The Department of Planning and Natural Resources applies the designation "Areas of Particular Concern" to geographical places and spaces that have significant natural or cultural attributes. It's supposed to be a means of protecting them from environmental attack by human beings and their mechanical means.
Mandahl Pond on St. Thomas's North Side has been so designated. And so, Mandahl resident Sharon Hupprich was appalled when she found a week ago that someone had bulldozed a 20-foot-wide strip of bush alongside the pond and brought in materials that looked as if they could be used to create a concrete dock.
It turned out that the St. Thomas-St. John Model Boat Association was responsible and that its objective was to hold model boat races on the pond, the V.I. Daily News reported.
Hupprich was further astounded to learn that the group had gotten a verbal okay from a Coastal Zone Management official for the project and written permission from the Department of Property and Procurement to race the boats at the site, a once land-locked pond opened to the sea years ago as part of an ill-fated project to develop Hans Lollick island.
Dean Plaskett, PNR commissioner-designate, told the Daily News Friday that the department will take action against the model boat club, whose membership is said to consist of about 30 youths. Plaskett said the "action" could involve community service, environmental education or restoration of the vegetation destroyed.
Mandahl resident Tracy Roberts, an architect, said action is needed to "keep erosion from going into the pond."
Club president Tracy Dolphin told The Daily News the club keeps children off the streets and teaches them building skills and responsibility. On Friday, the club posted a letter on area residents' doors notifying them of plans to race model boats on the pond once a month and occasionally hold practices there.
