Environment

$2.1 Million Grant Awarded to Create First Conservation Corridor in St. Croix

The V.I. Department of Planning & Natural Resources on Friday announced a significant step forward in environmental conservation with the receipt of a $2.1 million America the Beautiful Challenge 2023 grant. This funding is set to create St. Croix’s first conservation corridor, which will feature new hiking trails and wildlife habitats. The project, titled “Human and Nature Connections: U.S. Virgin Islands Territorial Parks, Waters, Trails, and Work Program,” is a collaborative effort involving The Nature Conservancy, Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism, and the Virgin Islands Trail Alliance. Scheduled to run until 2027, the initiative aims to employ a youth conservation corps to restore over a quarter of the wetlands on the island. This will establish habitat corridors between Altona Lagoon and Great Pond, stretching from the north to the south shores of the island. Nicole Angeli, director of the Division of Fish & Wildlife, expressed gratitude for the grant, noting, “We’re hono...