Thanks to an $8,000 grant from the National Park Foundation (NPF) almost 500 eighth- and ninth-graders will be able to visit historic Hassel Island and its many landmarks this year. The Ticket to Ride program provides much-needed funds for taxi and boat transportation for the students and their teachers to visit the island. Friends of Virgin Islands National Park raised an additional $8,000 to match the NPF’s contribution through the SKIP Program (School Kids in the Park). The St. Thomas Historic Trust also supports the program by supplying brochures and logistical assistance for the trips.

Students are treated to a 15-minute DVD, created by the trust, before the trip. After the students viewed the video, Laurel Brannick, the education specialist ranger from the VI National Park, worked with them to create a timeline of VI history that includes significant events on Hassel Island. Ranger Brannick also led the students on the newly opened trails on the island. Because of its inaccessibility, Hassel Island is a treasure trove of maritime and local history unfamiliar to many VI students. While on the island the students are able to explore the 13 historic sites connected by the new trail system. Recently installed signs add to the experience as the students are able to view photos on the signs, artifacts that are brought by Ranger Brannick, and the remains of the historical buildings first-hand. Students participate in post-trip activities that include posters, PowerPoint presentations, and reports. Having three components of the trips make the experience even more memorable. Friends is enthusiastic about how the program is organized between the many partners and thrilled with the reactions of the students who are able to attend.

“We’re proud that this partnership has created a new opportunity for Virgin Islands youth to experience and learn from Hassel Island’s rich cultural and natural resources,” said Joe Kessler, Friends

december 2012

www.friendsvinp.orgprinted on recycled paper

Friends of Virgin Islands National

Park is dedicated to the protection

and preservation of the natural and

cultural resources of Virgin Islands

National Park and promotes the

responsible enjoyment of this

unique national treasure.

Please remember to reuse and recycle whenever possible.

what’s inside! Tidings Notes

Message from the Acting Superintendent

2013 Seminar Series

Donor Appreciation

Annual Summary 2012

2013 Program Plans

Coming Events

President’s Message

Preserve. Protect. Educate.

The first Ticket to Ride group from Julius E. Sprauve School.

TickeT To Ride GRanT opens Hassel island To scHoolcHildRen

CoNTiNuED oN PAgE 6

2 december 2012

MessaGe FRoM THe acTinG supeRinTendenT by MiKE ANDERSoN

Here we are at the start of another busy winter season. I would like to invite all our Friends supporters to return to the island of St. John this year and spend

some quality time exploring the park and enjoying one of the best National Parks that America has to offer. As I am writing this I am reminded of how special this place is. There have been many changes over the years, and with the help of a strong Friends orga-nization, many positive things have happened every year since the park’s inception. The biggest park change this year is the retire-ment of Superintendent Mark Hardgrove. After his five years of overseeing Virgin Islands National Park and Coral Reef National Monument, we congratulate Mark on his total of 41 years of dedi-cation to the National Park Service and his tireless efforts to expand park partnerships.

Some noteworthy changes this year include the designation of Trunk Bay as a Blue Flag Beach. The Blue Flag Program is a vol-untary eco-label awarded by a national jury to 3,849 beaches and marinas in 46 countries. Virgin Islands National Park is the first national park to receive this accreditation. This will increase its number of beaches with the addition of Cinnamon Bay which joins the already recognized Trunk Bay beach this year. The Cinnamon Bay Museum is now open with many new exhibits. The park has recently completed an environmental assessment to dredge the NPS portion of Cruz Bay Creek and construct a floating dock at the old seaplane ramp. We are delighted to report a recent and rare park sighting of the Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara).

One new significant Friends-supported project is the installation of 14 moorings for boats from 61 to 100 feet long. Fewer large anchors means greater protection for our seagrass and reef habitats. These moorings are possible through a combination of funding from a boat grounding settlement and private donations raised by the Friends.

Land acquisition this year includes the donation of 18 acres at Mamey Peak by the Trust for Public Land, valued at $9 million; The Patti Birch Trust donation of 1.03 acre Cinnamon Bay Cay listed for sale at $2 million; and Eleanor Gibney’s donation of two parcels at Hawksnest, totaling 1.06 acres, also through the Trust for Public Lands.

I very much appreciate the support of the Friends and all of the work done by its volunteers. Together we are making this incred-ible National Park even better.

Notes

NotesFriends’ 2013 Annual MeetingPlease join us for the Friends 2013 Annual Meeting. We are honored that Jon Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service, will be this year’s keynote speaker. Also on the program will be the newly appointed superintendent of VI National Park, who will give a State of the Park address, and Friends’ president, Joe Kessler, who will present the Friends Annual Report.

The annual meeting will be held on Sunday, January 27, 2013, from 2:00–4:00 p.m. at the T’ree Lizards Restaurant at Cinnamon Bay Campground. Light snacks and beverages will be provided, and there will be a shuttle service from/to the park’s maintenance parking lot near Mongoose Junction. Please call 340-779-4940 for more information.

