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ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION, INC. LAGOON MARINA, RED HOOK. ST. THOMAS. U. S. Till GIN ISLANDS 00801 • (800) 770-3220 MID-YEAR BULLETIN FOR MEMBERS July 1, 1977 * * * * * WHO ARE THE PEOPLE AT THE ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION . . . ? At the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, held in February, Mr. John D. Archbold, conservationist of Wash ington, D.C and Springfield Estate, Dominica (West Indies), was elected to a three year term on the Board. Mr. Archbold joins the following IRF Board members: Dr. Edward L. Towle, who serves as President and Execu- tive Director of the Foundation. He is also a past president of the Caribbean Conservation Association and former director of the Caribbean Research Institute. Dr. Harold J. Coolidge, of Beverly, Massachusetts, hon- orary president of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) in Morges, Switzerland. Dr. Coolidge currently is the Vice Chair person of the Foundation Board. Mr. Henry U. Wheatley, Foundation Vice President for In ternational Programs, a resident of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and former director of Peace Corps pro grams in Venezuela and the Ivory Coast. Mr. Clarence A. McLaughlin, a St. Thomas, V.I. attorney who serves as Secretary of the Foundation. Ms. Judith A. Towle, Foundation Treasurer and Programs Administrator, a former director of special educational programs for disadvantaged children in California and former beautification officer of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mr. Robert A. Bernhard, conservationist and businessman from Long Island, New York. Mr. Paul Gibson, Jr. , former Deputy Mayor of New York City and currently a Vice President of American Airlines. Mr. Euan P. McFarlane, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, former treasurer of the Caribbean Conservation Association and cur rently the Caribbean representative for the Nature Conser vancy. In our 1976 Annual Report we provided a complete listing of IRF staff, but for those of our members who may not have seen this document, we take this further opportunity to provide a brief introduction to Who's Who at the Foundation. Your dollars help to support their work -- and they, in turn, are a dedicated crew who are seeking to document - 2 through research the uniqueness, fragility and value of the world's island communities and devise appropriate island resource management strategies and conservation programs. As we move into mid-summer, 1977, the Foundation's current research associates, part-time project staff and consultants include: Dr. John Adams Univ. of Minnesota Mr. James Aldrich Alliance for Environmental Ed. Mr. Jonathan Blum Bankers Trust Mr. Willard Brownell American Museum of Natural Hist, Dr. 0. Marcus Buchanan West Indian Museum Associates Dr. John C. Cordell Stanford University Mr. James A. Dobbin Toronto, Canada Mr. Murray Durst IDEAS Mr. Peter Freeman Washington, D.C. Mr. David I. Grigg U.S. Virgin Islands Dr. Douglas H.K. Lee U.S. Virgin Islands Mr. John McEachern Vancouver, Canada Mr. Ernest J.P. Muhly Washington, D.C. Dr. Maynard Nichols Va. Institute of Marine Science James and Mary Anne Olsen U.S. Virgin Islands Dr. Mary Lou Pressick U.S. Virgin Islands Mr. William E. Rainey Univ. of California, Berkeley Mr. Nathaniel Schurer Ace Scientific Corp. Mr. Galen Thompson Va. Institute of Marine Science Geographer Environmental Ed. Specialist International Economist Fisheries Biologist Museum Specialist Anthropologist/Ethno-Ecologist Landscape Architect/Coastal Planner Experiential Ed. Specialist Geographer Marine Biologist Environmental Health Scientist Resource Geographer Engineering/Resource Economist Oceanographer/Geologist Educational Materials Specialists Marine Ecologist Ecologist/Wildlife Biologist Bio-Chemist and Marine Biologist Oceanographer Our full-time administrative and project staff currently comprises: Edward L. Towle, who serves as President and Executive Director of the Foundation and a project participant for resource man agement studies and historical research. Judith A. Towle, Programs Administrator and staff participant for educational and historical projects. George F. Tyson, Jr., staff historian/archivist/specialist in west Indian nistory and culture. Kathleen M. Finnerty, Executive Secretary and Fiscal Officer. Lucy Foster, student intern, who in the space of six short months has proven herself an indispensable member of the IRF team. Although not formal members of our staff, kind mention must be given to our very generous St. Thomas landlords, Ruth and Johnny Harms of the Lagoon Marina, without whose endorsement and continual support none of the efforts of the above staff would have been possible. * * * * * CHANGE OF ADDRESS IN WASHINGTON: As most of you know, our Washington, D.C. office space has been provided very generously during the last year and a half by another non-profit organization, IDEAS (Institu tional Development and Economic Affairs Services). Effective July 1st, IDEAS has moved its headquarters from downtown Washington to Reston, Virginia, near to the Dulles International Airport. Therefore, our Washington correspondents and visitors should