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i s l a n d r e s o u r c e s 2 5 t h A N N I V E R S A R Y F O U N D A T I O N .■#■-- environmental planning for island development For Members, Donors, Supporters, Colleagues and Friends of Island Resources Foundation Thank you for your support that has enabled the Foundation to carry out its mission for over 25 years. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION was founded in the Caribbean in the early 1970s, dedicated to assisting small island states, especially those in tropical areas, to protect and enhance their environments and to pursue development options that preserve the special qualities of island life. The FOUNDATION was one of the earliest institutions worldwide to recognize that a failure to understand the differences between insular and continental systems has unanticipated and too often undesirable consequences for islanders. For 25 years the FOUNDATION'S body of work has addressed those differ ences, and has assisted in the emergence of the island-specific environmental guide lines, practices, and institutions that are required for the sustainable development of island states and territories. Our approach has been uniquely our own, emphasizing — • the application of sound science to environmental problem solving arid development planning • skills building for islanders and collaborative capacity building for island institutions • strengthening information resources and enhancing information availability for informed decision-making • educating international agencies and donor institutions about the uniqueness of islands and the importance of drawing upon islanders and insular experiences in addressing de velopment issues and devising conservation practices. As the FOUNDATION looks to the future, it will continue its island-focused mission, adjusting that focus when required to help fashion improved tools for a new genera tion of islanders meeting the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century. Our programmatic concentration will emphasize biodiversity conservation, environ mental information management, and coastal area planning for islands, but within this framework we, and our island partners, must find ways to effectively apply the principles of adaptive environmental assessment to the tidal wave of new technolo gies that island communities now confront at every turn. The anxious poetic metaphor of Edna St. Vincent Millay comes to mind: "A tidal wave devours the shore, / There are no islands anymore." As someone who knows ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION, you can share our pride in the accomplishments of the last quarter century, only a few of which are highlighted in this retrospective. We invite you to join the FOUNDATION as it continues to pursue an agenda of environmental planning for island development. Sincerely, Edward L. Towle President island resources F O U N D A T I O N 1972 — 1997 ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION is a 25-year-old de velopment assistance organization with a special inter est in protecting and enhancing the environments of small islands, especially those in tropical areas. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION is a non-endowed, non-profit, operating foundation that is also tax exempt in the United States. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION is an interdiscipli nary organization whose programs emphasize problem solving, technical skills building, institution strength ening and insular-focused research. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION is a service organi zation that provides technical and professional plan ning assistance on contract or with donor support. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION is a major contribu tor to global initiatives designed to enhance the devel opment options of small islands. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION funds its activities primarily through a combination of grants, contracts, collaborative partnerships, and membership support. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION also undertakes re source planning and environmental impact assessment work, often as a joint venture with public and private sector institutions. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION'S principal experi ence has been in the wider Caribbean region and has focused on three primary program areas: (1) environmental planning and impact assess ment, emphasizing coastal and marine resource development; (2) conservation, resource protection, and biodi versity; and (3) institutional development, public policy and environmental information management. M A J O R C O N T R I B U T O R S , D O N O R S A N D C L I E N T S American Airlines American Conservation Association American Petroleum Institute Archbold Charitable Trust Canadian International Development Agency Caribbean Conservation Association Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Dave Hokin Foundation Dreyfus Foundation Eastern Airlines Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean Edison Electric Institute Environment and Development In The Third World Explorers Club Falconwood Foundation Fauna Preservation Society Government of the US Virgin Islands Griffis Foundation Gulf and Western Corporation InterAmerican Development Bank IUCN - World Conservation Union Jackson Hole Preserve John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation laurance S. Rockefeller Mocatta Metals Corporation Moriah Fund Mukti Fund Nancy and Dr. Lyman Spire National Endowment for the Arts (US) National Endowment for Humanities (US) National Trust for Historic Preservation (US) Office of Technology Assessment (US) Organization of American States Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Rockefeller Brothers Fund Rockresorts International Swedish Development Agency The Nature Conservancy United Nations Development Program United Nations Environment Program US Agency for International Development US Department of Education US Environmental Protection Agency US Forest Service US Man and the Biosphere Program US National Marine Fisheries Service US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration US National Park Service