Estate Bethlehem Watershed Water Quality Demonstration Project

VI RC&D partnered with the V.I. Department of Planning & Natural Resources (DPNR) and USDA-NRCS to design, construct, and install environmentally-friendly practices at a livestock farm in the Bethlehem watershed on St. Croix, USVI. DPNR provided $112,965 in Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Program (§319) grant funding, supplemented by $89,832 of technical engineering assistance from USDA-NRCS. Funding was used to install best management practices (BMP), including a stormwater retention pond, a gabion basket stream crossing, silt fencing, erosion control mats (ECMs), pasture fencing, alternative water supplies, and vegetation – to reduce the impact of agricultural nonpoint source pollution on St. Croix's coastal waters and coral habitats, and protect natural resources by encouraging farmers in the watershed to adopt environmentally sensitive practices [see factsheet]. Once the project was completed, a Field Day was conducted for over 20 Council members, government agency personnel, farmers, and the media. For more information about the project, contact the RC&D office at (340) 692-9632 x. 5, or via e-mail: vircd@usvircd.org.

• Are you concerned about environmental issues in your community?
• Do you want information but don’t know where to look?

Finding information about St. Croix's environment just got easier! V.I. RC&D, in partnership with the St. Croix Environmental Association (SEA), the UVI Cooperative Extension Service (CES), and the UVI Eastern Caribbean Center (ECC), unveiled the St. Croix Environmental Information Repository on Wednesday, September 27th at the UVI St. Croix West Campus Courtyard. Over 30 Council members, UVI staff members, government and nongovernmental organization representatives, and members of the general public met with project partners, enjoyed light refreshments, and learned how to access environmental information about St. Croix’s communities.

The St. Croix Environmental Information Repository is a compilation of reports, maps, educational materials and other environmental information related to St. Croix. The Repository Library is located on the UVI St. Croix West Campus at the CES Natural Resources building. Repository information can also be accessed online at www.usvircd.org/STXEIR. Most Repository materials are or will be digitized to reside on this web-based database for easy online access. The St. Croix Environmental Information Repository project was funded by a $60,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support EPA’s U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Information Management and Outreach Initiative for St. Croix. For more information, contact Council member Olasee Davis at (340) 692-4053 or odavis@uvi.edu.

2006 Natural Resources Conservation Workshop

Grant funds in the amount of $10,700 received from the V.I. Department of Agriculture Urban & Community Forestry Assistance Program enabled the VI RC&D Council, Inc. to provide scholarships to nine students from the US Virgin Islands to attend the 2006 Natural Resources Conservation Workshop held at Georgia Middle College from June 25 to 30, 2006 in Cochran, Georgia. VI RC&D has been sponsoring this valuable & unique learning opportunity for VI youth since 2000. The students were selected by their teachers and principals, and represented the St. Croix Central High School (Benjamin Ghirawoo & Michellea Simmonds), St. Croix Educational and Vocational Complex (Marissa Jagrup, Darlene DeCastro, Isan Rivera), Charlotte Amalie High School (Milraen Hodge-Grande), Ivanna Eudora Kean High School (Aaron Luke), and Julius E. Sprauve Jr. High School (J'Moi Powell & Kamaria Penn). VI RC&D Council members Dr. Louis E. Petersen, Jr. and Mrs. Michelle Thurland-Martinez accompanied the students on their trip. The students participated in twelve different natural resources-related courses led by natural resources managers. Topics included soil conservation, understanding soils, backyard conservation, wildlife management and wildlife law enforcement, forest protection and management, coastal resources and pollution prevention. For more information about the workshop, contact the RC&D office at (340) 692-9632 x. 5, or via e-mail: vircd@usvircd.org.

Grant Writing for Professionals Workshop

VI RC&D, in partnership with the UVI Cooperative Extension Service (CES), sponsored a Grant Writing for Professionals Training, conducted by Resource Development Specialist Dr. Don Udell, for 36 participants representing government agencies, nonprofits, teachers, churches, community groups, youth groups, and interested individuals. Participants were so energized by the training that they are forming a committee to seek funding to bring Dr. Udell back to St. Croix for follow-up training and consultation. For more information about Grant Writing training or the VI RC&D Grant Materials Library, contact the RC&D office at (340) 692-9632 x. 5, or via e-mail: vircd@usvircd.org.