Science Saturday Ӏ Whale Point Parking and Trail Improvements
Have you ever been to Whale Point on St. Croix, a coastal site where geology, marine life, and natural history intersect? This beautiful Marine Protected Area (MPA) on the East End of St. Croix lies within the St. Croix East End Marine Park (STXEEMP), which was established in 2003 to protect our territorial marine resources. During a recent Science Saturday, the Division of Territorial Parks and Protected Areas’ NOAA Fellow, Kenneth Douyon, was joined by Kynoch Reale-Munroe, a scientist with the Horsley Witten Group Inc., and Dave Zimmerman, the Principal of Island Designs, to discuss the recently completed parking and trail improvements in the MPA.
Ky shared that the goal of the project is to reduce land-based sources of pollution (LBSP) within STXEEMP. Funded by NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, the project also focuses on building strong local partnerships. Partners involved in the planning and implementation process consulted both the St. Croix East End Watersheds Management Plan (2011) in addition to the St. Croix East End Watersheds Restoration Strategy (2023-2028).
Past prohibited use of the trail as a roadway caused a buildup of sediment that negatively impacted plants, coral reefs, and other marine life in the surrounding waters. Initially, the large open parking area at the top of the trail lacked the design elements necessary to help mitigate those LBSP concerns. Ky explained that the goal was not only to reduce the sediment entering Whale Bay but also to provide safe pedestrian access to the beach while protecting the sea turtles and coral reef habitat.
Dave and the Island Designs team played an integral role in the project build-out, with support from CHANT Conservation Corps trainees throughout the process. Together, the teams worked on compacting the parking lot, laying pavers, and installing systems designed to increase permeability, including an overflow system and a bioretention area planted with native vegetation.
If you would like to learn more about how to reduce land-based pollution or design spaces that support erosion control, click the link below to watch the full presentation featuring Kenny, Ky, and Dave.
Science Saturday, a monthly Facebook LIVE event, airs on the second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. Watch the full interview on the Department of Planning and Natural Resources Facebook page or the Science Saturday YouTube playlist.
