Volunteerism at V.I. National Park was a recurring theme Sunday at the Friends of the Park annual meeting, held at Cinnamon Bay Campground’s T’ree Lizards Restaurant.
“Volunteers are helping make up the shortfall,” park Superintendent Brion FitzGerald told the almost 100 St. John residents and visitors gathered for the meeting.
The park’s funding and staffing has been short for years. Although the U.S. Congress passed a budget on Jan. 17, FitzGerald said it’s too early to determine its impact on this park this year.
Keynote speaker Delegate Donna M. Christensen said the National Park Service did well with the budget. She said it was funded at the level it requested – $2.6 billion – which is an increase of $29 million compared to the 2013 budget level.
“The increases are slated to go to control of invasive species, enhancement of visitors experiences and their protection, support of historic preservation offices and some construction and land acquisition,” she said, noting that $2.7 million from Land and Water Conservation Fund is designated to complete the purchase of land at Maho Bay from the Trust for Public Land.
She said she was disappointed there was no funding for a National Heritage Area on St. Croix, but she wasn’t giving up.
Christensen said Republicans in Washington are doing everything possible to decrease NPS support and funding.
The park named winter resident Pat Lodge as its volunteer of the year. FitzGerald said she started out filling in when the ranger was unavailable to do bird walks, and now works at the Visitor Center, Annaberg Plantation and in the Friend’s store.
The Friends named Mike Marruquin as its volunteer of the year for helping out on the Reef Bay hike.
Kent and Paula Savel, winter residents who volunteer for both the Friends and the park, received the Friends’ first President’s Volunteer Service Award given to those who promote excellence in volunteerism. They received a letter signed by President Obama.
“Kent and Paula are real stars in the volunteer program,” Friends President Joe Kessler said.
Kent Savel leads Reef Bay hikes. Both started the Annaberg docent program and continue to volunteer at Annaberg Plantation, and Paul Savel works in the Visitor Center and the Friends store.
The Friends also named Thomas Kelley, who is the park’s natural resource manager, as its park partner of the year.
Kessler said that last year, 870 volunteers contributed 10,000 hours of work to the Friends’ efforts.
“Volunteerism is really an important part of the core value of the Friends,” Kessler said.
The Friends run the volunteer trail crew, which because of the park’s budget and staffing cuts is what keeps the trails from being overgrown. FitzGerald said the St. Thomas Historical Trust is maintaining trails on Hassel Island, a park facility in St. Thomas.
FitzGerald said the park service is in the midst of drafting a 40-year lease with the owners of Caneel Bay Resort. Additionally, Caneel Bay Concessions has operated businesses at Cinnamon Bay, including the campground, and Trunk Bay on a year-to-year basis since the lease ran out in 1990. FirtzGerald said that those concessions will go out to bid in late May.
He said the successful bidder will have to replace the cottages and the platform tents at Cinnamon Bay Campground as well as rebuild the snack and gift shop at Trunk Bay.
“The infrastructure is suffering. They are going to be required to put in a significant investment,” FitzGerald said.
Christensen also discussed the impact of the park’s presence on the St. John community. She said that while it provides an economic benefit to the island, the island’s middleclass and lower-income residents are feeling the squeeze from villas and luxury residences.
“The quality of life of everyone on this sland depends on planning,” she said.