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ISLAWD RESOURCES FOUNDATION, INC P. O. BOX 4187 - ST. THOMAS, U. S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 00801 (809) 775-3225 o f fic e o f t h e P r e s i d e n t - B T J L J J E T I N November 4, 1975 We have some good news... .for a change. 1. At last the Government of the U. S. Virgin Islands has asked our assistance on two important projects: A. An inventory of Coastal Zone natural features for the Virgin Islands Coastal Zone Management Plan. Under Section 305 of Public Law 92-583, the Virgin Islands is entitled to obtain planning funds to undertake a full coastal zone inventory and develop a coastal re source management plan. Island Resources Foundation has been contracted by the V. I. Planning Office to carry out this segment with funds provided by NOAA, Office of Coastal Zone Management. B. A full review of the V. I. mass transit system is now being carried out by Wilbur Smith Associates and Design Collaborative - two well known consulting firms who asked the Foundation to assist in defining the environmental coals and assessing the environmen tal implication of recommended modification to the existing sys tem. We are especially interested in this project, which is being done for the Public Works department as good public transportation is so vital to developing improved land use, proper siting of pub lic housing, energy conservation and reducing urban vehicular con gestion and pollution - even on small islands. 2. Our 1975 Aves Island sea turtle tasking expedition led by our chief biologist, Mr. William Rainey, went "very well" this year with nary a poacher in sight. A new report on the islanc s natural history is available from the Foundation upon request,as is a mo: e technical report on the 1973, 1974, and 1975 expeditions. 3. For the Government of the British Virgin Islands, the Foundation has recently launched a unique "island resource planning" project for the remote island of Anegada. With a resident population of 200 or so (at one time, over 1000) Anegada is a low coralline/limestone Bahamian type island on the northeastern rim of the Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands platform. more. . . . Bulletin (cont.) Our project is an attempt to find ways to combine low technology, existing limited resources, traditional skills, solar and wind energy potential, into a workable development plan involving community participants in the definition of goals, the creation of new econ omic activity, employment and environmentally "compatible" small scale "industry" in a semi-closed system. 4. Our Virgin Islands "Foxfire" project, called All-Ah-Wee now has two issues of the magazine published and the third is ready to go to press. 5. The Government of Panama, (which says it has 700 islands) has invited the Foundation to send a planning team to Panama City in November to outline a program of resource planning and environ mental management for the Panamanian islands, including the well known San Bias and Pearl island groups. A research expedition to Panama is being planned for 1976.