Hiking Sticks for Rent or SaleThe Friends Store recently began a rental program for handmade walking sticks! The rental program is going very well and many Reef Bay hikers have given the sticks rave reviews on assisting them on the numerous stone staircases on the trail. The sticks are available for rent at the Friends store in Mongoose Junction for $6 a day, $30 a week. Or you can buy your own for $65. Call the store at (340)779-8700 for more details on the new walking sticks or to sign up for the Reef Bay trail hike!

Join Our Volunteer Work CrewJoin our new Volunteer Field Coordinator Nick Marcet and his dedicated volunteer team as they help maintain park trails and ruins, remove debris from beaches and coastlines, and assist with general maintenance projects in VI National Park. You will be able to work on projects that vary weekly, and we have opportunities for volunteers of all skill levels. If you are interested in helping out, just show up any Tuesday or Thursday through April at the National Park maintenance parking lot at 8 a.m. Be sure to bring sufficient water and a snack, wear brush-appropriate attire and bring gloves if you have them.

Mike Anderson

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grow a garden this spring!

JanuaRY

ReeF FisH idenTiFicaTion • Jan. 5, Sat. • 9:00am – 3:00pmMeet: NPS Visitor Center; Bring: Snorkel gear, lunch, water, towel & sunscreen;Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 18

cRuZ BaY HisToRical TouR • Jan. 6, Sun. • 12:30pm – 2:30pmMeet: Friends of the Park Store; Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

BaTik MakinG • Jan. 9, Wed. • 1:00pm – 4:00pmMeet: Maho Bay Camps Art Center; Bring: Close-toed shoes & an apron or old clothing; Seminar Fee: $65 Mem / $75 Non Mem • Max Group: 6 (2 min.)

laMesHuR BaY HisToRY Walk • Jan. 10, Thurs. • 10:00am – 2:00pmMeet: Lameshur Bay parking lot; Bring: Notebook & water;Seminar Fee: $45 Mem / $55 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

kaYak ManGRoVes oF HuRRicane Hole • Jan. 12, Sat. • 10:00am – 3:00pmMeet: Skinny Legs Restaurant to carpool; Bring: Snorkel gear, water, towel, & sunscreen;Seminar Fee: $65 Mem / $75 Non Mem • Max Group: 12

RecYcled Glass FloWeRs • Jan. 12, Sat. • Noon – 1:30pmMeet: Maho Bay Art Center; Wear: Close-toed shoes;Seminar Fee: $65 Mem / $75 Non Mem • Max Group: 8

Hassel island TouR • Jan. 13, Sun. • 10:00am – 2:00pmMeet: Frenchtown, St. Thomas; Bring: Swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, dry bag, & hiking shoes;Seminar Fee: $85 Mem / $95 Non Mem • Max Group: 18

RecYcled Glass sTeppinG sTones • Jan. 16, Wed. • 10:00am – 2:00pmMeet: Maho Bay Center; Bring: Close-toed shoes;Seminar Fee: $65 Mem / $75 Non Mem • Max Group: 6 (2 minimum)

HappY painTinG aRT • Jan. 18, Fri. • Feb. 3, Sun. • Mar. 16, Sat. • Apr. 21, Sun. • 10:00am – 4:00pm • Meet: Maho Bay Pavilion; Bring: Drinking water, lunch, & wear old clothes; Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 10

naTiVe planT & FoResT BiRd Hike • Jan. 19, Sat. • 9:00am – NoonMeet: Cinnamon Bay Amphitheater; Bring: Water, lunch, notebook, & binoculars;Seminar Fee: $45 Mem / $55 Non Mem • Max Group: 25

pasTels WoRksHop • Jan. 20, Sun. • 10:00am – 1:00pmMeet: Caneel Bay parking lot; Bring: Water & snack;Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 5

Medicinal HeRBs • Jan. 23, Wed. • 12:30pm – 2:30pm • Meet: School of the Arts; Bring: Notebook; Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 25

Build GReen • Jan. 26, Sat. • 10:00am – Noon • Meet: Skinny Legs Rest. to carpool; Bring: Notebook, building plans, ideas; Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

MaRine BioloGY sail • Jan. 27, Sun. • 9:00am – 3:00pmMeet: Natl. Park Visitor Ctr. dock; Bring: Snorkel gear, water bottle, towel, & sunscreen;Seminar Fee: $95 Mem / $105 Non Mem • Max Group: 30

BRoWn BaY HisToRY Hike • Jan. 30, Wed. • 9:00am – 4:00pmMeet: National Park Visitor Center; Bring: Hiking shoes, notebook, sunscreen, & water;Seminar Fee: $55 Mem / $65 Non Mem • Max Group: 25