note the following new address and telephone number: 11800 Sunrise Drive Suite No. 1227 Reston, Virginia 22091 TEL: (703) 860-2500 * * * * * MID-YEAR ACTIVITIES OF NOTE . . . ISLAND In February and March, interim reports were submitted COASTAL to the U.S. Virgin Islands Government relative to RESOURCES field work completed and data compiled for scientific investigations of the Mangrove Lagoon and Perseverance Bay, St. Thomas. Both studies, which are designed to examine the water quality and environmental resources of two valuable but vulnerable marine environments, call for final field observations to be completed during the summer months. Dr. Maynard Nichols is project director. I S L A N D I n M a r c h C U L T U R A L p r e l i m i n R E S O U R C E S A f t e r a ordinate marks on document vey format designed fo toried can be found in director Judith Towle IN THE CARIBBEAN. , the Foundation announced completion of a ary inventory of Caribbean historic sites, one year regional effort, initiated and co- d by the Foundation, over 100 historic land- ten West Indian islands have been surveyed, ed and photographed, utilizing a uniform sur- r the region. A summary of the sites inven- a comprehensive document prepared by project and entitled STATUS REPORT: HISTORIC PRESERVATION ISLAND IRF President, Edward L. Towle, has been appointed to ECOSYSTEMS the directorate of the newly established U.S. MAB-7 (Man and the Biosphere) program on Ecology and the Rational Use of Island Ecosystems (Caribbean). The MAB program, authorized by UNESCO in 19 70, is one of the youngest international scientific programs in existence today. I S L A N D A p p r o v a l o f HISTORICAL the National RESOURCES bility study for the U.S. Indies). As staff histor ing out a survey of Danish National Archives in Washi chives in Copenhagen. Mak able would have not only a meet a pressing social nee to have greater access to a planning grant Endowment for th to develop an hi Virgin Islands ( a part of the fe ian, George F. Ty West India archi ngton, D.C. and a ing these records scholarly value d, i.e., the desi their historical has been received from e Humanities for a feasi- storical records program the former Danish West asibility effort, IRF son, is currently carry- val materials at the U.S. t the Danish Royal Ar- more generally avail- but would also help to re of island peoples roots. ISLAND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES A small grant has been received from the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts to assist in the further develop ment of the V.I. "Foxfire" program called The Foxfire learning process incorporates cultural heritage as a motivational force permiting high school students to examine tural roots while enhancing basic skills in the process, Council grant will enable the Foundation to concentrate ing student participation in the All-Ah-Wee program by providing in- service training for V.I. teachers-! Workshops on the Foxfire learn ing concept will be held in the early fall, at which time IRF edu cators will be assisted by members of the IDEAS staff from Washington, All-Ah-Wee a focus on for learning, their cul- The Arts on increas- * Word has just Education that the Foundati posal has been approved. G presents one of the most he flag, this one year project provide island educators wi and skills, enabling them t focussed curriculum into th riculum materials specialis with the assistance of Mary Tyson. been received from the U.S. Office of on's $50,000 ethnic heritage studies pro- iven the fact that the Virgin Islands re- terogenous communities under the U.S. , which commences on October 1st, will th new and appropriate teaching tools o incorporate a multi-ethnic and insular- e daily classroom experience. IRF cur- t, James Olsen, will direct this project, Anne Olsen, Judith Towle and George * * * * * Foundation Associate Members are reminded that they may order IRF publications at a 25% discount. If you have not reviewed the re cently revised LIST OF PUBLICATIONS, you may request a copy by writing Kathy Finnerty at Foundation headquarters in St. Thomas. - 5 - DEVELOPING PROGRAM AREAS . . . ETHNO-ECOLOGY OF FISHERY CONSERVATION: This field study in maritime anthropology and ethno-ecology will explore the pro blems of traditional fishery conservation in the eastern Caribbean in an effort to assist island fishery planners. Developed for the Foundation by research associate Dr. John C. Cordell, post-doctoral fellow at Stanford University, the proposal has been submitted to several funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the U.S. MAB-7 Program, and the IUCN in Switzerland. THE IMPACT OF THE ENVIRONMENT ON CARIBBEAN MAN: The impact of man on the natural environment of islands has received some at tention in recent years; however, the impact of island environments -- both the material and social -- on man has been less studied. The present proposal, as developed by Dr. Douglas H.K. Lee (IRF research associate and former associate director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) calls for a published survey, which would be both interpretive and interdisciplinary, to assess environmental impact on insular man in the Caribbean. Several funding sources have been approached by the