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An Environmental Profile of the Island of Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

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An Environmental Profile of the Island of Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands An Environmental Profile of the Island of Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands including Eustatia, Mosquito, Necker, Prickly Pear, Saba Rock, The Dog Islands, Broken Jerusalem, Fallen Jerusalem, and Round Rock This publication was made possible with funding support from: UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Department for International Development Overseas Territories Environment Programme The Government of the British Virgin Islands Office of the Premier The Dave Hokin Foundation The J. A. Woollam Foundation The Houwer Family Sir Richard Branson An Environmental Profile of the Island of Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands including Eustatia, Mosquito, Necker, Prickly Pear, Saba Rock, The Dog Islands, Broken Jerusalem, Fallen Jerusalem, Round Rock A Report of Island Resources Foundation 2012 This publication was made possible by Use of Profile: For further information, contact: the generous support of: Reproduction of this publication, or Island Resources Foundation The Overseas Territories Environment portions of this publication, is author- 123 Main Street, Road Town Programme (OTEP), under a con- ised for educational or non-commer- Tortola, British Virgin Islands tract between the UK Secretary of cial purposes without prior permission Tel. and Fax: 284.494.2723 State for Foreign and Common- of Island Resources Foundation, pro- OR wealth Affairs, as represented by vided the source is fully acknowl- the Governor of the Virgin Islands, edged. Island Resources Foundation and the Island Resources Founda- 1718 P Street Northwest, Suite T-4 tion, for implementation of a project Citation: Washington, DC 20036 USA identified as POT BV000052: “British Island Resources Foundation. 2012. An Tel: 202.265.9712 Virgin Islands Environmental Profile Environmental Profile of the Island of Fax: 202.232.0748 Programme, Phase 2: Anegada and Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, in- [email protected] Virgin Gorda.” cluding Eustatia, Mosquito, Necker, The Government of the British Virgin Prickly Pear, Saba Rock, The Dog This publication can be downloaded Islands through the Office of the Islands, Broken Jerusalem, Fallen at: www.irf.org Premier. Jerusalem, and Round Rock. Island Resources Foundation. Tortola, British Cover Photo: The Dave Hokin Foundation. Virgin Islands and Washington, DC. 255 THE BATHS NATIONAL PARK, VIRGIN GORDA The J.A. Woollam Foundation. pp. Photo Courtesy of the BVI Tourist Board The Houwer Family. Sir Richard Branson. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms and Abbreviations xiii Photo Credits xiv Preface and Acknowledgements xv Persons Interviewed, Providing Information, or Attending Stakeholder Meetings xvi Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE ISLANDS 1 1.1 Setting the Scene 1 1.1.1 The Islands of the North Sound 2 1.1.2 The Dog Islands 4 1.1.3 Islands to the South of Virgin Gorda 6 1.2 The Physical and Natural Setting 7 1.2.1 Physical Geography 7 1.2.2 Watersheds, Drainage and Groundwater 11 1.2.3 Geology 13 1.2.4 Soils 18 1.2.5 Climate 19 1.3 The Community Setting 22 1.3.1 Population Characteristics 22 1.3.2 Historical Development and Economic Trends 24 Chapter 2 THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT 28 2.1 The Public Sector 28 2.1.1 Government Structure 28 2.1.2 Sister Islands Programme 29 2.1.3 Environmental Units of Government 29 2.1.4 Environmental Legislation 36 2.1.5 Environmental Policy 39 2.2 The Private Sector 46 2.2.1 Environmental NGOs in the British Virgin Islands 46 2.2.2 BVI NGOs and the Legal Framework 49 2.2.3 Other Environmental Initiatives in the Private Sector 50 Issues Table for Chapter Two 51 iii VIRGIN GORDA (BVI) ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE Chapter 3 NATURAL HAZARDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS 56 3.1 Natural Hazards Affecting Virgin Gorda 56 3.1.1 Hurricanes and Other Storms 56 3.1.2 Excessive Rainfall and Flooding Events 57 3.1.3 Earthquakes 59 3.1.4 Global Warming and Sea Level Rise 61 3.1.5 Technological or Man-made Hazards 61 3.2 Natural Hazard Events and Associated Environmental Impacts 62 3.3 Development Trends Affecting Natural Hazard Risks 63 3.3.1 Reduction of Natural Environmental Defenses 63 3.3.2 Planning and Building Regulations 64 Issues Table for Chapter Three 65 Chapter 4 BIODIVERSITY RESOURCES: THE TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT 67 4.1 An Overview of Biodiversity Research 67 4.2 Vegetation and Flora 68 4.2.1 Vegetation Communities 69 4.2.2 Plant Species 74 4.2.3 Species and Habitats of Special Concern 76 4.2.4 Invasive Species 84 4.3 Fauna 89 