FeBRuaRY

kaYak, Hike, & snoRkel • Feb. 2, Sat. • 9:30am – 3:00pmMeet: National Park Visitor Center; Wear: Water, towel, & sun protection;Seminar Fee: $135 Mem / $145 Non Mem • Max Group: 18

loVanGo susTainaBle desiGn TouR • Feb. 9, Sat. • 9:00am – 1:00pmMeet: Friends of the Park Store; Bring: Sunscreen, hat, lunch, water, & hiking shoes;Seminar Fee: $55 Mem / $65 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

susannaBeRG BoTanY & HisToRY Hike • Feb. 10, Sun. • 9:00am – 1:00pmMeet: Friends of the Park Store; Bring: Sunscreen, hat, lunch, water, & hiking shoes;Seminar Fee: $45 Mem / $55 Non Mem • Max Group: 25

peTRoGlYpH TouR • Feb. 13, Wed. • 9:00am – 4:00pm • Meet: Natl Park Visitor Ctr; Bring: Notebook, water, & lunch; Seminar Fee: $55 Mem / $65 Non Mem • Max Group: 30

TRopical GaRden TouR i, ii & iii • Feb. 16, Sat. • Mar. 9, Sat. • Mar. 23, Sat. • 10:00am – 3:00pm • Meet: Friends of the Park Store; Bring: Lunch, reusable water bottle, & sunscreen; Seminar Fee: $45 Mem / $55 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

BiRds oF THe paRk • Feb. 20, Wed. • 9:00am – 1:00pmMeet: National Park Visitor Center; Bring: Binoculars, water, & a notebook;Seminar Fee: $55 Mem / $65 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

Full Moon dRuM ciRcle • Feb. 25, Mon. • 6:30pm – 8:00pmMeet: Annaberg Ruins; Bring: A drum, if you have one;Seminar Fee: $25 Mem / $35 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

peppeR sauce MakinG • Feb. 27, Wed. • 1:00pm – 3:00pmMeet: St. John School of the Arts; Bring: Notebook;Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

MaRcH

coasTal ecoloGY • Mar. 2, Sat. • 9:00am – 3:00pmMeet: National Park Visitor Center; Bring: Lunch, water, sunscreen, & snorkel gear;Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 18

TRopical liGHT pHoToGRapHY • Mar. 3, Sun. • 8:00am – NoonMeet: Friends of the Park Store; Bring: Camera & manual, memory cards, water, notebook;Seminar Fee: $45 Mem / $55 Non Mem • Max Group: 15

HisToRical WalkinG TouR • Mar. 3, Sun. • 9:00am – 11:00amMeet: Blackbeards Castle; Bring: Notebook & water;Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 25

naTiVe aRTs & cRaFTs • Mar. 6, Wed. • 12:30pm – 2:30pmMeet: St. John School of the Arts; Bring: Notebook;Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 25

sea TuRTle sail • Mar. 8, Fri. • 1:00pm – 5:00pmMeet: Charlotte Amalie waterfront, St. Thomas; Bring: Sunscreen, hat, snack, snorkel gear, swimsuit; Seminar Fee: $65 Mem / $75 Non Mem • Max Group: 30

scopinG ouT saTuRn • Mar. 10, Sun. • 7:30pm – 9:00pmMeet: Annaberg Plantation; Bring: Blanket, flashlight, pillow, & binoculars if you have them;Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 35

HikinG YoGa • Mar. 12, Tues. • 9:00am – Noon Meet: National Park Visitor Center; Bring: Sneakers, yoga mat, snack, & water;Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

eTHnic dRuMMinG • Mar. 15, Fri. • 1:00pm – 3:00pmMeet: St. John School of the Arts; Bring: A drum if you have one;Seminar Fee: $25 Mem / $35 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

colonial sTYle poTTeRY • Mar. 19, Tues. • 6:30pm – 9:00pmMeet: Maho Bay Camps Art Center; Bring: Old clothing;Seminar Fee: $60 Mem / $70 Non Mem • Max Group: 8 (4 min.)

eco spa • Mar. 20, Wed. • 2:00pm – 4:00pmMeet: Salt Pond parking lot; Bring: Old swimsuit, towel, water, & snack;Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 15

Full Moon Hike • Mar. 26, Tues. • 5:30pm – 8:30pmMeet: Salt Pond parking lot; Bring: Hiking shoes, flashlight, snack, & water;Seminar Fee: $25 Mem / $35 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

