Whether they’re building new developments, preparing for disasters,
or scheduling the fishing season, policymakers at all levels in the Virgin Islands need one thing when they plan for the territory: good information.
But there’s a problem: Often, good information doesn’t exist.
The problem is not unique to the VI: With small populations and limited development, many small Caribbean countries and territories lacked an environmental resource document into the 1990s.
Then the Island Resources Foundation wrote the book on environmental issues. In fact, the organisation wrote one book for eight Eastern Caribbean countries and territories: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
More recently, the IRF’s work brought members in contact with the Jost Van Dyke Preservation Society, which collaborated with the IRF to create the first environmental profile in the VI: the Jost Van Dyke profile, which includes Little Jost Van Dyke, Sandy Cay, Green Cay and Sandy Spit.
“Since we had started with one island, we thought let’s do island by island,” Ms. Towle said.
Now a profile for Virgin Gorda is under way.
See the Feb. 9, 2012 edition for full coverage.