The Virgin Islands Conservation Society, in a partnership with Island Designs Landscape & Storm Water Solutions, and the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, is expanding the VI Clean Coasts program to include assistance for homeowners. The new Residential Erosion Control program will provide residential property owners with professional site assessments and concept designs for improvements to address drainage runoff and erosion issues.
Established in 2018, VI Clean Coasts is a certification program for USVI businesses and organizations to become more eco-friendly through environmental goals and projects, consulting and seed grants. The original goal of the program was to eliminate single-use plastics in the Virgin Islands, but these programs are custom-tailored to the environmental goals of each certified business. Partners are pleased to now expand assistance from VI Clean Coasts to residential homeowners.
“I am thrilled to see the continuation and growth of the VI Clean Coasts Program,” said Coastal Zone Management Education & Outreach coordinator and VI Clean Coasts program manager Kitty Edwards.
Edwards said, “Being able to expand our efforts to include homeowners means that this program can work for anyone wanting to protect the beautiful environment of the Virgin Islands. We have to work together to protect what we love!”
Homeowners experiencing stormwater runoff and erosion concerns are encouraged to apply to the Residential Erosion Control program for a professional assessment of their residential property. Island Designs, a local design and engineering firm, will talk to the homeowners about their concerns, conduct an on-site assessment of the residential property, and provide a concept-level design to address runoff and erosion. Residents may apply to the The DPNR VI Clean Coasts website
Residential property assessments and concept designs will be made by the team at Island Designs LLC, led by co-owners Dave Zimmerman and Duane Ferguson P.E. “We are thrilled that Island Designs will participate in this next expansion of the VI Clean Coasts Program. The ability to help more homeowners in the territory with their stormwater, flooding and erosion concerns has long been one of our goals. We are committed to projects that will increase environmental awareness and protection.”
Improperly managed stormwater often results in runoff, flooding and erosion on residential and commercial properties. Eroded sediments and pollutants are carried in stormwater along roads and ghuts into the marine environment, causing harm to valuable coastal habitats, such as coral reefs. This project aims to help homeowners improve stormwater management and reduce erosion at the source, ultimately reducing harmful sediments in the marine environment.
This project is a collaborative effort by the VI Clean Coasts team and Island Designs Landscape & Stormwater Solutions. To learn more about VI Clean Coasts, visit the VI Conservation Society website at https://viconservationsociety.org or email adriennevics@gmail.com.
To learn more about VI Clean Coasts, visit the VICS website.