ManGRoVe snoRkelinG • Mar. 30, Sun. • 9:30am – 3:00pmMeet: National Park Visitor Center; Bring: Snorkel gear, towel, sunscreen, & snack;Seminar Fee: $95 Mem / $105 Non Mem • Max Group: 30

apRil

paddle BoaRd in HuRRicane Hole • Apr. 6, Sat. • 7:00am – 1:00pmMeet: Skinny Legs Restaurant to carpool; Bring: Snorkel gear, water, towel, & sunscreen;Seminar Fee: $65 Mem / $75 Non Mem • Max Group: 10

lionFisH 101 • Apr. 7, Sun. • 9:30am – 3:00pmMeet: Friends of the Park Store; Bring: Lunch, water, sunscreen, & snorkel gear;Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 30

naTuRal dYe BaTik class • Apr. 10, Wed. • 1:00pm – 4:00pmMeet: Maho Bay Camps Art Center; Wear: Old clothing;Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 6 (2 min.)

eco Hike & snoRkel • Apr. 13, Sat. • 9:30am – 12:00pmMeet: National Park Visitor Center; Bring: Water, towel, sun protection & sunscreen;Seminar Fee: $50 Mem / $60 Non Mem • Max Group: 18

eXploRe/pHoToGRapH leinsTeR BaY • Apr. 14, Sun. • 9:00am – 3:00pmMeet: Annaberg Parking lot; Bring: Lunch, water, sunscreen, camera, & snorkel gear;Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 15

eaRTH daY aT concoRdia • Apr. 22, Mon. • Noon – 5:00pmMeet: Estate Concordia Pavilion; Bring: Water, sunscreen, & a notebook;Seminar Fee: $25 Mem / $35 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

2013 seMinaR seRies Please visit www.friendsvinp.org/seminars or pick up a brochure for full details. Call 340-779-4940 for bookings.

4 december 2012

donoR THank YouOur success, this and every year, is made possible through the generous support of the many individuals, businesses, and organizations whose gifts, both cash and in-kind, contribute to help protect and preserve the natural and cultural resources of Virgin Islands National Park and to promote the responsible enjoyment of this unique national treasure.

Recognition of donors would not be complete without first thanking Rosalie Stahl and Donald Sussman, whose past donations fundamentally transformed the Friends and our support of the park. The impact of their contributions continues to be felt every day.

The Friends has more than 3,000 members, and your contributions, whether annual dues, donations to special appeals, bequests, participation in our events, sponsoring individual projects, or patronage of the Friends of the Park Store, all help to support the park. We are very thankful for your support and humbled by your generosity. We are especially grateful to the following individuals, businesses and organizations for their support this past fiscal year:

donors of $10,000 or morePaul M. Angell Family FoundationAnonymous DonorRobert & Margaret FagensonGolden Eagle FinancialCharles & Monica McQuaidAndy & Joy StillmanTropico ManagementLana Vento Charitable Trust

donors of $5,000–$9,999Charles ConsolvoDisney Cruise LineNational Park FoundationR & I Patton GoldsmithingDana & Martha RobesSt. Thomas Historical TrustAnne Spychala Family Charitable

FoundationDennis StattmanUniversity of the Virgin IslandsVI Department of TourismDavid Witham

donors of $2,500–$4,999Caneel Bay ResortJean & Stephen CottrellFirst BankGlacial Energy VIThe Harith FoundationMichael HayesCaren & Bob LindenJohn ScurciMichael & Judy SkurnikStarboard InvestmentsElizabeth SteeleWestin St. John Resort & VillasLinda Zelisko

donors of $1,000–$2,499Angel ElectricDon BeyerPat & Hal BrownCarter ClarkCaravan GalleryJim & Carol Furneaux

Hugh & Shana GriffithsLeon & Lisa GormanRichard & Brenda HammersleyInternational Capital & Mgmt.Kirby Family FundKoonce FoundationLisa de KooningAnna & Tom LawsonPat & Ronnie LeeRichard & Lynn MathenyFrank McLeanMongoose JunctionJoseph & Letitia PaoliProperty KingRotary Club of St. JohnScotia BankGlen and Radha SpeerMiles & Susan StairChristine & Gary StlukaAnne and Bill StarrSt. John HardwareSt. John Yacht ClubTheodore Tunick & CoCarolyn ThoemmesTOPA PropertiesUnited HealthcareVI Council on the ArtsLucy WaletzkyJohn & Fran WasilchakWeldon & Ellie WassonRoxanne & Paul WinslowCecily Young

donors of $500–$999Alfredo’s LandscapingPaula AlfordPaul & Nancy AndersonJustin BartoshChad Beaty/Kevin Burgess of

Wet Woody’s m/vRobert BettencourtRobert & Pamela BittnerDarrell BorgerAnna May & Peter CharringtonChoice WirelessBrian CouchenourPierre & Connie CrosbyEdward & Martha DavidsonPamela & Steve DeckoffJoseph DeMaioFraser Drummond

