Lameshur Bay has long been a place of exploration and learning in Virgin Islands National Park on St. John. Thanks to the marine world in this beautiful bay, it has been the home to world class research and education for decades. An iconic element of its history includes the Tektite program of the 1960s which was a private public partnership between GE, NASA, the US Navy and others, and the first scientists-in-the-sea program sponsored nationally.
Offering the opportunity for world-class science exploration and research, for years the University of the Virgin Islands' (UVI) VIERS laboratory has been a dynamic atmosphere for students and researchers to study tropical marine and environmental issues and increase awareness about marine topics in the VI. Similarly for younger generations, VIERS Summer Eco-camps were sponsored by Friends of Virgin Islands National Park and were an important first step in nurturing an interest in nature and conservation for island youth that continues today in our Youth Programs.
Tektite Documentary
Tektite was a fascinating research project that took place in Virgin Islands National Park. In an effort to capture this element of history on St. John, Friends is sponsoring the development of a documentary by Steve Simonsen and William Seltzer.
Tektite Archive Material
An interesting collection of materials exploring the science, technology and psychology programs that were the Tektite programs.
VIERS UVI Lab
As reported in The Source recently, the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS), a world-renowned research facility on St. John, is taking significant steps toward revitalization. The University of the Virgin Islands recently completed crucial renovations to the lab with a $245,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. This marks an essential first step in the journey to rebuild a facility that has been closed since the devastating 2017 hurricanes.
VIERS Summer Eco-Camps
For decades, the summer camp in Lameshur Bay introduced to Virgin Islands youth to the adventure of camping and the joys of exploring nature both on land and in the water. The camp was destroyed in the 2017 hurricanes but it's work continues in the Friend's Youth Programs.