Photo: Kayden Richards, Friends Photographer in Residence |
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Greetings!
With the beat of drums accompanying them, the moko jumbie class took to their stilts and donned their masks to dance and parade in celebration of Virgin Islands culture at our island schools this week. Moko jumbies have been part of the Virgin Islands' cultural heritage for over 200 years and can be traced to Africa as far back as the 13th and 14th centuries. The presence of the moko jumbie at our carnivals, parades, and celebrations is a blessing and an honor. We may not have been able to have Folk Life Festival in February, but did we have fun! Thank you for bringing so much joy to our children!
Working alongside the National Park Service to protect and preserve the natural and cultural resources in our Park is our mission. There are a couple of important deadlines in the next week hence our March newsletter being a few days early!
Our annual Gala is a major fundraiser that makes our work possible. This year's virtual event comes to a close on Monday, February 28. There are raffle tickets and an online auction with great prizes so don't miss out in your chance to win big and support the Park we all love to love!
The other deadline is Friday, March 4. Which is when the Caneel Bay Redevelopment public comment period closes. Caneel Bay occupies 150 acres of Virgin Islands National Park and its future direction will have environmental, social, and economic impacts on our island community and on the Park. Please participate and make your voices heard!
The 19th Annual Beach to Beach Power Swim that takes place on Memorial Day weekend is filling up fast so if you are a regular participant or a newbie please register now. Swim the distance that works for you from Maho to Cinnamon, or to Trunk, or the full 3.5 mile long course to Hawksnest! Nothing beats the clarity of St. John's azure waters.
I continually marvel at the beauty of St. John, the richness of it's history and culture, and its' impact on both residents and visitors alike! We are truly blessed! Thank you for being a Friend!
Warmly,
Tonia Lovejoy, Executive Director
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Gala Online Auction & Raffle Tickets |
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Ends Monday, February 28, 3pm EST
Bid on a St. John vacation or buy raffle tickets to try your luck at some amazing prizes! There is something for everyone!
Online Auction and Raffle items include boat trips, vacation stays, jewelry, dining options and art from local artists. Have fun! Support the protection and preservation of Virgin Islands National Park! Win big!
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Caneel Bay Public Comment Period Closes Friday, March 4 |
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The current Retained Use Estate on the Caneel property expires in September 2023. The National Park Service aims to have a solution in place for the future of this 150 acre property by then and this initial public comment period is the start of that process. One of the four alternatives currently proposed by the NPS may be the end result but equally as a result of community feedback, another alternative may be a better solution for St. John. |
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There are many elements for everyone to consider when it comes to Caneel and we all have differing views. Some questions to consider when evaluating the future of Caneel Bay that may help your thinking:
- What facilities would I like to see on Caneel? An exclusive luxury resort and/or an eco-friendly retreat and/or mid range accommodation and/or camping? Fine dining and/or food services similar to Trunk and Cinnamon? Watersports?
- Are the jobs essential to our economy? Are there a lot of unemployed people on St. John who need work? Where will all the employees live?
- Should business opportunities be given to local businesses? What should the requirements be for any business operating on Caneel? Should there be no business at all on Caneel like Salt Pond?
- Is our island big enough for the additional visitors, employees and traffic?
- Do I as a resident of St. John want to be able to use the beaches, trails, and access the property?
- Should the environmental contamination on site be cleaned up? Should the turtles and other natural resources be protected?
- Is protecting the history and cultural artifacts important? Do I want to be able to have access to them? Do I want the Park to provide education and cultural opportunities for island community, youth and visitors at Caneel?
The NPS document outlining approach, alternatives and the timeline is online along with recordings of public meetings and more is available here.
Comments must be in writing and can be submitted online or by writing to Caneel Bay Redevelopment/Management Plan, Superintendent, 1300 Cruz Bay Creek, St. John, V.I. 00830. Written comments may also be hand-delivered to the Cruz Bay Visitor Center.
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Celebrating Virgin Islands Culture |
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Native plant presentations, drumming music, brush making, pate and johnny cake making, fruit juices, the joy of sugar cane, archaeology, and moko jumbies! A wonderful couple of days of cultural presentations in February for our three island schools organized by the Park and funded by Friends! Thank you for making this celebration possible! |
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Beach to Beach Power Swim |
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Sunday, May 29
Every Memorial Day weekend, swimmers take to the beautiful waters of St. John to raise funds for kids swim programs and marine conservation and education outreach! Registration for the 19th Annual Beach to Beach 2022 Power Swim is now open!
Capacity is limited so act now! We already have over 100 swimmers registered!
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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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What are the three species of sea turtle known to nest in the Virgin Islands?
A: hawksbill, leatherback, and green.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for Park Trivia earlier this month! Congratulations to Amy Roberts, Erin Lieb, and David DiGiacomo for respectively being the first, second, and third place winners!!
Find the trivia questions they conquered and more on our website and have fun at home with family and friends!
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Useful Numbers for Park Stewards |
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