Bob & Carol Ann FaucettWill FerryRichard FoleyJanet FooteGallows Point ResortJames & Sharon GallivanGabrielle GilliesShelley GullyBritt HutchisonHyland & Beth JohnsDavid JonesDonna & Art JoyceSonya KeeneErika & Greg Kellerhals FergusonJerome & Elizabeth LevyMartin LilienthalLow Key WatersportsJohn & Deb MacfarlaneRhonda & David McCayMerchants Commercial BankDoug NaceEmily NolteSteve & Jann PaulPGU Insurance ServicesFred & Margaret ProvenzanoJeanne & Bill RayneDennis & Chris ReedySuzy ReinhardtKent & Paula SavelBruce & Sharon SchoonoverHelen SimonEllynne SkoveSouthland Gaming of the VISt. John Accommodations

CouncilJohn StroinKen TotushekJacqueline VaughnVI EcotoursVirgin Islands Audubon SocietyJim & Anne WestJames Wine

donors of $250–$499Abul & Ann AbbasRalph & Cindy AntolinoThe Arenstein FoundationCraig ArnoldMarvin BarndtTeresa BeamGerald & Linda Bechstein

Thomas & Teresa BertolinoJim BierkampJoel & Margaret BlackRonald & Jacqueline BologneseDavid BoydMark & Nancy BuchanMichael & Charlene BurgamyCarper FoundationJames and Elizabeth CasnerGail & John ChesterBruce & Karen ClaflinSteven & Donna CohenGeorge & Jan CourlasRobert & Mares CraneJason CrottyKoke & Cheryl CumminsFrederic R. DiTirroKevin & Betsy DonohoeSusan DorienDavid DostallJeff & Chris DresherChris & Heather EdwardsGary EgglestonJim & Rhonda FackertTodd FaganMark & Christine FanoDebra FlemmingGreg FreitasJohn & Lee FullerSally FurlongDavid & Sharon FussellGinger & John GarrisonHelen GjessingCatherine & William GoodrumStephen & Ruth GrantEugene & Denise HaignereGlen & Jo Ann HallSam & Diana HallErin HartBente HirschSally & Steve HobartJohn HoldenHoppin/Thomas FamilyNikolay & Denise HotzeJonathan JoysBrad KingWilliam & Susan KirbyDoug KriebelLa TapaAndrew LusczDennis & Sherrie Martin

Donald G. McClure Jr.William & Geraldine McAlonanWilliam MindakJason MonigoldMark & Susan MoroneyBarbara Moroski-BrowneLarry & Linda MoskowitzTanya MuldrowWilliam NewboldSteve & Fran O’DayByron & Eileen OliverGeorge & Sharon OrffJack & Mary O’ RourkeMichael OxmanCurtis PennJoe & Mary Lou PetersPeter & Michelle PilawaChuck & Terry PishkoRobert & Velma PullenFernando & Ruby RamosJim & Kelly RattzJohn & Kathleen RenyPat RisslerChristopher RizzoHugo & Josephine RollerGeorge & Jessica RosenbergAbigail Schnell-O’ConnellDonald & Debbie SchnellMelanie & John ShainJerry Lynn & Roller ShipplettRobert SimonJohn SlatteryKathy SteinbornMike, Lisa & Beth TannerJan Bijan TawakolAdam & Jane ThillRandy & Karen ThurmanMartha ToomeyViva VillasJoe WattersonJim & Kathy WelniakJoe & Pauleta WellsLinda & George Woodbury*Denotes bequest

Please let us know if we inadvertently omitted your name or placed you in the incorrect group. Please note that the above includes donations made between October 1, 2011 and September 30, 2012.

what can you do?

www.friendsvinp.org 5

make sure your home is efficiently insulated.

neW Faces BRinG neW ideasThe Friends had a changing of the guard in three of its positions as the season began. With our new staff comes new energy and expertise to the job. Recently our develop-ment director, Heather Ruhsam, left her posi-tion to resume work in the private sector. In over two years of work,

she increased the donor base of the Friends. Our store manager, Jenny Grondin, left a much-improved store, before leaving the island to pursue a new career in Maui, Hawaii. Jeff Chabot, our volunteer field coordinator, stepped down last season.

Nikki Ahladis joined the Friends in August as the new store manager. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Amherst College, Nikki has an educational background in marine ecology and fisheries resource management. While she never planned for a career in retail, she is enjoying her job and is very proud to be representing an active organization committed to education and conservation of natural and cultural resources. Outside of work, she enjoys her family life with her husband and two children.

Nikki, Karen, and Nick eager to start the 2012–13 season.

Nikki is excited about introducing lots of new products and would like to invite everybody to stop by to say hello and check out the fresh new look of the store.

Friends welcomed Karen Vahling as the new development director in September. Karen is a passionate environmentalist with a natural resource and communications degree from Colorado State University with a focus on nonprofit administration. Karen also brings skills from three years as executive director of the Island Green Building Association, a nonprofit focused on low-impact and sustainable development. She plans to continue the Friends’ work of the protection and preservation of Virgin Islands National Park resources, as well as environmental education for local youth.

