USVI-On-Line

MY guess would be the NPS-- IMHO thay are engaging in some bad policy implementation regarding the parks.

First it was getting rid of all NON native species (donkeys, goats, plants etc). Then they are installing boulders to keep vehicles from parking where there have long been parking spaces (e.g. Jumbie & Maho) etc.

I get the spirit of what they are trying to do, but I seriously don't think that they are thinking these issue through completely.

I get asking folks to take care of their livestock and to limit their roaming http://www.onepaper.com/stjohnvi/?v=d&i ... 1096604395 but to invite hunters to kill the deer (according to one newspaper report- can't find this right now)?

This is an interesting page on the NPS web site which discusses their various management programs: http://www.nps.gov/viis/naturescience/n ... pecies.htm

Again, I am a believer in taking care of the land and minimizing the negative impact that humans can have on it. But at this rate they'll be storming Drunk Bay and taking apart all of the random coral sculptures.

Seriously? How about breaking up the drug trade taking place at the old ruin on John's Head road off of Centerline?

Now THAT's an activity or issue that could use addressing --not screwing around with the impromptu art of the conch lined path.

Gromit wrote: How about breaking up the drug trade taking place at the old ruin on John's Head road off of Centerline?

Thanks girlfriend! I wasn't sure where to score my drugs when I go to STJ! Now I know! LOL!

CA Girl-- those guys looked seriously scary. I mean SERIOUSLY scary.

Gromit wrote: Then they are installing boulders to keep vehicles from parking where there have long been parking spaces (e.g. Jumbie & Maho) etc.

I think some of that is warranted...I've seen people at Maho parked ON the beach. Not kind of on it like some of the spots are, but actually ON it with a Jeep fully in view on the beach like 10 feet or less from the water. Are they doing more boulders than that though?

Yes, Teresa, they are putting boulders in MORE places and in some cases where there are actual parking places so that they can prevent parking there.

Agreed, folks shouldn't be able to park on the beach. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about NPS policies that are being developed and implemented without real thought to alternatives or impact that look good on the surface but can in fact present other problems.

case in point. There are like 6 parking spots at Jumbie. They've blocked off two of them. Whcih means that the only way to get to this beah is to 1) walk (from where I don't know -- and can't be done safely) or 2) to take a taxi there. So let's say you opt for taxi option. Most taxi's won't pick you up at your villa unless it's closer in to Cruz Bay (or it's a pain in the ass if they do) so that means you need to park in Cruz bay (already overcrowded).

So instead of spreading out parking at various beaches you're forcing people to town or to other beaches with adequate parking.

Trunk Bay is already overrun and others with accessible parking are under strain -- especially those with decent reefs.

Do you see my point? Instead of blocking off parking, they should be addressing the need to provide safe, off road parking (certainly limited, but at least there) in order to prevent other overflow problems elsewhere.

Just wish they'd put a bit more thought into it rather than just eliminating parking in some of these spots altogether.

Just a note about the shells...you CANNOT put ANY shells in your stonework anymore unless you have a receipt proving that you bought them. We heard this straight from DPNR ourselves. We have heard about people paying HUGE fines for putting coral and shells in their showers and walls. We put smaller shells in our shower - and we have a receipt from Sparky's! Our friends gave us two conchs to use, but we decided it wasn't worth it. It's a shame about those beautiful conchs. There were so many of them - sounds official and not someone taking them for decorative purposes.

It makes me wonder - what are they going to do with all those conch shells?

Ms.Montana wrote:It makes me wonder - what are they going to do with all those conch shells?

Uhhh... sell them to people building walls and homes?

So a person can't pick one up and use it in constructing their house but they can buy the same shell? Seems unethical to me.

OK, I more-or-less have the scoop for you.... it was the National Park that removed them, and although it was a typical case of overkill, their motives were commendable.
Conch are, as you all probably know, protected under both VI and Federal law, with a very complex group of regulations...one of the restrictions is that conch can not be removed from the shell until they reach their final landing area. This allows monitoring of the number being taken, by searches of suspected poacher's boats...it's pretty hard to hide a big pile of conch, but once they're out of their shells, it's a different story. Brown Bay is a favorite spot for conch poachers to come ashore and shell conch, which is why they are so many shells there. Since the path lining was started a few years ago, people have been quickly moving all of the fresh shells off the beach, which makes it impossible for the Park to assess the activity there during their boat surveys.
The good news is that the protections of conch, whelk, lobsters and turtles really are working...I have seen all of these go from abundance, to near disappearance, back to almost substantial numbers off St. John.

In regard to parking:
No one saw the villa-rental, car-rental boom coming, at least not what's happened in the past ten years. Until the late '80's, Hawksnest, for example, had a four car parking lot, when it was drastically expanded in 1988, we were aghast at the size.
Maho is a even more complex situation...all of that stretch along the beach has not belonged to the National Park, they have merely held an undivided 4 elevenths interest,so along with their obvious motive of not having people park on the beach, they have been accommodating the other owners with keeping parking off their land.
The Park now hopes to construct a parking lot on the corner lot at Maho this coming year...funding is iffy, as always.

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Thanks Hugo, you are an absolute wealth of information! I hope you will continue to contribute.

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