Prickly ash
Native to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, St. Thomas prickly ash (Zanthoxylum thomasianum) attracted a Beaconite’s attention recently when he was perusing a copy of “Retaining Nature’s Little Secrets,” a guide to native plant life in the VI. Underneath the leaves of the endangered species, one or two needle-sharp thorns poke towards the ground, an easy identifier. One can imagine what would happen should an unsuspecting goat attempt a mouthful, only to find it has just discovered nature’s tongue piercing. Between 700 and 1,000 mature individuals of the plant species exist today in the world, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Besides wild specimens in northeastern Caribbean, the J.R. O’Neal Botanic Gardens in Road Town and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in England preserve samples as well. Threats such as urbanisation, illegal farming, and fires within protected areas put the prickly ash at risk of extinction, but the Beaconite hopes that the work of the VI’s National Parks Trust in tandem with international organisations will be able to protect the species. In the meantime, he will be on the lookout for the three-to-four-metre-tall plant on Virgin Gorda and in Road Town.
Divine inspiration
Superheroes did not just save the day, but also helped save money for Virgin Island school kids at a piggy bank contest this week. A riot of colour and intriguing designs were on display at the Financial Services Commission as youngsters were encouraged to behave like good little capitalists and put their pennies away in a safe place they had made themselves. The theme for this year’s event was superheroes, and the 65 entrants certainly did not leave anybody out. The category was expanded to include more than just the usual caped crusaders: Anyone seen as an inspiration was considered worthy of having a piggy bank made in their likeness. A Beaconite was awestruck to see that one student had been truly touched by the divine. For there battling for attention among the Spider Men and Wonder Women was Jesus Christ himself. Our Lord may not have been too keen on the money lenders in the temple, but the design showed that Jesus really does save.
Slowing down
While temperatures and humidity may be on the rise, a Beaconite hopes that the weather won’t deter her and others from getting out and enjoying all that the Virgin Islands has to offer. After seeing record-breaking numbers in the first part of this year, the cruise ship arrivals are beginning to slow down, she has noticed. Rather than the usual two ships at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park each day, more often there is only one ship at most. Therefore, walking down Waterfront Drive or even visiting the pier park is a much quieter experience. Fewer tourists are wandering through town, trying to navigate the crumbling or nonexistent sidewalks. Meanwhile, some restaurants and bars seem to play live music only on the days cruises are in port. She hopes that, despite the decline of tourists, she will still sometimes hear the echoes of tunes as she walks around Road Town running her errands in the coming months. She is also looking forward to emptier beaches, though she is not looking forward to the heat and humidity — or the possibility of hurricanes hitting the territory in the coming months.