Our most recent addition is Nicholas Marcet, who arrived on island Nov. 1 to begin learning the trails and working out his schedule of projects for our volunteer groups and walk-up program this season. Nick hails from Jacksonville, Fla., but has run crews of students and leaders for the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in parks from Arizona to West Virginia. Nick is eager to take the volunteer program even further this year as he prepares for nearly four months of groups this season, in addition to our walk-up volunteers on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

We are very excited about the addition of these new staff and encourage you to stop by our office, the Friends store in Mongoose Junction, or out on the trails to meet and welcome our new team members.

SAVE THE DATE! Friends Annual Gala: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013: Please join us as we begin celebration of the 25th anniversary of Friends of VI National Park at the preeminent social event of the year. This year’s theme, “Friends for 25 Years,” will take gala guests on a journey through the history of our park and what Friends has accomplished with your support.

Party in style at one of St. John’s premier private villas, Presidio del Mar, in Peter Bay. Dance, dine and mingle while we thank our donors, celebrate our accomplishments and raise funds for programs that protect and preserve our park. Always an evening to be remembered!

Invitations and announcements to follow. Please note: This is a change of date from our original planned date of Feb. 16.

Become a Friend…If you’ve never been a member, join us in our mission to

protect and preserve the VI National Park!

Receive program & store discounts, newsletters & more

individual = $30 • Family = $50 • business = $100 Make checks payable to: Friends of ViNP

Name:

Address:

Phone:

Email:

Join Today!!

Mail this form to our office or return it to the Friends Store in Mongoose Junction!

Friends of Vi National Park, Po box 811, St John, Vi 00831

✁

6 december 2012

pRoGRaM accoMplisHMenTs FoR 2012 This year has been another busy and productive one for the Friends. Thanks to the support of Friends members and donors, and excellent collabora-tion with our colleagues in the park, we achieved important successes in our projects and activities supporting VI National Park. Our most significant accomplishments included:

• Completing the accessible trail through the mangrove and sea grape forest at Francis Bay. This constitutes the lower portion of the Francis Bay Trail and provides excellent access to the prime bird viewing site in the park. The boardwalk was con-structed by volunteers in an amazing seven days, and all of the structural lumber for the trail was donated by MSI Building Materials.

• New plantations were uncovered as part of the collaboration with the University of Copenhagen on the 216 acres recently added to the park at Beverhoudtsberg (near Gifft Hill).

• A large number of tools and other metal artifacts were con-served at the Creque Marine Railway site on Hassel Island. This included almost all of the large carpentry shop equipment (lathes, drill press, steam engine), the blacksmith table, the two diving bells, the dock crane, the coal chute, hydraulic jacks, a small steam engine for hauling boats, ship hauling rods and chain, slipway and iron links.

Programs for school children and facilitating the use of the park as a living classroom continued to be an important program focus for the Friends. This past year:

• About 1,036 kids went on ranger-led activities such as hikes down the Reef Bay Trail, seashore walks along Leinster Bay, bird-watching expeditions to Francis Bay, and visits to Annaberg.

• Nine classes from five schools received small grants that funded projects and activities that used the park as a learning resource.

• More than 550 kids participated in this year’s Earth Day Environmental Fair where, thanks to about 25 exhibitors and presenters, the kids had fun as they learned about the environ-ment and conservation.

• As the marine component of the environmental fair, Reef Fest attracted 100 kids to learn about the marine environment.

• More than 900 kids from St. John and St. Thomas attended the annual Folk Life Festival, the park’s premier cultural event.

• Another 127 kids had the opportunity to spend 3-5 days in the park in our summer Eco-Camps, Science Camp, and Ranger-in-Training Camp at VIERS, learning about marine and terrestrial ecology.

• Eight high school students from both the Virgin Islands and mainland United States worked for a month in VINP as part of the Student Conservation Association Trail Crew Project, repairing trails and learning important technical, team-building, leadership and cross-cultural life skills.

In addition to the projects mentioned above, we also continued support of:

• The Learn-to-Swim program at Trunk Bay• The Cultural Evenings at Cinnamon Bay • The 21st annual Folk Life Festival• Annaberg Cultural History demonstrations• The Archaeology Program and Museum at

Cinnamon Bay

Hassel island TickeT To Ride CoNTiNuED FRoM PAgE 1

president. “This unique island within the park, which was previously underutilized, is now open to discovery for future generations.”

The inaugural trip for our Ticket to Ride program was made by Julius Sprauve School from St. John. The first 30 students were able to set the pace for the program and iron out the logistics of the trip: a ferry to Red Hook, a taxi across the island to meet the boat to Hassel Island, which is located in the Charlotte Amalie Harbour.

The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, created the Ticket to Ride program. The grant program totals $230,000 nationwide and has

Eco campers pose for a photo on a hike at ViERS.

connected more than 30,000 students with national parks across the country. We are honored to have received our portion of the grant funds, as it was a great addition to the SKIP trips this year.

