Friends August Newsletter
When Robert Stanton (Director of the Park Service 1977-2001 and Virgin Islands National Park Superintendent 1971-1974) visited St. John after more than 20 years, it was the North Shore that took his breath away.
As we stood at the Trunk Bay overlook, it was clear that one of the most powerful outcomes of our National Parks–added to the value of protecting ecosystems–is sharing intergenerational experiences. People of different ages can experience the same awe-inspiring vista in their National Park as both their elders and their children–even if those experiences happen decades apart. This is a rarity in our world! Virgin Islands National Park is worth protecting.
Friends stands as a testament to the many positive impacts that protected landscapes, and seascapes, can have on our communities. From hands-on volunteer activities with the Trails Program, clearing the very vistas and overlooks we love, to the Learn to Swim Program at Cinnamon Bay employing local youth as lifeguards, we are happy to report that our Park has been well-loved and tended to this season by the Friends! Thank you everyone!
In the coming weeks we will tally our year and report back to you in our annual Impact Report. For now, we thank you for learning with us, for participating in our events, and for donating to make these programs possible.
