Greetings!
The Friends 2022 Impact Report is now available. As I consider everything we collectively achieved, it is clear that in the face of challenges ranging from environmental shifts and disease to visitation impacts and NPS resources constraints, there are spots of hope, as Dr. Sylvia Earle would say. Spots of hope where coordinated efforts sprung from a community's desire to see their resources protected result in positive change. You make St. John one of those spots. Thank you!
Inherent in protecting and preserving the park is the thought that we do it for future generations. This past month the some 400 children who are schooled on St. John attended Culture Days to learn about the rich history and heritage on the island. We also saw community members of all ages working on the mosaic walls in the Cruz Bay playground as we get ready to open it up for play.
All of our successes depend on members, donors, and volunteers like you. Together our shared passion and love for Virgin Islands National Park makes a difference!
Warmly,
|
|
Tonia Lovejoy
Executive Director
|
|
|
|
The Friends of Virgin Islands National Park's 2022 Annual Impact Report it now available. It highlights our work and achievements for the 2022 financial year (October 2021 - September 2022).
Your support combined with our collective expertise and our can-do attitude resulted in a number of successes! Thank you for helping make a difference in this small, beautiful corner of the world.
|
|
Playground Opening Scheduled |
|
Join us for the opening of the Cruz Bay playground located adjacent to the National Park Visitor Center in Cruz Bay on Saturday, March 25th from 10am to 12pm. Construction of the new playground was launched as a result of a generous donation from Dr. Steven and Jann Paul and supported by hundreds of other community members. There is much to celebrate! |
|
|
|
|
Friends maintains the 27 miles of park trails and helps uncover, restore, maintain, and interpret the ruins. A small team supported by hard working volunteers, service groups and students have made great progress this season.
14 ruins have already been cleared as well as the following trails: Lind Point, Caneel Hill/ Margaret Hill, Reef Bay, Leinster Bay, Francis Bay, Dennis Bay, Cinnamon Bay/ America Hill Spur, Ram Head, Maria Hope, Europa Bay/Europa Point, Yawzi Point, and Brown Bay. Trails currently in progress are Johnny Horn, L'Esperance, Tektite, and Lameshur Bay.
Please remember to take plenty of water and wear a hat out there! Have fun and enjoy yourself! Let us, or the park, know if you see downed trees or other obstructions on any of the trails.
|
|
Last week we celebrated Virgin Islands history and culture at St. John schools with presentations of bamboula dancing, moko jumbie art, johnny cake making, delicious island fruit juices, local plants, broom making, archeology, drumming, and more! So much fun and learning!
March is Virgin Islands History Month. If you are interested in learning more about island heritage and culture, please click on the links below to listen to St John stories or watch the Folk Life Festival documentary.
|
|
|
NPS Comment Period For Caneel School Land Swap |
|
|
|
The National Park Service received a request to extend the public comment period for the Proposed Land Exchange with Territorial Government of the Virgin Islands to Enable School Construction. The final day to comment is now March 15, 2023. There are four ways to comment. Interested parties may submit comments via the link below. |
|
Beach To Beach Power Swim 2023
Registration Is Open
|
|
This year is the 20th anniversary of the Annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim. “The most beautiful open water swim in the world” according to Swimming World Magazine, the Power Swim takes place every Memorial Day weekend to raise funds for kids swim programs, marine conservation, education outreach and more!
Join in the fun! On Sunday, May 28, 2023 swim the distance that works for you from Maho to Cinnamon, or to Trunk, or the full 3.5 mile long course to Hawksnest! 2023 race registration is open and spots are filling up fast!
|
|
|
|
|
This season Friends has a full schedule of seminars, hikes, demonstrations, boat trips, and volunteer opportunities with something going on every day from Monday to Friday until the end of June 2023.
Event and volunteer information and more as well as a full calendar of events is available on our website. Many of these events are free but still require registration.
Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to get regular reminders and updates on happenings and events!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