“Providing the means for America’s youth to experience all that our national park system has to offer is imperative,” said Neil Mulholland, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “The Ticket to Ride program makes it possible for us to engage the younger generation through the parks’ unique natural, cultural and historical classrooms, ultimately fostering an early love and appreciation for these important places.”

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www.friendsvinp.org 7

donate your gently used items to charity.

pRoGRaM plan FoR 2013 The Friends’ board of directors recently approved an ambitious program plan for 2013 valued at more than $500,000. Below are the details of our program plan which, as you will see, includes many of our traditional projects as well as some new ones.

Cultural Resource Preservation Projects• Annaberg Cultural Demonstrations ($1,500 funded): Provides

supplies for the Annaberg Living History program, which con-sists of a baker baking bread in a “Dutch Oven,” and a gardener maintaining and interpreting a subsistence garden plot.

•ArcheologyMuseumExhibits ($18,000 funded): Complete the design and installation of exhibits in the newly renovated museum.

• ArcheologicalResearchandVolunteers ($105,000 funded): Continuation of the on-going support for the archeology pro-gram, covering stipends and other costs for interns and the inter-national collaboration with the University of Copenhagen.

• CulturalEveningatCinnamonBay ($9,600 funded): Drummers, under the leadership of Eddie Bruce will tell the story of the history of the “African Drum,” such as its use as a communication tool. Though not yet determined, other cultural performers will participate.

•FolkLifeFestival ($12,000 funding needed): This is the 22nd anniversary of the festival and will focus on the history of sugar production in the Danish West Indies. It will also feature tradi-tional dance and music, storytelling, arts and crafts.

•HasselIsland ($18,000 funded): Conservation of metal artifacts uncovered at the Creque Marine Slipway and within the head house.

• Publication ofICOFORT2010MeetingProceedings ($4,200 funding needed): Fund the cost of publishing the proceedings of the ICOFORT meeting held here in 2010.

•Post-emancipationInterpretationProgram ($15,000 funding needed): Produce four wayside signs that focus on the history of cattle and their ecological legacy on St. John and in VI National Park.

•SubmergedCulturalResourceSurvey ($48,000 funded): Conduct an archeological survey in park waters along the north shore between Johnson’s Reef to Windswept Point and Cinnamon Beach.

EducationProjects•BlueFlagProgram ($1,500 funded): Provide on-going funding

for the water quality tests at Blue Flag beaches.

•EarthDayFairandReefFest ($6,000 funded): As part of a week of Earth Day activities, an Earth Day Environmental Fair will be organized for local school kids. Through hands-on teach-ing methods, story-telling, and environmental demonstrations, the youth of St. John will learn about ways to respect and pre-serve the world around them. In an aquatic component, called Reef Fest, youth will participate in a day of learning about the marine resources of St John.

•Eco-camps ($42,000 funding needed): Funds at least 120 school

children to attend the Eco-camps, Science camp, and Ranger-in-Training camp at VIERS. Kids experience 3-5 days in the park learning about marine and terrestrial eco-systems.

•EducationalWaysideExhibits ($30,000 funding needed): Replace 10 faded and/or outdated educational wayside exhibits in the park.

•LearntoSwim ($1,100 funded): Provides materials and equip-ment for the park’s Learn-to-Swim program conducted each sum-mer at Trunk Bay.

•ScholarshipFund ($4,800 funding needed): Provides four $1,000 scholarships to VI students studying natural sciences at the university level.

•SchoolKidsinthePark (SKIP) ($38,400 funded): The flagship of our environmental education program for children, the proj-ect funds small ($500 max) grants for teachers to use VINP as a teaching/learning resource, and provides transportation for ranger-led field trips in the park. This year, an additional component will take 500 middle school children to Hassel Island.

Natural Resource Protection Projects•AccessibilityAssessment ($4,000 funded): Support a comprehen-

sive accessibility assessment throughout the park to identify areas of opportunity for improved access and target barrier removal.

•LionfishResponse ($2,000 funded): Support efforts to reduce lionfish populations in Virgin Islands National Park and VI Coral Reef National Monument. This project will primarily be used to put together lionfish capture kits that will be used by NPS, USGS, NOAA and other divers when working in park and mon-ument waters.

•MooringsforLargeBoats ($70,000 funded): Install up to 14 moorings for boats 60–100 feet long. This completes the mooring program and helps make VINP an anchorless park. VINP is pro-viding $40,000 of additional funding to the project.

•PicnicTablesforBeaches ($12,200 funding needed): Construct wheelchair accessible picnic tables and install them at the beach pavilions.

•SCATrailCrews ($42,000 funding needed): A Summer Trail Crews program which, in a departure from the past, will be non-camping crews who come to work daily. It will focus on kids from St. John and St. Thomas who will work on trail repair and maintenance, and the program will include an environmental education component.

