DPNR received a $599,000 federal grant for the USVI Coral Reef Initiative (Gabriel Padilha photo).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently awarded the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources a $599,000 grant to fund the USVI Coral Reef Initiative, according to the office of Delegate Donna Christensen. The award will provide funding to the department to address coral reef conservation and management through the implementation of St. Croix East End Marine Park.

The 2011-12 grant period includes funding for several staff, including a coral reef initiative coordinator, a marine park coordinator, two marine park interpretive rangers, and an education and outreach coordinator. There is also money for:
- park administration costs;

- maintenance of park boundary markers and navigational aids;
- maintenance of existing mooring buoys;
- lobster monitoring;
- carrying out and expanding the territorial coral reef monitoring program;
- an ecological camp for children;
- implementing a lionfish response plan;
- developing a traveling education display for high schools; and
- setting up a sustainable finance plan for the St. Croix East End Marine Park.