The St. John Land Conservancy (SJLC) invites the public to participate in a Native Plants Walk hosted by Clare Weaver this Saturday at 10 a.m. at Haulover Bay on St. John.
Clare Weaver, a field botanist who works with the Virgin Islands Rare Plant Initiative, is an expert in rare and endangered plant species in the Virgin Islands and spends much of her time locating, monitoring, protecting, and researching various species of plants.
“Preservation is important, both in protecting native plant species and the fragile communities that sustain them. One of my efforts includes collecting seeds and cuttings and sending them off to be added to a living library of plant species from all over the world. In the event of a natural disaster that may destroy vast amounts of plant species, this aggregate of clones offers us an opportunity to regrow what has been lost. Another important component to my work is community education and getting everyone involved in conservation efforts”, Weaver said.
The SJLC works to preserve parcels of donated land in an effort to protect valuable plant and animal species from being eradicated by development. The upcoming Native Plant Walk will occur on a parcel of land in Haulover Bay recently donated to the nonprofit. “Almost two years ago this parcel of land was donated to the SJLC and a terrestrial survey was done on the land to assess the diversity of the native species. I’ve walked the entirety of the land and spent a great deal of time becoming acquainted with a large variety of plants on the parcel. I am excited about getting to share this information with the community,” Weaver.
