletter: What's happening in VI National Park?

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Greetings!

There are few more joyful moments than seeing a young person's pride in learning a new skill. This summer we have been blessed to witness more than a few of these moments thanks to your support. From learning how to identify and excavate a traditional burial site to learning how to swim, we have seen the youngest members of the St. John community make strides in the world of conservation education in a deeply personal way.

Often we talk about the world our youth will inherit, and the challenges we anticipate they will face. Yet, none of us can truly imagine what lies ahead. Still, there are some knowns - the resilience of mind, body, and soul will be essential. In this way, our National Parks will remain our greatest gift and our ability to equip the next generation of park stewards to protect and preserve them our challenge today.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park. Together, we are truly our Park's best friend. In the coming weeks, you will hear a call for support from us. Please, consider your gift as an investment for the future of our Park and its efforts to remain our nation's gem in the Caribbean.

We wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and safe end of summer!

Warmly,

Tonia Lovejoy, Acting Director

Competitive Lease Strategy For Caneel

Great news! With Secretary Debbie Haaland at the helm of the Department of the Interior, matters regarding Caneel Bay have returned to the jurisdiction of the National Park Service (NPS). Following this change of course, NPS announced its decision to employ a competitive lease strategy to redevelop Caneel Bay. We look forward to a solution that balances community, cultural, environmental, and financial needs to best serve our island!

According to the NPS release, a new Environmental Assessment will launch around November aimed at defining the stewardship, community, operational and other critical guidelines that will factor into the site’s lease development. Public input will help frame the vision for Caneel Bay.

Read Release Here!

Paddle The Park 2021 Registration Open

Thanks to our 2021 flagship sponsors 340 Real Estate Company, Maho Crossroads, VI Expedition Company, and USVI Tourism.

Welcome to the 9th Annual Paddle The Park!

Maho to Hawksnest on Sunday, November 7

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park Paddle the Park SUP and kayak race gets our season off to a fun start and raises funds for programs like turtle protection, mangrove research and restoration, and coral reef protection.

The downwind paddle event is open to all ages and all skill levels so the whole family can join in the fun!

Want to see your business recognized as a friend of the Park? Email Jennifer Stone jstone@friendsvinp.org to become an event sponsor today!

Summer Trail Crew: The Future Of Conservation

Expanding horizons! Our Youth Trail Crew has worked hard to keep our trails and historical sites maintained during the summer months.

In addition, they have benefited from the paid summer job by gaining valuable conservation skills and expertise! From working alongside VINP archeologist Ken Wild to prepare the Catherineburg site for an archeological assessment to monitoring sea turtle nesting sites, these young folks are truly becoming the next generation of park stewards!

Special thanks to VI Expeditions, Reef2Peak, Kekoa, and St. John Rescue for their support in offering fun water-based activities and first aid/CPR training.

Learn More!

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Sea Turtle Nesting Season Starts Strong

Adopt A Sea Turtle Today!

July marks the start of sea turtle season on St. John! Our team of 2 program leads and their cohort of more than 50 trained volunteers has recorded nesting activity on 6 beaches, consisting of 6 nests, 2 potential nests, and 14 false crawls. This time last year, we had not yet recorded any activities.

In addition, our Turtle Protection Team trained our Youth Summer Trail Crew and the VINP Youth Conservation Corps on how to identify a sea turtle nesting site, collect scientific data to assist with future protection methods, and generally communicate the importance of protecting our endangered sea turtles.

Summer Learn To Swim Program Wraps

Learning to swim is a life skill for St. John youth that can also open a world of opportunities! For that reason, Friends has been a proud sponsor of the Park's free summer "Learn to Swim" classes led by Ranger Laurel Brannick for more than a decade. This year we took it up a notch, thanks to your support of last year's virtual Power Swim which raised funds for the program's expansion.

10th grader Jada Phillips, college student Khaleila Krall, and Sports, Park & Rec camp counselor, J'Kai Jackson, were trained in the Red Cross' Water Safety Instructor course to lead Saturday swim lessons for their younger peers and some adult swimmers for 6 weeks! Special thanks to our volunteer lead swim instructor, UVI math professor, Diana Bowen and volunteer lifeguards Ernest Matthias and Terry Rogaczewski.

With a little reprieve to recruit and train lifeguards, free beginner classes will resume in the fall. Interested in becoming an instructor, lifeguard, or volunteering to help keep this program growing? Email info@friendvinp.org

Learn More!

Photographer In Residence

Inspiration from our 2021-2022 season Photographer-In-Residence, Kayden Richards. For more of his beautiful visual record of our park, visit his gallery.