Victoria International World Wildlife Fund i s l a n d r e s o u r c e s F O U N D A T I O N A 25 YEAR ASSISTAI 1972 —1975 1976 —1978 environmental planning and impact assessment Publication of first environmental guidelines for insular planning (published as "Ecological Guide lines For Island Development" by IUCN, 1974) Commissioned by British Virgin Islands Govern ment for environmental survey of the BVI, with guidelines for future development options in the Territory Conducted the first regional review of develop ment impacts and planning needs in eight Carib bean islands (sponsored by the United Nations Development Program) Prepared comprehensive marine resource assess ment and coastal classification system for the U.S. Virgin Islands Developed planning guidelines for the Virgin Islands Coastal Zone Management Program, the first in the eastern Caribbean Among the earliest advocates for specialized environmental impact assessment procedures for Caribbean islands conservation and resource protection Launched 3-month environmental survey of the Caribbean basin to study flora and fauna of iso lated and little researched islands and cays Annual turtle tagging expeditions to Aves, the eastern Caribbean's most isolated, uninhabited island and major nesting site for the green sea turtle — over 1,200 turtles tagged in studies to determine uniqueness and range of the population Field studies of wildlife and preparation of man agement guidelines for Parque del Este, the Dominican Republic's first national park Carried out inventory of Caribbean historic sites — over 100 historic landmarks on ten islands surveyed, documented and photo graphed Turtle taggin Provided assistance for park planning, training, research and ecotourism programs in Dominica, Anguilla, and Jamaica, and offshore islands in Venezuela and Panama institutional development and leadership Served as Secretariat for the Caribbean Conserva tion Association and assisted CCA in implement ing its first five-year program plan Enlisted as environmental arbitrator in Trinidad in dispute over an oil company's proposed high-risk use of the Caroni Swamp bird sanctuary Conservation team assessing re gional priorities for Caribbean Conservation Association's first 5-year action plan: (1-r) Euan McFarlane, Island Resources Foundation president Edtoard Towle, and Sir Philip Sherlock, retired Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies Implemented a unique community participation project in the U.S. Virgin Islands, assisting citizens and community groups to better understand and more effectively par ticipate in local deci sion making about development and environment issues — an untested ap proach at the time CE PROGRAM FOR ELANDS 1979 —1981 1982 —1984 Prepared innovative economic impact analysis of the Virgin Islands National Park Evaluated planning options for UNDP-funded inshore marine program for eight South Pacific island groups Carried out planning and policy study on solid waste manage ment practices in the insular Caribbean Executed offshore sand mining feasibility stud ies, U.S. Virgin Islands Produced video docu mentary on Caribbean vernacular architecture Provided assistance for museum development in Grenada, archaeo logical investigations in Anguilla, historic site restoration planning in Dominica Completed vegetation inventory and maps for St. John, USVI — early example of ecosystem classifi cation in the eastern Caribbean t Aves Island, 1972-76 The Foundation's headquarters in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, a "wooden cottage" style building reflecting traditional Caribbean architecture. Prior to relocation to this site in 1983, the Foundation's primary offices liad beat based for over a decade at the johnny Harms lagoon Marina in St. Thomas. Harms, who is credited with first promoting sports fishing in the Terri tory, was long a friend and supporter of Island Resources, espe cially during its earliest years of development. Completed vessel waste disposal study and man agement guidelines for insular Caribbean yachting Evaluated the maricul- ture potential for brine shrimp using Caribbean coastal salt ponds Developed case studies documenting coastal resource management issues in Belize, Turks and Caicos, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Sri Lanka, Kiribati, Fiji Measuring salitiity and temperature for salt pond manculture project, 1983-84 [Photo: Sandy Goodwin) Sponsored a workshop on the uses of his torical resources for eastern Caribbean island development — the first regional discussion on managing historical and cultural resources critical to development in the Lesser Antilles Demonstration of masonry wall restoration at 1983 workshop on "the uses of historical resources for island development", Brimstone Hill, St. Kitts, 1983 Coordinator and founding member of the Virgin Islands Resource Management Cooperative (VIRMC), a unique collaboration of public and private sector institutions who recognized the need for a cooperative approach to the manage ment of natural resources in the Virgin Islands With collaborating VIRMC institutions, the Foun dation executed a five-year research program focused primarily on the marine resources of the V.I. Biosphere Reserve — 30 research studies were carried out by 33 investigators from nine VIRMC- affiliated institutions, with funding provided by the US National Park Service. The Foundation edited and published the 31-volume report series. . •"' Throughout the world, insular communities, with limited areas, are e which has rarely been equaled on larger land masses. Attracted by t qualities and economic opportunities, more people from continentt threatening to alter the very qualities that make i ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION 1985 — 1987 1988 —1990 MHHHH Carried out a fishery sector assessment for seven eastern Caribbean island states Environmental impact assessment of pesticide use in Dominica's banana disease control program Prepared environmental impact assessment and land use plan for major tourism development at the Southeast Peninsula, St. Kitts Contributed to UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) study on the relationship between tourism and the envi ronment in the Caribbean Primary technical