•Smoke-freeBeaches ($1,600 funded): Assisting in making park beaches smoke-free by supporting costs for signs and cigarette butt receptacles.

•TrailRatingSystem ($4,000 funded): Develop a trail rating system for all trails, similar to those used on ski slopes, within VI National Park. A contractor will be engaged to lead this process. Once the rating is determined for all trails, a new brochure, signage, and Web pages will be developed in subsequent phases.

•TrailsProgram ($21,600 funded): Covers the stipend for the volunteer field coordinator and provides supplies and materials for the trail and beach cleanups and the walkup volunteer program.

pResidenT’s MessaGe by JoE KESSlER

Living in the Caribbean gives us a special understanding and appreciation for tropical weather events so we are especially mindful of the devastating storms that wreaked such havoc recently along the U.S. eastern seaboard. Our hearts go out to all of those who were affected by the storm and especially to our many members in those regions. We hope that you and your loved ones have weathered the storm safely. Hopefully, the storms were only a temporary inconvenience for you; but if you were affected more dramatically by the storm and its aftermath, we wish you strength and perseverance in these dif-ficult times and hope that your lives are returning to some normalcy.

As you have read inside the Tidings, change has been in the air here these last several months, and more change is likely in the near future. The changes have been in the leadership of VI National Park as well as here with Friends staff.

Superintendent Mark Hardgrove retired in early August after 41 years with the National Park Service and nearly five years here as superintendent – probably a record in the tenure of a superintendent here. Mark can be credited with bringing several long-awaited and sorely needed improvements in the park and also oversaw, thanks to the Trust for Public Land, bringing much of Estate Maho Bay into the park as well as important parcels at Nanny Point and Hawksnest. On a less tangible, but perhaps more important front, Mark was a great partner and an excellent representative of the park. I worked very closely with Mark over the last five years and I will sorely miss him both as a colleague and, especially, as a friend. We hope that the NPS will move promptly in naming Mark’s replacement.

While we are very appreciative of the important contributions that Heather Ruhsam, Jenny Grondin and Jeff Chabot made to the Friends and wish them the very best in their future endeavors, we are very pleased to welcome Karen Vahling, Nikki Ahladis and Nick Marcet as our new development director, store manager, and volunteer field coordinator, respectively, and have great hopes for their futures with the Friends.

Change is healthy in organizations and will be so for the park and the Friends. We have been able to ben-efit from the excellent contributions of the previous incumbents, and will profit from the new ideas and energy of the newcomers. In the end it is a win for VI National Park and its resources.

I look forward to seeing you out in the park.

december 2012

NoNPRoFiT oRg. u.S. PoSTAgE

PAiDCRuZ bAy, Vi

00831 PERMiT No. 07

PO Box 811 St John, Virgin Islands 00831

Coming events! Folk Life Festival, Feb. 21–23, 2013: Once again, Friends and the NPS will partner to present the 22nd annual Folk Life Festival in celebration of Black History Month. Dates are Feb. 21–23, 2013, at the Annaberg Sugar Mill Ruins. This year’s theme is “From Where We Came to Where We Are” and will look at the history of African-Americans in the Virgin Islands and the similarity of the Virgin Islands to other islands in the West Indies. As always, traditional music and dance will be a highlight of the festival. This event is free and open to the public.

Earth Day Environmental Fair & Reef Fest: April 19 will mark the 8th annual Earth Day Environmental Fair for local school kids on St. John. Through hands-on teaching methods, storytelling, and environmental demonstrations, the youth of St. John will learn about ways to respect and preserve the world around them. On April 20, St. John youth will participate in a day of learning on the beach during the fourth annual Reef Fest.

In celebration of Earth Day, all individuals and groups who have adopted a beach or trail will also be asked to clean up their locations on Saturday, April 20, 2013 or join the Reef Fest Cleanup at 10:00 a.m. before the event begins.

Beach-to-Beach Power Swim: The 10th annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim will be Sunday, May 26, 2013. Join us for this challenging and fun open-water swim in the pristine and protected waters of V.I. National Park. There are three courses to choose from, all of which start at Maho Bay Beach: to Cinnamon Bay (1 mile); to Trunk Bay (2¼ miles); to Hawksnest Bay (3½ miles) Form a relay team or swim it by yourself. Visit www.friendsvinp.org/swim for complete details and course descriptions. We will also need about 80 volunteers to make this a safe and successful event.diRecToRY —

FRiENDS oFFiCE: 340.779.4940 FRiENDS SToRE: 340.779.8700 FRiENDS EMAil: info@friendsvinp.org Vi NATioNAl PARK FRoNT DESK: 340.776.6201 ext: 238

www.friendsvinp.org

Joe Kessler

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED