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Island Resources Foundation 1989 REPORT AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, AND PUBLICATIONS FOR THE YEAR 1989 Red Hook Center Box 33, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands 00802 Telephone: (809) 775-6225 It was G.K. Chesterton who said that all conservatism is based upon the idea that if you leave things alone, you leave them as they are. But you do not. If you leave a thing alone, you leave it to a torrent of change. In this regard, islands quickly come to mind. Edward Towle in Paper Presented at UNESCO/IUCN Workshop in San Francisco, August 1989 1989: YEAR OF HUGO, NEW NGO GRANT FOR THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN, COMPLETION OF LAND USE MAPS FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT Hurricane Hugo's terrible passage through the U.S. Virgin Islands began early in the evening on Sunday, September 17th. Although its winds were recorded at between 150 and 200 miles per hour, Hugo is most remembered by those who survived it as the incredibly slow-moving storm. Over St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, Hugo stalled for an agonizingly long 12 hour period, and when it departed on Mon day the 18th of September, it left behind incredible destruction and devastation. St. Croix, which saw the eye of the hurricane pass directly over it, was particularly hard-hit. Like the territory itself, Island Resources Foundation pro grams and personnel on that island were especially vulnerable. Bob Teytaud, deputy team leader of IRFs Country Environmental Profile (CEP) project, lost his com bined home/office on St. Croix, including every book, document, and scrap of paper related to the CEP project. Miraculously, the one thing Bob and his wife, Jennifer, were able to save was his com puter, along with project document files. Hank Tonnemacher , as IRFs on-site investigator for a Port Authority-funded water quality monitor ing project on the south shore of St. Croix, was aboard his research vessel at the project site the night Hugo struck. His trimaran flipped over during the storm, and Hank spent many terror-filled min utes while he struggled to bring himself to safety from under the damaged vessel. Thanks to Hank, all project monitoring data had been stored in water proof containers and could be retrieved after the storm. On St. Thomas, IRFs headquarters building sur vived, although we suffered extensive wind-driven rain damage to the library and reference collections. The Foundation's research vessel Odyssey was grounded but did not sink. After the storm, Odyssey was returned to its dock where she awaits her turn for damage assessment and major repairs. (continued on page 2) IN THIS ISSUE Page 1989 STAFF ASSOCIATES 2 N E H A I D G R A N T 3 VI LAND USE MAPPING 4 CEP PROJECT UPDATE 5 USNPS COMMENDATION 6 1989 McFARLANE AWARD 6 ASSISTANCE TO NGOs 7 RECENT PUBLICATIONS 8 1989 REPORT 1989: YEAR OF HUGO... (continued from page 1) IRF's headquarters was without power for over a month following the storm, and it was another three weeks before telephone service was restored. For tunately, the Foundation's office in Washington, D.C. remained functional during this period, and most routine administrative business continued from that location. We take this opportunity to thank the many friends and associates of the Foundation who took time to contact us following Hugo, to express their concern and good wishes. We are particularly grateful to The Nature Conservancy for its generous gift of $5,000, presented to Island Resources Foundation as an unrestricted disaster relief grant to assist with the extraordinary expenses associated with Hurricane Hugo damage and disruption. Despite the storm, 1989 was a good year for Island Resources Foundation. In May the Foundation completed a series of land use maps for the Virgin Islands territory. In September a major five-year grant was awarded by USAID. Several new faces joined the roster of staff associates in 1989, and a unique directory documenting donor assistance ac tivities in the Eastern Caribbean was released. Further information on these and other Foundation activities and publications during 1989 will be found in the pages of this end-of-the year news summary. KEY IRF STAFF ASSOCIATES IN 1989 A new, full time staff position »that of Senior Ecologist ~ was filled early in 1989 by Cruzan-born Robert Teytaud. Shortly after his appointment, Mr. Teytaud took up responsibilities as deputy team leader for the Country Environmental Profile Project. Bob brings to this assignment a solid back ground in marine biology, fishery sciences, physical oceanography and field ecology. He has worked for the Territorial Government of the Virgin Islands as a resource ecologist, environmental specialist, and planner for the coastal zone management agency. Avrum Shriar, a Canadian environmental planner, joined the Foundation full time in November and will be on staff for the duration of the Country Environmental Profile Project. Steve Colman, who in the late 1970's was a key member of the first Coastal Zone Management Plan ning Team in the U.S. Virgin Islands, returned to the Territory in 1989 to serve as director of a land use mapping effort carried out by IRF on behalf of the V.I. Government's Department of Planning and Natural Resources. Air photo interpretation for the project was handled by Jean-Pierre Bade, who more routinely is IRFs staff representative at the Washington, DC office. Dr. Mary Lou Coulston and Dr. La Verne Ragster, both IRF Research Associates affiliated with the University of the Virgin Islands, provided valuable input in 1989. Dr. Coulston served as PI for IRFs experimental seagrass transplantation project on St. Croix and as senior scientist for the south shore (St. Croix) water quality monitoring project. Dr. Ragster, on sabbatical leave from the University during much of 1989, worked in Grenada as part of the Foundation's CEP research team in that country; she also participated in IRFs NGO project as an institutional development specialist. Hank Tonnemacher, diver and marine biologist, is the on-site principal investigator for the Port Au thority-funded water quality monitoring project in St. Croix. In 1989 the Foundation bid a reluctant farewell to two long-standing colleagues who left us to take on new assignments. Ian Jones, who developed IRFs unique natural resources bibliographic reference system, left St. Thomas during the summer to return to graduate school in Florida; and Bruce Potter, affiliated during the last two years with IRFs CEP, VIRMC and NGO projects as well as a variety of program development initiatives, has taken a position with American Management Systems, where he will pursue an interest in the application of geographic information systems (GIS). Bruce continues, however, to serve as a member of the Foundation's Board of Trustees. 1989 REPORT STRENGTHENING THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH NGOs Three Year Old Program Receives Additional Funding With New Emphasis On Biodiversity Island Resources Foundation (IRF; is pleased to announce that the Washington office of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded a major, five-year Matching Grant to the Foundation. This award by the Office of Private and Voluntary Cooperation is for the purpose of providing counsel, training, technical as sistance and grant funding to those Eastern Caribbean non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which have environmental program interests. The total grant is for approximately $600,000 over a five year period, with the requirement that this sum be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis by IRF and its cooperating institutions. The underlying premise of the NGO assistance pro gram is twofold: (1) The role of environmentally-motivated private groups (i.e., NGOs) needs to be strength ened if the countries of the Eastern Caribbean are to protect the islands' fragile environment and bio logical diversity. Preservation of the natural re source base is essential if West Indian islands are to continue to earn income and foreign exchange from agriculture, tourism and other natural resource de pendent activities over the long term. (2) A critical role in natural resource management and protection is monitoring, archiving and publicizing information about environmental impacts. Historically, this function has been best performed by private citizens and NGOs. sector has a major role to play in the management of the environment. Third, it is a specific endorsement of the capacity of NGOs to collect, analyze, monitor, and publish important environmental data." BUILDING ON THREE YEAR OLD PROJECT The project funded by the USAID Matching Grant had its origins in 1986, when Island Resources Foundation - in partnership with World Wildlife Fund-US and Rockefeller Brothers Fund - launched a new pilot project to assist non-govern ment organizations in the Eastern Caribbean. This effort was designed to improve the institutional ca pabilities of NGOs whose programs and activities focus on the environment and resource man agement. Both sponsors of the original project (WWF and RBF) strongly encouraged IRF to pursue the USAID Matching Grant, and both have committed to continued support for NGO environmental pro jects in the Eastern Caribbean. NEW EMPHASIS While many of the assistance activities initiated under the WWF/RBF-supported project will be continued, several new themes will be introduced under the USAID-funded effort, including a new (continued page 4) In announcing the award, Dr. Edward Towle, presi dent and founder of IRF, said, "For a number of reasons I am especially pleased we have received this Matching Grant. First, it is the largest single grant targeted specifically at the role of the private sector in environmental affairs in the Eastern Caribbean region. Second, it represents a long-overdue recognition that the non-government While the new USAID-funded grant is a powerful tool for IRF, the Matching Grant also represents a significant responsibility for the Foundation. In order to fully utilize the funds which USAID has awarded, IRF is committed to raising over $100,000 each year for the next five years (that is, for each year of the USAID-funded project). The Foundation urges all those who can afford to support this work to make a generous donation to the Foundation now, knowing that the effect of their donation will be doubled through the AID grant. In ad dition, supporters and members of the Foundation are urged to notify Ed orludith Towle if they are aware of potential sources of matching funds from third-party donors. SEND YOUR DONATIONS TARGETED FOR "NGO PROGRAM SUP PORT" TO FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS IN ST. THOMAS. 1989 REPORT emphasis on biodiversity leader ship, museum development, eco logical restoration, and re forestation. Additionally, IRF has identified three primary areas for NGO assistance under the new AID Matching Grant program: (1) Strengthened man agement skills for envi ronmentally-motivated NGOs at the national and regional level, including membership services, revenue generation, program ac tivities, and administrative func tions such as accounting, public relations and volunteer coordina tion. (2) Improved planning and implementation of major projects by target NGOs. This would include such activities as proposal writing, fund accounting and project evaluation. (3) Increased capabilities for the collection, archiving and distribution of environmental in formation. To achieve these objectives, IRFs new program will provide a variety of services, including: direct on-site training, technical assistance, and consultation; ex pansion and updating of the re gional directory of NGOs and potential donor organizations which IRF has been maintaining since 1986; continued publication of IRFs NGO NEWS for a substantially increased audience; and an expanded program of in stitutional grants to NGOs in the Eastern Caribbean. IRF will soon bring on staff a full-time program director for the NGO project. It is also our intention to open a project office in one of the primary target is lands — i.e., Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, or St. Vincent. VIRGIN ISLANDS LAND USE SURVEY In May the Island Resources Foundation completed a land use mapping project for the Government of the Virgin Islands, Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR). The primary work task was the development of an altogether new series of maps depicting various classes of existing land uses in St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John. The maps are designed to assist de cision-makers in evaluating future options for growth; collectively, they provide the most accurate picture in the last 25 years of the Territory's current land use regime. Due to delays in the contracting process, IRF's six- person planning team had an extraordinarily short time frame in which to complete all tasks, including map preparation and verification, development of the land use classification system, and recommen dations for a land use and natural resource man agement data base. What had originally been des ignated by Government as a six month project had to be completed by IRF in eight short weeks! In the concluding section of IRFs final report to DPNR, three general observations were made: 1) The pace and scope of development in the Virgin Islands have increased significantly in the last decade, and both the visible and more subtly in duced changes in the landscape warrant more de tailed assessment and mapping. 2) The quality, quantity, accessibility and flexibility of the Territory's land use informa tion/data base in its various manifestations is simply not adequate to meet today's complex planning needs. 3) More anticipatory planning, more aggressive growth management, and more efficient natural resource system protection appear necessary to reverse the increasingly visible and gradual decay of environmental quality in the Territory. The Virgin Islands are no exception to the planning problems facing other communities. However, unlike non-insular areas where there is almost unlimited land for expansion and for the accommodation of a wide variety of uses, the Virgin Islands must accommodate all uses within a limited land area. For example, how many continental communities the size of a St. Thomas could easily accommodate a major airport, a large landfill, and a hospital? Yet the challenge for these islands - and those throughout the Caribbean ~ is to find space for all of these and many other potentially incompatible uses. 1989 REPORT CEP PROCESS LINKED TO PROMISING CHANGES IN TARGET ISLANDS In November the Barbados-based Caribbean Conservation Association (CCA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a contract amendment to extend funding for the development of Country Environmental Profiles (CEPs) in the Eastern Caribbean to September of 1990. The revised agreement also expands the number of islands to include a total of six target countries (see map insert). Island Resources Foundation will continue to serve as the technical coordinator for this major program, funded by USAID and implemented by CCA. The process of developing "environmental profilesM for the Eastern Caribbean is designed to (1) produce a comprehensive overview of the "state of the environment" in each target island; (2) provide development guide lines and policy recommendations which incorporate environmental considerations; (3) involve local persons and institutions in the process, including the designation of a non-government organization (NGO) as in-coun try project coordinator. -16* 6 4 * c5g ANEGADA 62* Scale of Mites 100 2 0 0 VIRGIN ISLANDS ° ^ * A N G U I L U A ST. MARTIN 00 „ „.„,J(P1 P.lty fc ST. BARTHELEMY 23 BARBUDA OSABA ST EUSTATIUS 0 C ^ S T . C H R I S T O P H E R N E V I S * j | i A N T I G U A 4.V (^MONTSERRAT G U A D E L O U P E r \ £ V O O tf> DOMINICA C A R I B B E A N S E A A MARIE v GALANTE A. < O O MARTINIQUE -14* 4 o 0: o ST. VINCENT A BARBAOOS (\ -12* A 'SLA LA BLANOUILLA <3 GRENADINES MGRENAOA TOBAGO Six CEP Target Countries (highlighted) Recent events in many of the target islands have either built upon the "profiling process" or lend en couragement to a CEP project about to begin. For example, in St. Lucia - the first Profile island in the Eastern Caribbean - the 325-page CEP report serves as the primary reference document to guide more recent initiatives in that country, specifically those focused on development of a National Strategy for Environmental Management. The year 1989 was proclaimed the Year of Environment and Shelter by the Prime Minister of Dominica, thus laying the foundation for Profile activities in that island, now scheduled to begin in January of 1990. In St. Vincent, the rejuvenation of the National Trust on the eve of the Profile Project there provides an institutional vehicle for local participation and support. Likewise, in Antigua, the emergence in 1989 of the citizens-based Antigua Environmental Awareness Group, as well as the Government's more recent appointment of an Environmental Commission, provide a stronger basis for the CEP project there. Funds have not been identified for publication of the Profile reports, and CCA and IRF are currently seeking this additional support. The St. Lucia CEP is ready to go to press, and the Grenada Profile could follow soon after. 1989 REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER RECIPIENT OF McFARLANE AWARD The 1989 Euan P. McFarlane Award for Outstand ing Environmental Leadership by a Young West In dian has been awarded by Island Resources Foun dation to Mervin C. Williams of St. Lucia. The award, which includes a $1,000 unrestricted cash gift, was made at the July Annual General Meeting of the Caribbean Conservation Association in Curacao. The McFarlane Award was established by IRF in 1987 to provide recognition for young West Indians (under 35 years of age) who have demonstrated leadership in improving the environment of the Eastern Caribbean. The 1989 recipient is a former Planning Officer in St. Lucia who held various posts in the Physical Planning Unit of Government before joining the management team of the Natural Resources Man agement Project of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in 1986. In this post, Mr. Williams has been able to place his considerable ex perience and skills as a planner and resource man ager at the service of OECS countries. In an nouncing the selection of Mr. Williams, IRFs presi dent Ed Towle pointed to the recipient's deep commitment to his country's and the region's devel opment, his passion for planning, and the excellence of his scholarship in environmental management disciplines. Nominations for the 1990 McFarlane Award are now being accepted. Contact IRFs V.I. office for more information about nominating procedures. United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL PARK SERVICE P.O. IIOX 37127 WASHINGTON, D.C 20013-7127 IK REPLY II'U TO: N16(490) JUN 6 Dr. Edward L. Towle President, Island Resources Foundation Red Hook Center, Box 33 St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802 Dear Dr. Towle: On behalf of the National Park Service, I would like to express appreciation for your assistance and leadership in improving the scientific basis for planning and management in the Virgin Islands National Park and Biosphere Reserve. Your efforts have helped demonstrate the value of the biosphere reserve approach in providing essential information to manage the small island ecosystem of which the park is a part. During the past decade, the park has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the National Park System. Through your creativity in marshalling the professional capabilities of the mem bers of the Virgin Islands Resource Management Cooperative, we are in a better position to make difficult choices on the U6e of the park and to work construc tively as a partner in the sustainable use of the larger ecosystem and in the wider Caribbean. The twenty-nine biosphere reserve reports you successfully administered under contract to the Service are a reference library that will be of lasting value to the Virgin Islands and other small Islands of the eastern Caribbean. We thank you and look forward to working with you in the future. S i n c e r e l y , > Director Letter received from James M. Ridenour, Director of the U.S. National Park Ser vice, thanking the Foundation for its key role in imple menting a five-year, multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary re search program fo cusing on the Virgin Islands Biosphere Reserve. 1989 REPORT UPDATE ON NGO INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT In 1987, as one key component of IRFs Institutional Development Assistance Program for Eastern Caribbean NGOs, a grant award fund was established to help promising non-government organizations. The objective of the NGO support fund (maximum of $2,000 per grant) is to promote long-term institutional growth by recipient NGOs and is matched on a one-to-one basis (cash or in-kind ) by the target NGOs. Local organizations in Antigua, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat and Nevis, as well as one regional group, were recipients of grants in 1989. - To the Antigua Environmental Awareness Group, a challenge grant whereby IRF matched dollar-for-dollar every new (and paid) membership which the group secured during a six month membership campaign. - To the British Virgjn Islands Hotel and Commerce Association, a grant to upgrade and publish the organi zation's newsletter and to encourage improved cooperation between the tourism industry, commercial businesses, and the environmental community in the BVI. - To the Montserrat National Trust, a disaster relief emergency grant following Hurricane Hugo. - To the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society, a grant for upgrading its office by employment of a part-time assistant to improve the filing system, to develop a computerized data base of the organization's library