Mangrove Planting Underway in Leinster Bay

Iowa State University and Friends of Virgin Islands National Park are collaborating on a large-scale mangrove restoration project in the Annaberg and Leinster Bay areas.

The goal of the project is to re-establish sustainable mangrove communities that were devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. In total 1500 trees will be planted, 750 in November 2022 and 750 in November 2023. The focus species for plantings are Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa), Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans), and Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus).

The plantings are occurring in clusters around the edge of the wetland and being fenced to protect them from marauding herbivores like white-tailed deer, donkeys, and goats.

For more on the native plant propagation and trails work in the park, read last season’s report here