Office of the Commissioner
Office of the Commissioner GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES --------0-------- DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES 4611 Tutu Park Mall 45 Mars Hill, Frederiksted Suite 300, 2nd Floor St. Croix, VI 00840 St. Thomas, VI 00802 (340) 773-1082 (340) 774-3320 dpnr.vi.gov CONTACT: Jamal Nielsen, Media Relations Coordinator jamal.nielsen@dpnr.vi.gov Friday, July 10, 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DPNR ACQUIRES MT. WELCOME PROPERTY TO EXPAND PUBLIC ACCESS TO ALTONA LAGOON Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) is pleased to announce the acquisition of Parcel 59 Mt. Welcome on St. Croix, securing 4.77 acres of shoreline property along Altona Lagoon for the people of the Virgin Islands. The newly acquired property, located adjacent to the popular Altona Lagoon community park in Christiansted, will help expand public access to one of St. Croix’s most treasured natural areas. …
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Office of the Commissioner GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES --------0-------- DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES 4611 Tutu Park Mall 45 Mars Hill, Frederiksted Suite 300, 2nd Floor St. Croix, VI 00840 St. Thomas, VI 00802 (340) 773-1082 (340) 774-3320 dpnr.vi.gov CONTACT: Jamal Nielsen, Media Relations Coordinator jamal.nielsen@dpnr.vi.gov Friday, July 10, 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DPNR ACQUIRES MT. WELCOME PROPERTY TO EXPAND PUBLIC ACCESS TO ALTONA LAGOON Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) is pleased to announce the acquisition of Parcel 59 Mt. Welcome on St. Croix, securing 4.77 acres of shoreline property along Altona Lagoon for the people of the Virgin Islands. The newly acquired property, located adjacent to the popular Altona Lagoon community park in Christiansted, will help expand public access to one of St. Croix’s most treasured natural areas. “Altona Lagoon is a cherished destination where residents and visitors alike can enjoy the outdoors through hiking, walking, swimming, fishing, and other cultural and recreational activities,” said Commissioner Oriol. “This acquisition ensures that future generations will continue to have access to this special place, and we are grateful to Governor Bryan and his administration for their continued support of land conservation efforts throughout the territory.” Visitors to Altona Lagoon can access the property from the lagoon’s primary entrance off Mt. Welcome Road. The site features shaded areas overlooking the lagoon’s mangrove ecosystem, providing opportunities for recreation, nature appreciation, and wildlife observation. Kristina “Kitty” Edwards, Director of DPNR’s Division of Territorial Parks and Protected Areas (TPPA), praised the efforts of the TPPA team in completing the acquisition. “The NOAA Climate and Resilience Regional Challenge award has created meaningful opportunities to protect lands of ecological and cultural significance across the Virgin Islands,” Edwards said. “We are proud of the progress made through this initiative and look forward to adding more important properties to the Territorial Parks System for the benefit of our communities.” Funding for the acquisition was provided through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate and Resilience Regional Challenge (CRRC) program, which awarded funding to the Virgin Islands in 2024 to support conservation, resilience, and public-access projects. For more information, contact Director Kristina “Kitty” Edwards at kristina.edwards@dpnr.vi.gov or visit DPNR Territorial Parks and Protected Areas.