This weekend at Sugar Bay, the VI Marine Advisory Service (VIMAS), a part of the University of the Virgin Island’s Eastern Caribbean Center, will be assisting the St. Croix Environmental Association (SEA) and numerous volunteers in the restoration of the mangrove forest at Sugar Bay, within Salt River bay.
July 24 and 25 will be the first of two planting weekends this year. SEA plans to plant 18,000 red mangroves and 3,000 black mangroves in Sugar Bay, a sub-watershed of the Salt River watershed, over the next three years.
Salt River Bay is a Category 1 watershed consisting of 3,510 acres, making it the second largest watershed on St. Croix. Salt River Bay is recognized as highly significant by both the territorial and federal governments. Established as Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve in 1992, the area is also a territorial marine reserve and wildlife sanctuary.
The old growth mangrove forest within Sugar Bay was almost completely wiped out by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. When the mangroves were destroyed, valuable habitat, storm buffers and mitigators of general pollution were also lost.
By planting the new mangroves, SEA will begin the process of restoring this vital ecosystem, thereby protecting one of the most important watersheds on St. Croix.
This process will bring together SEA, VIMAS, St. Croix Alumina, Ferdi’s Forest and M.P. Walker and Associates as project partners in the management of this watershed. This project will also benefit students from nearly every elementary and middle school on St. Croix, who will learn about mangroves and their important role in controlling pollution.
Those interested in learning about the restoration project should call Paige
Rothenberger of VIMAS at (340) 779-3141, or Carol Burke of SEA at (340) 773-1989.
This project is being funded by the VI Government’s Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the Royal Caribbean Ocean Fund.
(f)