Foundation. THE TAXONOMY OF ISLANDS: Recognizing that, from a resource management perspective, we have a deficient data base for confronting insular areas, IRF President, Ed Towle, has proposed the establish ment of a taxonomic classification system and data bank for islands. Substantive discussions have been held with various U.S. and inter national organizations, with a view to developing an approach for implementation of this comprehensive undertaking and for locating supporting funds. The American Committee for International Con servation has endorsed the proposed island taxonomy concept and has formed a sub-committee to assist in implementation, this planning group consisting of Michael McCloskey of the Sierra Club, Dr. F. Raymond Fosberg of the Smithsonian, R. Michael Wright of the Nature Conservancy,'Ruby I. Compton of the Natural Resources Defense Coun cil, and Edward Towle of IRF (who serves as chairperson of the sub committee) . The development of an inventory methodology, classi fication scheme, and data bank for islands provides a most exciting and challenging line of inquiry for Foundation staff and associates, representing an approach to island-generic rather than island-specific studies. * * * * * Members interested in obtaining a solid bronze belt buckle featuring a green sea turtle (or, alternatively, a half dozen other endangered species) should drop us a line, and we would be pleased to forward an illustrated circular. The firm marketing these belt buckles (Education al Images) has agreed to provide 50 percent of the sale price of each buckle to support our research efforts with endangered species. We have seen a sample of these cast bronze buckles and are impressed with their quality and workmanship. They are truly unusual items. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION CARIBBEAN HISTORICAL STUDIES SERIES The Utand Resources foundation it> a non-profit, public service research and educa tion organization band in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Our &ive year institu tional commitment to furthering West Indian historical research and understanding has resulted In foundation sponsorship oi a wide. range otf pro gram including ar chival 6uA.ve.y6, interpretive studies, documentary and bibliographic publication*, and technical assistance to regional preservation and museum programs. Publica tions in the foundation's Caribbean Historical Studies Series include: Towle, Edward L.; Marx, Robert; and Tyson, George F., Jr., Shipwrecks of the Virgin Islands (1523-1825), revised edition (1976). Xeroxed copies available at $3.00. Towle, Judith A., Historic Site Preservation in the Caribbean: A Status Report (1977). In press; xerox copies of pre-print available at $4.00. «« Tyson, George F., Jr. and Carolyn, Preliminary Report on Manuscript Materials in British Archives Relating to the American Revolution in the west Indian Islands (19 74)" Out of print; xerox copies available at 55.00 Tyson, George F., Jr., The Enighed Estate and Ruin of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands: An Historical Survey (1976). Postage and handling charges only while printed supply lasts; thereafter, xerox copies avail able at $4.00. Tyson, George F., Jr., Powder. Profit and Privateers: A Documentary History of the Virgin Islands During the Era of the American Revolution. P o s t a g e a n d h a n d l i n g c h a r g e s o n l y. " Tyson, George F., Jr., "The Carolina Black Corps: Legacy of Revolution (1782-1798)." Reprinted from Revista Interamericana, Vol. V, No. 4 (1975- 1976), pp. 648-664. Xerox copy at $1.50. Tyson, George F., Jr., A Guide to Manuscript Sources in United States and West Indian Depositories Relating to the British West Indies During— t h e E r a o f t h e A m e r i c a n R e v o l u t i o n . I n p r e s s . ~ ~ Tyson, George F., Jr., The Senhouse Manuscripts: Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean in the Era of the American Revolution. In press.— Tyson, George F., Jr. and Towle, Edward L., A Documentary History of the British West Indies During the Era of the American Revolution. 2 v o l u m e s . I n p r e s s . ~ ~ Publications should be ordered from ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION, Post Office Box 4187, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00801. A handling charge of $2.00 should be added to all orders in addition to a postage charge of 50* for orders under $5.00 and $1.00 if more than $5.00. ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION LAGOON MARINA, RED HOOK ST. THOMAS, U. S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (809) 775-3225 END OF THE YEAR BULLETIN FOR MEMBERS DECEMBER 31, 1977 As we come to the close of cal endar year 1977, we at the Island Resources Foundation are very en couraged by the accomplishments of the past twelve months. The Foundation has experienced its BEST year in terms of financial support for specific project ac tivities, some of which are high lighted below. (Unfortunately, we continue to lag behind in terms of unrestricted donations, gifts, and grants which are re quired for institutional support and development.) At the year's end, we are pleased to have aboard our in-house staff three new members, all of whom happen to share the same last name! JIM