Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument

Every Friday morning this summer, a troop of slightly weary but content boy scouts arrive at the Virgin Islands National Park Visitor Center, led by Captain Bryan Barnes. This is the concluding day of the scouts’ weeklong sailing trip around St. John, and the last stop before they return to St. Thomas for their flight home.

Located just a short distance from most coastlines, coral reefs are often the victim of the “out of sight, out of mind” way of thinking, and the average beachgoer may not consider them in their vacation planning. From shore, when looking out at crystal clear blue waters, it is often difficult to consider what’s going on underneath. Thus, education is critical for their protection.

Information on the damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and the recovery process of the mangroves and other habitats in Hurricane Hole.

The National Park Service is working to increase overall coral health and resilience to climate change and other environmental stressors and prevent the extirpation of multiple species in the Southeastern U.S.

The National Park Service will lead a collaborative effort with Department of the Interior bureaus and other partners to promote behaviors that will decrease the risk of spreading invasive species on islands. Education and outreach products will be developed with the goal of reaching the largest audience of island visitors possible.

The National Park Service will provide amoxicillin treatment of corals infected with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease for 25 species of coral at four Caribbean parks – Buck Island Reef National Monument, Salt River Bay National Historical Park & Ecological Preserve, Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument.

Dr. Caroline Rogers and Jeff Miller gave presentations to the public on April 7, 2018. The presentations provided information on the damage caused to the coral reefs, marine life and mangroves in the Virgin Islands National Park and Coral Reef National Monument. Find out here what is recovering and what may not.

Did you know that employees from across the National Park Service stepped up to help their fellow employees after hurricanes hit the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico? In September of 2017, Hurricane Irma, one of the strongest known hurricanes in the Atlantic, lashed the Caribbean and Florida. It was followed within days by Hurricane Maria, another devastating hurricane that also hit Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, among other places.