The St. Thomas East End Reserves (STEER) is a territorial marine protected area which encompasses several existing protected areas (Cas Cay / Mangrove Lagoon, St. James, and Compass Point Marine Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries) into one comprehensive management unit.
A management plan for STEER has been developed with the participation of representatives from community groups, Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the University of the Virgin Islands and The Nature Conservancy. The management plan was developed using The Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Action Planning (CAP) process and is a five-year strategic plan that outlines management actions to be taken, funding resources, and recommendations for sustainable and effective management of the reserves. It will serve to guide conservation and sustainable use activities in the east end reserves to maximize the ecological, economic and cultural benefits for the U.S.V.I. community. As part of the CAP process, a vision for STEER was formed: to restore and maintain a functional coastal ecosystem that promotes sustainable recreation opportunities and community engagement.
An open house will be held from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 22, at the St. Thomas Yacht Club to announce finalization of the plan. STEER stakeholders have dedicated their time and energy to develop and finalize the plan. Please help us celebrate. We will also hear from two UVI graduate students who are conducting exciting research in STEER.
For more information about STEER and the process for developing the management plan, visit groups.google.com/group/steer-stakeholders or contact Anne Marie Hoffman at [email protected].