VIERS the next 50 years: rebuilding resilient research infrastructure at the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS)

University Of The Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie VI

Investigators

Abstract

The Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS) is located in the heart of the Virgin Islands National Park (VINP), owned by the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) (located on St. Thomas). VIERS has a 50 year legacy of serving generations of scientifically literate citizens, educators, and researchers. Research at VIERS provides one of the longest running insights into the changes affecting Caribbean reefs. Of central importance in the legacy of VIERS is its unique location in a US National Park in the eastern Caribbean, and the novelty of a fully-protected watershed. These benefits have been recognized by NSF through ongoing support of coral reef research, including most recently, efforts to quantify hurricane effects through RAPID grants. VIERS provides critical access to science infrastructure for underrepresented groups (Caribbean islanders) through a significant HBCU (i.e., UVI). Specifically, these advantages accrue through: (a) the global benefits of ensuring the longevity of an historically important field station at a time when such facilities are critically needed, (b) sustaining the capacity to mentor and train the next generation of biologists through real-world natural history experiences, (c) supporting research of national importance to the US to manage coral resources in one of the only areas of coral reef with MPA status in US waters, and (d) provision of education, research, and training opportunities for US Caribbean islanders that are chronically under-represented in science and education. Damage caused by two Category 5 hurricanes (Irma and Maria in 2017) severely impacted the capacity to conduct research and education in St. John, US Virgin Islands. Many cabins and related buildings were displaced, flooded through, and severed from electrical and plumbing infrastructure. A two-phased restoration plan has be developed. Phase 1, to be supported by this grant, will construct new visiting scientist housing and work space in a location directly adjacent to the laboratory building which survived the storms. Phase 2 will be to restore the cabins damaged by the hurricanes, rebuilding them and re-setting them on their foundations. The investment in Phase 1 will restore research activities as quickly as possible. Once Phase 2 is complete and the damaged infrastructure is replaced, this new structure will represent an expansion over previous housing capacity, serving researchers that need 24-hour access to the marine environment. This will put VIERS on a renewed trajectory of grown into research on the ecology of coral reefs, forecasting the future, and training scientists for the 21st Century. For more information on VIERS, visit http://www.islands.org/viers/. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.