4.3.1 Birds 89 4.3.2 Mammals 94 4.3.3 Amphibians 96 4.3.4 Reptiles 99 4.3.5 Aquatic Fish 104 4.3.6 Invertebrates 104 4.3.7 Species and Habitats of Special Concern 106 4.3.8 Invasive Species 108 4.4 Coastal Wetlands 110 4.5 Biodiversity Issues and Development 115 4.5.1 Biodiversity and Road Construction 115 Issues Table for Chapter Four 118 iv VIRGIN GORDA (BVI) ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE Chapter 5 COASTAL AND MARINE RESOURCES 123 5.1 Overview of the Resource Base 124 5.1.1 Physical Features 124 5.1.2 Fisheries Resources 126 5.1.3 Critical Habitats 129 5.1.4 Water Quality 137 5.2 The Coastal and Marine Environment of Virgin Gorda 138 5.2.1 Historic Use of the Coastal and Marine Environment 138 5.2.2 Current Coastal Development trends 139 Issues Table for Chapter Five 141 Chapter 6 HISTORICAL HERITAGE RESOURCES 147 6.1 Plantation Era Heritage Sites 147 6.1.1 Nail Bay I Sugar Works 147 6.1.2 Nail Bay II Sugar Works 150 6.1.3 Long Bay Sugar Works 152 6.1.4 Plum Tree Bay Sugar Works 153 6.2 Industrial Heritage Sites 154 6.2.1 The Copper Mine 154 6.2.2 Beam Engine Lever, Copper Mine Bay 156 6.3 Religious Heritage Sites 156 6.3.1 St. Thomas Bay Cemetery 156 6.3.2 St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 157 6.4 Military Heritage Sites 158 6.4.1 Fort George, Little Fort Point 158 6.5 Other Heritage Sites 159 6.5.1 Olde Yard Inn Building Base 159 Issues Table for Chapter Six 160 v VIRGIN GORDA (BVI) ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE Chapter 7 POLLUTION THREATS 165 7.1 Solid Waste 165 7.1.1 Generation of Solid Waste in Virgin Gorda 166 7.1.2 Collection and Disposal of Solid Waste in Virgin Gorda 169 7.1.3 Environmental Impacts 173 7.1.4 Future Planning for Solid Waste Management 175 7.2 Pollution and Associated Environmental Risks 177 7.2.1 Domestic Sewage and Liquid Waste 177 7.2.2 Coastal and Marine Water Quality 179 7.2.3 Erosion and Sedimentation 181 7.2.4 Road Construction and Sediment Yield Assessment 184 Issues Table for Chapter Seven 189 Chapter 8 PROTECTED AREAS AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION 194 8.1 Management Framework for BVI Protected Areas 194 8.2 Existing Protected Areas on Virgin Gorda 196 8.2.1 Overview of Protected Areas on Virgin Gorda 197 8.2.2 Management of Virgin Gorda’s Protected Areas 201 8.3 Proposed Parks and Protected Areas for Virgin Gorda 202 8.4 Protected Areas and Development Planning 202 8.4.1 The BVI’s Development Planning Process 202 8.4.2 Tourism Planning and Protected Areas 207 8.4.3 Environmental Management Framework 207 8.5 Challenges and Opportunities 208 8.5.1 Management Challenges 208 8.5.2 Development Planning Challenges 211 Issues Table for Chapter Eight 212 vi VIRGIN GORDA (BVI) ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE Chapter 9 DIRECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE 217 9.1 The North Sound: Who’s in Charge? 217 9.1.1 The North Sound—As It Was 217 9.1.2 The North Sound—As It Is Now 219 9.2 The Specialness of Virgin Gorda 223 9.2.1 True Belongers 223 9.2.2 Critical Protection Priorities 230 References 238 Virgin Gorda Environmental Profile Project Team 253 LIST OF TABLES 1. The offshore islands of Virgin Gorda. 1 2. Highest known elevations for Virgin Gorda. 7 3. Size of the primary watersheds of Virgin Gorda. 12 4. Primary drainage ghuts of Virgin Gorda. 13 5. Beach morphology of Virgin Gorda and nearby islands. 17 6. Recent storms and hurricanes in the BVI. 20 7. Temperature data from Paraquita Bay, Tortola (1971 – 1977). 21 8. Average monthly precipitation. 21 9. BVI population figures from last completed census in 2001. 22 10. Age distribution of Virgin Gorda’s population, 2001 census. 22 11. The primary environmental units of the BVI Government. 35 12. BVI legal and regulatory instruments related to the protection and management 40 of the environment. 13. Selected hurricanes affecting the British Virgin Islands from 1916 to 2010 and estimated 57 losses incurred. 14. Relationship of selected hazard events (and their secondary results), major environmental 62 impacts, and man-made factors that increase those impacts. 15. Vegetation alliances and community types for Virgin Gorda and nearby islands. 71 16. Physiognomic categories of plants found on Virgin Gorda and neighbouring islands. 76 17. Plant species of special concern for Virgin Gorda and neighbouring islands. 77 18. Native sedges and reeds of Virgin Gorda’s wetlands. 80 19. Native grasses of Virgin Gorda and surrounding islands. 82 20. Invasive and potentially invasive plants of Virgin Gorda and neighbouring islands. 85 21. Bird species identified for Virgin Gorda (VG) and nearby/neighbouring islands (NI). 90 22. Bird Sanctuaries of Virgin Gorda and nearby islands. 94 23. Frogs and toads of Virgin Gorda and neighbouring islands. 97 24. Summary of the terrestrial reptiles of Virgin Gorda and neighbouring islands. 102 25.
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