Residents across St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix will have an opportunity in early August to help shape the territory’s outdoor recreation priorities during a series of in-person public workshops focused on parks, trails, waterfront access, and conservation projects across the islands.
The Horsley Witten Group, an environmental consulting firm working with the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources and its Division of Territorial Parks and Protected Areas, is organizing the meetings as part of the development of the Virgin Islands 2026-2036 Territorial Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, known as the TCORP.
Public Workshops Planned Across Territory
According to a recent press release from HWG, “The workshops will provide residents with an opportunity to share ideas, identify community priorities, and help guide future investments in outdoor recreation, open space conservation, public access, and recreational amenities throughout the territory.”
The workshops are open to the public, and no advance registration or reservations are required. They are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
St. Thomas: Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Department of Planning and Natural Resources offices, 4611 Tutu Park Mall.
St. John: Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Julius E. Sprauve School cafeteria, 15-18 Enighed.
St. Croix: Friday, Aug. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University of the Virgin Islands Albert A. Sheen Campus, Northwest Wing Great Hall, 10000 Castle Burke, Kingshill.
Workshops Continue Public Engagement Effort
The in-person meetings are an expansion of the public engagement website launched in May. As the Source previously reported, the website allows residents and visitors to provide feedback through a public opinion survey and an interactive mapping tool.
“The workshops build on the public engagement effort launched earlier this year, which included an online public opinion survey and an interactive Survey123 mapping tool that allow residents and visitors to share feedback on outdoor recreation and conservation sites throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands. Both online engagement tools will remain available throughout the planning process,” according to the release.
The surveys can be accessed at the 2026–2036 USVI Territorial Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan website.
“These workshops provide an opportunity to hear directly from residents about the outdoor spaces they value most and where they see opportunities for improvement,” Craig Pereira, senior planner and project manager at HWG, stated in the press release.
“Working closely with DPNR, we’re combining in-person conversations with feedback from our online surveys to help ensure the next Territorial Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan reflects the priorities of communities across all three islands,” Pereira said.
Plan Will Guide Future Recreation Funding
The public feedback gathered through the workshops and online tools will help shape a plan with both local and federal importance for the future of outdoor recreation in the territory.
“The TCORP is a federally required plan that allows the U.S. Virgin Islands to remain eligible for Land and Water Conservation Fund support, administered by the National Park Service,” HWG reported. “More than $2 million is expected to fund improvements to parks, recreational facilities, and public access across the territory. The plan specifies how these funds are prioritized and invested over the next decade in coordination with DPNR and its Division of Territorial Parks and Protected Areas. The TCORP is expected to be completed by early 2027.”
USVI residents can learn more about HWG and the upcoming workshops across the USVI on the organization’s official website.
