Photo: Laura Dunlap, Fourth Grade, Gifft Hill School |
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Greetings!
I just love this photo taken by 4th Grade teacher Laura Dunlap. With the help of the Friends, these students took a field trip to Francis Bay to learn about its history, and to observe the animals living in and around the salt pond today. Of course, they had cool down and splash around after their hike!
Our Park is a living classroom - with plenty of room to play and grow! The Friends provides St. John youth with field trips into the Park, mini-grants for their classrooms, and special presentations by those working to protect and preserve our Park. Your support makes this type of critical conservation education outreach possible! So thank you!
This April we are happy to host the 12th Annual Earth Day Fair. The fun includes a poster competition, a litter stomp parade, face painting, and booths on subjects like recycling, birds, coral life, and water toxicology. Beyond the Fair, the week is filled with other activities like a tree giveaway, a couple of seminars, a trash pickup, the signing of a book of stunning photographs by Friends photographer-in-residence, Kayden Richards. Please join us!
The joy we experience engaging kids in conservation and learning in the Park is the result of your commitment and support to help protect and preserve Virgin Islands National Park. Thank you for being a Friend!
I leave you with the beautiful words of Amit Ray: “Earth rejoices our words, breathing and peaceful steps. Let every breath, every word and every step make the mother earth proud of us.” Happy Earth Day every day!
Warmly,
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Tonia Lovejoy
Executive Director
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2021 Sea Turtle Season Report |
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It's a wrap on the 2021 sea turtle season. 35 hawksbill sea turtle nests. 4,208 eggs producing 3,155 hatchlings that made it to the sea. Thanks to 100 volunteers who contributed 1642 hours and did 480 beach cleanups while on patrol.
Since 2015 the program has grown and evolved to a multifaceted approach that now has a strong foundation to sustain island wide sea turtle conservation initiatives on St. John including nesting and rescue. In addition, research projects now include genetic sampling and fibropapillomatosis documentation and monitoring.
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Please join the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park's 13th annual Earth Day celebration! Each year Friends puts together the annual environmental fair and more commemorating Earth Day and focusing on our ability to work and live sustainably in the Virgin Islands. This year's fun includes:
Wednesday April 20
- Annual Tree Giveaway
- Seminar | Coral Reefs
Thursday April 21
Friday April 22 | Earth Day
- Earth Day Fair | Franklin Powell Park
- Litter Stomp Parade
- Poster Competition Winners Announced
- Sanitation Workers Appreciation Luncheon
Saturday April 23
- Beach Cleanup & Trash Pickup
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Kayden Richards Book Signing |
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Saturday, April 23 at 4pm
Bajo El Sol Gallery
Mongoose Junction
The Friends Artist-In-Residence program aims to help young Virgin Islanders explore and develop their creative talents. Their Eyes Were Watching St. John is a compilation of photographs and poems by photographer, Kayden Richards. Join us for the book launch! Copies of the book will be available online on April 24.
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Beach to Beach Power Swim |
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Sunday, May 29
We love the 2022 Beach To Beach Power Swim logo designed by a young talent, Kavone Wyatt. Every Memorial Day weekend, swimmers take to the beautiful waters of St. John to raise funds for kids swim programs, education outreach, marine conservation and more. There are already over 200 swimmers registered for this year's event. Join us!
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Explore, Experience, And Learn In The Park |
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Friends now has a kiosk at Mongoose Junction to help with questions about what's going on in the Park and more. The kiosk will be staffed by volunteers and Island Ambassadors, as well as Friends Board and staff! Stop by and say hi.
There is so much to do in the Park! Events, hikes, boat trips, and seminars now include Friday With Friends, Cinnamon Bay Campground Chats, volunteer opportunities on our trails, NPS talks, and great boat excursions.
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NPS Requests Public Comment On Land Swap |
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The purpose of this NPS project is for the NPS to respond to the request from the government of the Virgin Islands (GVI) to exchange a parcel of NPS-owned land, known as the Catherineberg Estate, with the GVI as a possible location to support the island's local public educational needs which currently are only available on island through the eighth grade. In exchange, the GVI has offered the island of Whistling Cay for consideration. |
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Summer Trail Crew Applications Open |
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The Friends’ Summer Trail Crew is a 6 week program running from June 27 to August 5, 2022 that provides a professional job opportunity to Virgin Island high school students (ages 15 to 18) interested in conservation. This is an opportunity for students to gain professional experience, develop leadership skills, work outdoors as part of a team, and learn about Virgin Islands National Park. Applications for this year are now open. |
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2021 by the numbers! From turtles and coral to trees and trails, to nurturing the conservationists of the future and preserving stories of culture and history, 2021 despite the challenges was a good year.
For the first time, Friends has published an Impact Report highlighting the work that we do and that you make possible! Thank you for your support!
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Useful Numbers for Park Stewards |
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