and archival holdings, and to computerize several research reports and other publications. Also a disaster relief emergency grant following Hurricane Hugo. - To the Museum Association of the Caribbean (through the Barbados Museum and Historical Society), a grant to assist with planning meetings leading to the 1989 launching of the new Museum Association (known as MAC). MAC held its first Annual General Meeting in Dominica in November, at which time, with the passage of by-laws, it became officially established as a regional NGO. Since 1987, IRF has awarded NGO support grants, totaling $11,600, to eleven Eastern Caribbean non-governmental groups. As a part of the recently funded USAID Matching Fund Grant (see page 3-4), IRF will expand this program of direct grants to target NGOs. To date, such assistance had been provided as a part of IRFs NGO Institutional Development Project, supported and funded by World Wildlife Fund-US and Rock efeller Brothers Fund. ISLANDS STUDY NOW AVAILABLE In 1984, the U.S. Congress directed its Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) to undertake a review of tech nologies for renewable resource man agement in U.S.-affiliated island areas in the Caribbean and Pacific. In carry ing out its mission, OTA utilized outside experts, many of whom were from is land areas, to develop technical papers on specific topics. The commissioned papers have been published as a joint project by the Pacific Basin Develop ment Council (PBDC) in Hawaii and Island Resources Foundation. In the aggregate, they represent a major re source for future research, planning, and economic development in insular areas. An Abstract of the OTA-commissioned Papers is available at $5.00 per copy. The two volume set of all papers, edited by Carolyn Imamura of PBDC and Edward Towle of IRF, is entitled Integrated Renewable Resource Man agement for U.S. Insular Areas: OTA Commissioned Papers and is available for purchase at $150.00 per set. Orders should be sent to IRF's Publi cation Office in Washington, D.C. (see page 8 for ordering information). A copy of the Table of Contents for each of the two volumes in the OTA series will be sent upon request to those who wish an overview of the papers before placing their order. We regret IRF's normal 25% discount to members does not apply to this particular publication. NEW PUBLICATIONS FROM IRF Judith Towle and Bruce Potter (compilers and editors), ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILES of Who Is Doing What in Support of Programs for Sustainable Resource Development and Environmental Management in the East- em Caribbean. A Guide to Donor Organizations and Technical Assistance Agencies (February 1989). Provided without charge to Eastern Caribbean NGOs participating in Island Resources Foundation's Institutional Devel opment Project. Copies may also be purchased as follows: - $15.00 for members of Island Resources Foundation - $18.00 for non-members of Island Resources Foundation - $ 4.00 for postage and handling. Steven Colman, Bruce Potter and Robert Teytaud, VIRGIN ISLANDS LAND USE SURVEY, Final Report. Prepared for V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources (May 1989). [Request from contracting agency, or IRF can make photocopy available at $7.00/copy.J Jean-Pierre Bade and Robert Teytaud, LAND USE MAPS OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. Copies can be dupli cated by IRF as follows (add $5.00 per order for postage and handling): S t . T h o m a s ( 1 : 2 4 , 0 0 0 ) $ 1 0 . 0 0 S t . C r o i x ( 1 : 2 4 , 0 0 0 ) $ 1 0 . 0 0 S t . J o h n ( 1 : 2 4 , 0 0 0 ) $ 5 . 0 0 East End and Tutu Planning Districts, St. Thomas (1:12,000) $ 5.00 Sion Farm Planning District (Christiansted urbanized area), St. Croix (1:12,000) $ 5.00 Southwest Planning District (Frederiksted urbanized area), St. Croix (1:12,000) $ 5.00 Edward Towle and Caroline Rogers, CASE STUDY ON THE VIRGIN ISLANDS BIOSPHERE RESERVE. Contribution to the UNESCO/IUCN Workshop on the Application of the Biosphere Reserve Concept to Coastal Marine Areas. San Francisco, August 14-20,1989. Published as IRF Occasional Paper No. 50. [$1.50] Judith A. Towle (editor), NGO NEWS. (Nos. 7 and 8 and Special Issue "Planning for Success" published in 1989.) At the present time, the newsletter is sent at no charge to persons and institutions so requesting. ORDER INFORMATION. Send requests with pre-payment to: Publications Office, Island Resources Foundation, 1718 P Street, NW, Suite T4, Washington, DC 20036. Except as noted above, postage and handling will be added and billed sepa rately. Payment must be in U.S. dollar draft, drawn on an American bank or as an international money order. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS Red Hook Center Box 33 St. Thomas, VI 00802 USA 809/775-6225 BRANCH OFFICE 1718 P St., N.W. Washington, DC 20036 USA 202/265-9712 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Edward L. Towle, President Henry Wheatley, Vice President Charles W. Consolvo, Secretary Judith A. Towle, Treasurer Paul Gibson, Jr. Henry G. Jarecki Bruce G. Potter Rodger Schlickeiscn Nathaniel Schurcr Edward L. Towle, President Judith A. Towle, Vice President Sandra R Tate, VI Office Manager Jean-Pierre Bade, DC Staff Representative Island Resources Foundation is is a non-endowed, operating foundation, incorporated as a tax exempt, non-profit organi zation under the laws of the United States. Contributions, including mem berships, are tax deductible in the United States. Contact the-Foundation for more infor mation.