AND MARY ANNE OLSEN (our second husband/wife team!) bring to us an extensive back ground from the field of educa tional publishing. Their New York based firm, Educreative Systems, Inc., consistently was the recipient of major publish ing awards and enjoyed an excel lent reputation among educational publishers in the United States. More recently, one or both of the Olsens have served as educa tional consultants to the Depart ment of Education in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the University of the West Indies-Barbados, the Ministry of Education in Jamaica, and the Instituto Dominicano de Estudios Aplicados in the Domin ican Republic. Jim and Mary Anne serve as co-principals for our newly funded Ethnic Heritage Studies project, and Jim serves as director of Educational Pro grams for the Foundation. DAVE OLSEN (no relation to Jim and Mary Anne) comes to the Foundation from a fisheries biology and marine e- cology background. After earn ing his doctorate at the Univer sity of Hawaii, David switched from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean and has worked in the A- merican and British Virgin Is^r lands, Puerto Rico and the Ba hamas since 1971. His creden tials include two Sea Grant pro jects, affiliation with the Puer to Rico International Undersea Laboratory, founding director of a marine research field station in Virgin Gorda, author of num erous scientific papers dealing with fisheries development in the Caribbean. Dave was also instru mental in the planning of a new St. Thomas-St. John Fishermen's Cooperative. His experience will serve him well in his present assignment with IRF as co-princi pal (with Ed Towle) of our re cently funded contract with the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. (At the moment, David is in the San Bias Islands in Panama study ing artisanal fishing among the Cuna Indians.) - 1 - HIGHLIGHTS OF 1977 PROJECTS COMPLETED . . . BICENTENNIAL PROGRAMS END With the close of 1976 came the end of the American Bicentennial, and the subsequent year brought to termination many Foundation projects which had taken the Bicentennial as their incentive. Such activities included: 8 Completion of a preliminary inventory and register of Carib bean historic sites. Over 100 historic landmarks (including many American Revolutionary era sites) on ten West Indian is lands were surveyed, documented, and photographed. * Preparation of a Caribbean Bicentennial Museum Exhibit, a joint venture between IRF and the V.I. Department of Conser vation and Cultural Affairs. The exhibit, located at the newly restored Fort Frederik Museum on St. Croix (the site of a famous "first" salute to the embryonic American nation in 1776) was opened to the public in December 1976 and remained on display for several months there a f t e r. * Research for several Bicen tennial publications was com pleted this year, and the fol lowing have been prepared for publication under grants from the V.I. Bicentennial Commission, the American Revolution Bicen tennial Administration, and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission: 1) George F. Tyson, A GUIDE TO MANUSCRIPT SOURCES IN UNITED STATES AND WEST IWPIAW DE POSITORIES RELATING TO THE BRITISH WEST INDIES DURING THE ERA Of THE AMERICAN REV OLUTION (in press by Scholarly Resources, Wilmington, Dela ware ). 2) George F. Tyson, ed., THE SENHOUSE MANUSCRIPTS: BAR BADOS AND THE EASTERN CARIB BEAN IN THE ERA Of THE AMER ICAN REVOLUTION (in press). 3) G.F. Tyson and E.L. Towle, eds., A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE BRITISH WEST INDIES DURING THE ERA Of THE AMER ICAN REVOLUTION, 2 vols, (in press). V.I. MARINE STUDIES COMPLETED All field work was completed and data compiled for scientific studies of the water quality and environmental resources of two St. Thomas marine environments. The final report on the Mangrove Lagoon study has been prepared and released to the V.I. Govern ment; at the year's end, the Perseverance Bay study was about to go to press. Dr. Maynard Nichols Is project director. PLAN PREPARED FOR V.I. RECORDS PROGRAM As recipient of a planning grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Foundation has developed and submitted to the local government a plan for a comprehensive historical re cords program for the U.S. Vir gin Islands. The purpose of such a records program would be to make the pre-1917 (prior to U.S. purchase of the islands) histor ical documents relating to the V.I., currently located in over seas archives, more accessible to Virgin Islanders and scholars generally. As part of the planning effort, IRF historian and Director of History/Culture Programs, George Tyson, spent seven weeks carrying out preliminary surveys of the large collections of records at the U.S. National Archives and at the Rigsarkivet in Copenhagen. - 2 - MORE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES . . . * An environmental assessment of a proposed public boat launching ramp at Hull Bay, St. Thomas was completed for the V.I. Government, * The Foundation continued to serve as administrative headquart ers for the V.I. Conservation So ciety (the principal local citi zens environmental organization) and to provide counsel and sup port to that group. * IRF President, Ed Towle, par ticipated as