The National Parks Trust anticipates many benefits to the Territory in an improved base of information of the plant diversity of the Virgin Islands as it looks forward to the day when the understanding of the uniqueness and natural patrimony is further enhanced. Photo: VINO

The role of the J.R. O’Neal Botanic Gardens ( JRONBG) will change over time as the Darwin Project takes effect according to Mrs. Sheila Brathwaite, Chairperson, National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands. Photo: VINO

Some of the key stakeholders of J.R. O’Neal Botanic Gardens who were present at the launching of the Darwin Project on December 12, 2013. Photo: VINO

This was according to Mrs. Sheila N. Brathwaite, Chairperson of the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands on December 12, 2013. It was the occasion of the Launch of the Darwin Project/Vegetation Mapping for the VI which has secured some £83,915 from the Darwin Initiative Plus Fund of the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. 

“Over time, the Gardens will be engaged in the transformation required to serve as the National Botanic Garden that will hold a collection of plants of importance,” said Mrs. Brathwaite.  

The collections at the JRONBG, according to the Chairperson, will be enhanced for a more unique experience for students, residents and visitors.  “We will witness our initial efforts to this avail, as we inspect with the Minister the recently established collection of threatened and endangered species collection at the Gardens.” 

Information gathered through this process will assist the Trust in identifying those areas throughout the Virgin Islands which hold important plants and which may deserve protection due to their value to conservation.  The project will ultimately address the theme ‘Habitat or species conservation, management and sustainable use for terrestrial and marine environments’, as well as, it will help to take forward work in priority areas identified through environmental mainstreaming. 

The projected outputs under the project will be production of ecosystem and vegetation maps, identification of gaps in terrestrial protected area network, addition and enhancement of threatened and endangered species collections at the J.R. O’Neal Botanic Gardens, performance of studies of the life cycles of threatened species, and the production of draft management plans for forest ecosystems under management by the National Parks Trust. 

It will all facilitate the production and enhancement of floral inventories for select parks and ecosystems outside the existing protected area network. 

The project is supported by the Government of the United Kingdom’s Darwin Initiative Fund, the Governor’s Office, the Ministry of Natural Resources & Labour, the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the Conservation and Fisheries Department, the Town and Country Planning Department and the BVI Tourist Board.

The Trust anticipates many benefits to the Territory in an improved base of information of the plant diversity of the Virgin Islands as it looks forward to the day when the understanding of the uniqueness and natural patrimony is further enhanced.