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UEDNOCOAY, OCTOr R 18. 1995 NO. 28 in= STr. CUoIS AWs
Forests Denuded By Marilyn
Slowly Starts To Green Again
0By Ola- Davis filled the Creque at with grassland and shrub area sup-
Natural Resource Sp t water however, the water po few tree
SCooperat ont atd due to upand Surprisi there are a
teslen Serie a waste hat ased birds on S Crx after the
down Into the dn. storm. Ducks like the. whte-
Thc tmpact of Hurtrane Mor- Asnother forest areao damaged cheeked, pintail, blue-wonged
lyn was disastrous on vegeto- by the storm the M nhogany tesl. and northern pintail can
utrn I urban. lndutrial. aand Road forest. As you drive be found In some frhwter
eone area of the Virgn through the Mahoany Rod and salt water pond. I-
o esad. Accordingly. the hurgi rain foret. you see many large week. as Rudy O'Rlelly Jr. and I
W lands. ay e -k. Mrd T
cane uprooted and blew over trees that were either destroyed were doing an environmental
many re trees along the or damaged. Vines that once assrasent dmage report at
highways d prite and hung from tree branches re no Point Udall. we witnesseda
damage of the sto took place Road headed west ahout a half lure Its prey. There Is no fater
n the forest areas and to some mlls from the Spring Field and mor powerful bird In all
extent along the coastal uarry n the Grve Place area. the Caribbean than this large
region, there Is a waterfall below the falcon. It has been clocked at
Caledons. rain forest on the side of the road. This to one of over 175 -iles per hou ln a
northwestern side of St. Crete four waterfll on St. Crx. dive, and uses Its aesaing
Is an osyster of bodlverslty. The storm damaged the speed and agilty to capture Its
The raIn forest gut In this area nture nornorthorthwest and prey. t the VIrgin Islands.
contains exposed rock taces southwestern sections of St. peregrine falcons are only
andboulders with a water fan Crote foreats from Mahogany grants or winter birds that go
about 200 feet above ea level. Road to Blue Mountain. The north in the sprng to nest on
The forest to very diverse with fort in these area gv the clffs from the Southern
anImals and plant spees In appearance of winter o the Appalachian to the Aroic.
this area. acme tree species mainland. However, the suth WIth so many insects and
reach 60 feet with= flow egpl- a eastern part of St. Crox birds on the islands fter the
phyes on the branhes. Free were not heavily damaged. This P 1
are also common wIth icheno.
isverworts, and moes growing -_ ______
streams. This area Is also - I ElE M --
known for endangered species
such as the Puerto Rican Owl.
and many winter migratory from Pa 9
birds. The oner eneloed aye-
te of trees Is now open to the
sky with a few falle trees In the Storm,. It Is a good s@n fnit Our
stremn beds. The storm runoff environment Is recoveytlL
also cleared moot of the vegetat
U fontmt u Brd serve as an e nt Inbe-
The narrow path where iken CotOr 04 the qualIty OUit Sa"
once hiked re now opw to rOUndlng. Amulh the dam-
large exposed rocks and gravel sustained by Hurrlcane
that were once covered by soil
and thick vegriUon. aril was drasuC. It was ot-
The 1stor created a new Quite aS bad as that fra HIt
environment one that Is now Hq
dominated by age in Ofo ) lp e 8- th
caie forest, the creque Da M'-- 0-g hte a speedy
rain fos- was h eally dam-s
aged. Many large trees were recovery of the vetUtiOn.
bown down n the gut that There are already als of
opened the forest canopy This on..i.. In I
dostructton changed the de tr- lStItt
sty of trees that grew this cl. NO we muSt
forest environment. Some h~jl nature
species of plants need shade bye ptazltlng bac
from taller trees to continue the t-eet that Hurricane Marilyn
process of production. took from US.
Cerutdn spelces of medicnl Foi mie Information please
plant luke black wattle bush -Zo I -2
tea. that grew under tall shade ca 62-4080 or 778-9491.
trees, were uprooted and
w-ahed &way. The storm Wlso
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