sponsor of a five-year environ mental assessment of six Caribbean countries that produced comprehensive Environmental Profiles for: Antigua-Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (published in 1990 by the Foundation and the Caribbean Conservation Association, with funding provided by USAID) Developed a coastal resource damage assessment and hurricane Hugo recovery plan for the U.S. Virgin Islands Surveyed and mapped land use in the Virgin Is lands (St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John) Carried out a series of marine archaeological surveys and cultural resource assessments for Caribbean island govern ments and private sector or ganizations, primarily antece dent to major harbor develop ment projects BBS Consultancy to the Government of Barbados to establish a new Ministry of Tour ism and the Environment, an early attempt in the Caribbean to link the two sectors within one gov ernment ministry Provided support services for the "Islands Direc torate" of the Man and the Biosphere Program, U.S. National Commission for UNESCO Launched (in 1986) a decade-long program to provide development assistance for conservation NGOs in the eastern Caribbean — the largest single program targeted specifically at the role of non-governmental organizations in environmental affairs in the Lesser Antilles Implemented an experimental habitat restoration project that successfully transplanted three acres of seagrass — thereby mitigating environmental damage from harbor dredge-and-fill operations 1990 McFarlane Award recipient Ronald Charles of Dominica receiving $1,000 check from Foundation president Edward Towle Established the Euan P. McFarlane Leadership Award, to be presented annually to persons dem onstrating environmental leadership in the insular Caribbean — annual awards, including a cash gift of SI ,000, have been made since 1988 xperiencing the pressures of a growth and development phenomenon he undeveloped, pristine nature of islands and by their recreational 'I areas are focusing on offshore oceanic and coastal insular areas, stands viable as ecosystems and as communities. CONCEPTUAL PROSPECTUS, 1972 1991 —1994 1995 —1997 Provided primary technical support for prepara tion of Environmental Profiles for Anguilla and Montserrat (funded by UNDP) Prepared guidelines for sediment control practices in the insular Caribbean, including best manage ment practices for construction activities that pro tect coral reefs and coastal ecosystems Prepared guidelines for integrated planning and management of coastal and marine areas in the Wider Caribbean (for UNEP's Caribbean Envi ronment Program) Updated the Disaster Mitigation Plan for the U.S. Virgin Islands, following hurricane Marilyn in September 1995 Prepared "special area" management plans for 18 coastal sites in the U.S. Virgin Islands Published a whale- watching guide for the Bahamas and the Greater and Lesser Antilles Evaluated Phase I and assisted in Kevel Lindsay (1), Biodiversity Program Coordinator, and assistants, examine vegetation specimens collected during shoreline survey, north coast, Antigua planning for Phase II of USAID's PARC (protected areas resource conservation) project in Jamaica, including an assessment of Montego Bay Marine Park and Blue Mountain National Park Prepared resource assessment studies and comprehensive management plan for Bird Island Marine Reserve, Antigua Launched a new initiative for biodiversity conservation in the east ern Caribbean; this program of research, educa tion, protection, and capacity building is currently the primary focus of our Antigua office Continued to serve as coordinator of the Virgin Islands Resource Management Cooperative, extending its agenda beyond the V.I. Biosphere Reserve to shared resource management concerns in the larger Virgin Islands territory, including the British Virgin Islands (primary support from the MacArthur Foundation) Initiated a new institutional strategy to support emerging information management technologies with potential for advancing small island sustain able development buying time for islands — and for the people who call them home i s l a n d r e s o u r c e s F O U N D A T I O N INTERNET: irj@irf.org http://wunv.irf.org HEADQUARTERS 6296 Estate Nazareth #11 St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands 00802-1104 Telephone: 340-775-6225 F a x : 3 4 0 - 7 7 9 - 2 0 2 2 Contact: Dr. Edward Towle E-mail: <etowle®irforg> Although the Foundation's core staff is small, the perma nent staff is augmented by the formal affiliation of PROGRAM ASSOCIATES, currently numbering over 90 individuals with a wide range of Caribbean and insular-focused expertise who provide counsel and, as required, assist with Foundation projects and team activities. Pictured below are some of the individuals who have con tributed to the work of Island Resources Foundation during the last 25 years. Executive officers oftlie Board of Trustees, Island Resources Foundation (l-r): Henry Wheat ley, vice chairman; Charles Consolvo, secretary; and Judith Towle, treasurer (not pictured, Edward Towle, president). WASHINGTON OFFICE (Publication Distribution) 1718 P Street NW, Suite T4 Washington, DC 20036 Telephone: 202-265-9712 F a x : 2 0 2 - 2 3 2 - 0 7 4 8 Contact: Mr. Bruce Potter E-mail: <bpotter@irf.org> ANTIGUA OFFICE (Biodiversity Conservation Program) Post Office Box 103 Museum of Antigua-Barbuda St. John's, Antigua Telephone: 268-460-1740 F a x : 2 6 8 - 4 6 3 - 7 7 4 0 Contact: Mr. Kevel Lindsay E-mail: <klindsay@irforg> REQUEST A LIST OF PUBLICATIONS FROM THE FOUNDATION'S WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE Bruce Potter, vice president of Island Resources Foundation. jean-Pierre Bade, senior natural resource analyst, who has managed Island Resources Foundation's Washington office since 1986. Office manager in the Virgin Islands is Sandra Tate (not pic tured) who has served in this role since 1981. SUPPORT ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION Make a generous contribution to help the Foundation maintain its commitment to islands. Annual memberships start at US$35 for individuals and US$200 for institutions/corporations. For US tax payers, all contributions arc deductible under Internal Revenue Service guidelines.