an international is land resource planning expert in an Eastern Caribbean Workshop on National Park Planning, sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, in cooperation with the Caribbean Conservation Association and held on the island of Dominica in No vember. * Dr. Jay Wylie, IRF Research As sociate, has spent the last sev eral months at Scotts Head, Domi nica carrying out a pilot study of the ethno-ecology of artisanal fishing communities in the West Indies. * As part of a continuing effort to support a local Foxfire pro gram and with funds provided by the V.I. Council on the Arts, IRF conducted an in-service workshop for V.I. private school teachers, to introduce them to the Foxfire program philosophy and to train them in the full range of skills required to implement a Foxfire program. * In August the Government of An- guilla invited Judith and Ed Towle to meet with officials there con cerning several areas of develop ment including marine parks, en vironmental education, fisheries and tourism. * Through the combined initiatives of IRF and the V.I. Government, in cooperation with the U.S. Geologi cal Survey, a major effort was launched in September to carry out a seismic reconnaisance of offshore sand resources in the V.I. Vessel support, M/V Alianora, was provided by IRF with the assistance of the Dave Hokin Foundation. This was phase one of a long range V.I. sand resource harvesting and management planning effort that will also in volve NOAA and other federal agen cies in subsequent phases. IRF PUBLICATIONS & TECHNICAL REPORTS, 1977 Nichols, Maynard, et al, WATER, SEDIMENTS AND ECOLOGY OF THE MANGROVE LAGOON AND BENNER BAY, ST. THOMAS (prepared under contract for the Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs, Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands). Nichols, Maynard, et al, CIRCULATION, WATER QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES OF PERSEVERANCE BAY, ST. THOMAS (prepared under contract for the Department of Conserva tion and Cultural Affairs, Government of the U.S.V.I.). Tyson, George P., Jr., POWDER, PROFITSAND PRIVATEERS: A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DURING THE ERA OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (published by the Bureau of Li braries, Museums & Archaeological Services, Government of the U.S.V.I.). Towle, Judith, HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION IN THE CARIBBEAN: A STATUS REPORT (published with the support of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration and the National Trust for Historic Preservation). - 3 - LOOKING AHEAD TO 1978 NEW PROJECTS . . . Ethnic Heritage Studies Commencing in October of 1977 and terminating in September of 1978, IRF's new educational project, focusing on ethnic heritage stud ies in the Virgin Islands, will provide island educators (grades K-6) with new teaching materials and strategies in the area of multi-cultural education. Pro ject funding has been provided by the U.S. Office of Education, and the project target area is the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, many of the student activity materials, as well as the teacher's resource manual to be produced under the project show promise of adapta bility elsewhere in the Carib bean. As indicated above, Jim and Mary Anne Olsen are directing this project, assisted by staff mem bers Judith Towle and George Tyson. A local citizens advisory council provides further input for program development and has been meeting with project staff on a regular monthly basis. SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY OF V.I. FISHING Under a contract awarded in September by the National Marine Fisheries Survey, the Island Resources Foundation will de velop a socio-economic profile of recreational and commercial fishing in the U.S. Virgin Is lands. Such information and characteristic data on the V.I. fishing industry is being com piled preparatory to the de velopment of a regional fisher ies management plan by the Car ibbean Fishery Management Coun c i l . WATER QUALITY MODELING Aware of the need for a tool which provides for long-term water quality monitoring and management in V.I. waters, the local government has contracted with the Foundation to analyze water pollution susceptibility of selected bays and to develop a working model structured for use in different types of bays in the Virgin Islands. Dr. Maynard Nichols will again serve as project director. JANUARY IS MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME WITH THE START OF A NEW YEAR WE HOPE THAT WE MAY CONTINUE TO COUNT ON YOUR SUPPORT IN 1978, YOUR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP ~ WHETHER AS AN INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY, SPONSORING OR LIFE MEMBER ~ REPRESENTS A VERY IMPORTANT SOURCE OF FUNDING TO THE FOUNDATION. AS MENTIONED ELSEWHERE IN THIS BULLETIN, OUR NON- PROJECT, UNRESTRICTED FUNDS ARE VERY LIMITED, AND YOUR TAX DEDUCTIBLE GIFT IN THE FORM OF AN ASSOC IATE MEMBERSHIP IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US AS WE SEEK TO BUILD A STRONGER INSTITUTIONAL BASE. WON'T YOU PLEASE USE THE ENCLOSED MEMBERSHIP ENVE LOPE AND MAIL YOUR RENEWAL CHECK TODAY? WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED CONCERN AND SUPPORT. - H -