|
The Daily News 0 /28/. 2
Reefs must be protect Tor V.1.uture
This third article on the coral tourists with soavenirs and-.of&e
eef sesri will fos o the impact tableact n .
mahboonbse eefdvironmenat. Oasee In the Virgin islands, develop
Before humans inhabited the Davis mern ad sewage oualls have e
Virgin Islands, the reefs were tocitamiveatnphicaionL
affected only by e. Whenever How can I, as a native Virgin
itained MW W loo soil washed to M islander, stand by and allow the red
the shores. Bet ntes n in ts widonm environmet to be destroyed by
provides minlad velation, coastal people who don't have the best
forests, nd othermeas of fitrig Virgin islands ccoomy, tjutto inesW ofd eople ofthe Virgin
sedimntbefoeitreiachthoshore. the reef iroemot, butthe fish- slodsintheirhearts?
Tbc mngrove forest in the Vir- ing industry. One of the most In my opinion, this government
ginIslandsplay an iportam rolin important functions of the man- aneds to be more virom otaIly
the proction of the maine envi- grove conystonris supporting the fritedly. These islamns me promot-
momel The red, black, white and juvenile fish habitat for fish like ed as a toristdesiny.Yet this gov
buttonwood ae the four types of sapper, groat, grouper, parrofish, cemmulisthe alpritimany cases
mangrove trees that grow along the banacuda nurse snar, mullet and to the destruction of these islands
Virgin islands coast manyolr camnim al environment
The red mangroves are the most These fish grow up and breed On the other hand, the federal
distinctive, having long prop roots aouned the mangrove. Other marine government does a much bete job
thaltcadidownitolhewater.These animals like crafts, whks, oysters, managing parks in the Virgin
proprootspesriov idigplrafora sea snails ad many birds species Islands. The National Park on St.
widtarieltyofariineanimor deped upon the mangovt forest. John in one of the most visited
Tey am also land bddes ad Studies have showed that the places in he Virgin slh ds. But the
provide a natural buffer against decline of mangrove forest in the federal government has its hands
waves. Black mangrove grows Virgin Islands affect the fish and full ininngtocontrolboatspartic-
behind the red mangrove, l ey re coral reefpopulation, ldy s they e t e pa kwatMs.
recognize by the cluster of soda To me, one of the greatest An estimated 30,000 boats per
straw breathing shoots coming threats o the reef environment is year anchorin pin wars. Bowev-
through the mud at its base. The ill-planned coastal and hillside er, this has cause some serious
white manpve grows behind the development Since coal reef are problems to the reef environment
bla UgrovLs.t can be identified localized ccer of high biological on the island of St John. In 1988,
byits all white flower. productivity and their Wolorfl fisb- the Wind Spirit, a 440-foot cruise
Beonwood aspvegrot fnr. es arm a major sonurc of food in ship dropped its anchorintoFrands
thr nhlan. It is the only variety with tropical water areas, many marine Bay coral ret
alternate leaves. This species pro- biologists view with alarm the The anchor of the cruise ship
doces a mall beny-like buron seed spreadoftodiatresotsnalongM oalOI destroyed 300 square yards of omal
most of the year Aneud.Marove coasinamanypiarsofthwomld alt Fancis By.
prop rootstrap datmangrove avs, Such developBmets are almost If we are to save the tourist
sediment and fresh water th washes always accompanied by increased industry, we must save and mini-
down from the land with storm dumping ofsewage; byoverfihing mize the impact we have on our
renoff.lhisbelpsprotwater quli- by physical damage to the reef cotalrtefeaviroomenO
ty offshore, especially far the coral environment resulting from con- OlnD0ams Dro has a master
reefteuiromai t struction; dumping and landfills; ofsaciaedegreeai rage mng-
Little do people know, man- dredging; and destruction of the ma nd forestry ecoloy, it a S
groves are also important to the reef on a large scale to provide Crroecalogig4 ac"isoandwrito'.
|
