DCCA VI Fact Sheets

Division of Fish and Wildlife Department of Planning and Natural Resources

Government of the Virgin Islands

DISCLAIMER

These fact sheets were written in the 1970's when Fish and Wildlife was part of the Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs (DCCA). Since then some of the information contained in them has changed. These fact sheets do have, however, historical significance and have been placed on this website to provide the reader with an idea of the environmental history of the US Virgin Islands. If you have any questions please contact the Division of Fish and Wildlife in St. Croix at (340) 772-1082 or on St. Thomas at (340) 775-6762.

Additional information may be obtained by reading the Federal Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Territorial Endangered and Indigenous Species Act. These were all instituted after these fact sheets were developed.

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ENVIRONMENTAL FACT SHEETS

FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

FROM

THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION

AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

DARLAN BRIN, COMMISSIONER

NOVEMBER 1980

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This packet of fact sheets was prepared by the Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs (DCCA) to assist teachers who are interested in bringing information about the Virgin Islands' environment into their classroom. They are also intended for residents and visitors who are interested in knowing more about the world around them.

Preparation of these fact sheets was prompted by two considerations:

First, DCCA believes that it is important for everyone, young and old, to become more aware and appreciative of the special environmental factors which shape life here in the Virgin Islands. Second, DCCA recognizes that much of the existing information on the Virgin Islands environment is found in technical reports which are not widely known or available.

These fact sheets, thus, represent a distillation of available information on the following topics:

No. 1 - Geology Map	No. 2 - Climatology and Oceanography
No. 3 - Terrestrial Vegetation Figure	No. 4 - Shoreline and Marine Associations
No. 5 - Rocky Shoreline Habitats	No. 6 - Beach Habitats
No. 7 - Salt Pond Habitats	No. 8 - Mangrove Habitats
No. 9 - Grass Bed Habitats	No. 10 - Sandy Bottom Habitats
No. 11 - Coral Reef Habitats	No. 12 - Off-shore Cays
No. 13 - Mammals	No. 14 - Reptiles
No. 15 - Amphibians	No. 16 - Marine Mammals and Reptiles
No. 17 - Fish	No. 18 - Conch and Whelks
No. 19 - Sea Birds	No. 20 - Land Birds
No. 21 - Birds of Prey	No. 22 - Endangered Species

These fact sheets are not exhaustive; they are good general introductions to the material, with references for further information. It is anticipated that additional fact sheets will be added in the future. Your comments and suggestions would be appreciated and can be addressed to the Division of Fish and Wildlife, 45 Mars Hill, Frederiksted, VI 00840. ~~Marsha McLaughlin, Editor, c/o DCCA, P. O. Box 4340, St. Thomas, USVI 00801; (phone: 774-8252).~~

Credit for the preparation of these fact sheets goes to the many DCCA staff involved: Angela Gordon, Eunice Todman, Myron Jackson, Dick Dewey, Dave Nellis, John Mudre, Tundi Agardy, Rob Norton, Margo Hewitt, John Yntema, Rich Philobosian, John Alexander, Robert Teytaud, DonnaLee Hill, Mabel Maduro, and Marsha McLaughlin.

These fact sheets were digitized by Christine O'Sullivan and put on this web site by William Coles, in April 2005.