Virgin Islands National ParkFind Hotels in the U.S. Virgin Islands: St John, St Thomas, and St Croix, with complete unbiased reviews!
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Simple island Weddings | Simple, Fun, Stress-Free St Thomas weddings can be simple and affordable. Stress-free Virgin Islands weddings are our specialty. We'll do the work - you have the fun. The Everglades National Park is one of outstanding Beauty, with Diverse Wildlife, and is an easy day trip from Orlando, Florida. Visit review-your-orlando.com for more details. Click here to read the full Everglades Article US National Parks Guide Your personal travel guide to US National Parks, including information on hiking, camping, lodging, national parks photos, plus great deals on travel! Virgin Islands National Park on St John is rich in natural resources. There are 140 species of birds, 302 species of fish, 7 species of amphibians, 22 species of mammals and 740 species of plants inhabiting the Island. With about 50 species of Coral, and abundant sea life, visitors to St John have some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world. The only mammal native to the island is the bat. Three of the six native species of bats are protected under the V.I. Endangered and Indigenous Species Act of 1990. Some bat species are important pollinators of many floral species on the island as well as important seed dispersal agents for many species of fruit bearing trees and shrubs. Other species of bats consume vast quantities of insects, including mosquitoes. ANIMALS Present day St John has many species of animals that are not native to the island, or even the tropics. These include deer, goats, sheep, donkeys, cats, dogs, mongoose and pigs. The mangrove forests found along the coastline in some bays serve as nursery habitats for juvenile fish. These beautiful trees with aerial roots provide filtration of the runoff and reduce the amount of sediment reaching the ocean. The Red Mangrove is one of several species found in the Park. Birds
Virgin Islands National Park protects large tracts of natural habitats in which approximately 144 species of birds can be seen throughout the year. Habitats vary from ocean/shoreline, dry forest, salt ponds, moist forest, mangroves, and inhabited areas. Native species, as well as migratory birds, can be seen in these varied habitats.
Fish
There are as many as 500 different species of fish in the Virgin Islands, each with its own ecological niche. Coral reefs, sea grass meadows, and mangrove roots, are all important habitats for fish. They provide food, shelter, and nursery habitat for fish at various stages of their lives. Snorkelers can visit these different habitats and watch the various behaviors, and varieties of fish there. Please don't feed the fish in Virgin Islands National Park, it disrupts their normal life patterns, and they may become agressive toward snorkelers. Snorkeling is a new experience for many visitors, so take time to become comfortable with your gear. Dolphins swim in the waters around the Virgin Islands, and in the winter months, if you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of whales migrating through the area. Bats are the only land mammals native to Virgin Islands National Park. If you sit outdoors in a quiet place at dusk, you may see bats swooping through the air in pursuit of insects. Bats also pollinate flowers and spread seeds of fruit trees. One type of bat even consumes fish. There are six species of bats in the Virgin Islands. Donkeys, goats, and mongoose were introduced by humans. You may meet some of these animals on the road or at the beach. Please remember that these are wild animals, do not feed or try to touch them.
Coral
A coral is a tiny animal (cnidarian) with a tiny plant (an algae called zooxanthellae) living inside it. The coral takes calcium from seawater and uses it to build a limestone skeleton. The coral provides a home for the zooxanthellae, and the zooxanthellae provides energy for the coral. Zooxanthellae also give coral its color. Many coral grow together to form colonies. Many colonies growing close together make up the growing structure that we call a coral reef. Reefs also include sponges, algae, and rock, all of which create habitat and homes for fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and other marine life. Coral colonies grow very slowly, sometimes only a few millimeters every year. They require specific conditions to remain healthy. Corals can suffer from direct human contact. Stepping on or even touching corals can kill them. Some of the corals in the Virgin Islands have lived for hundreds of years. They have survived hurricanes, anchor damage, coral bleaching, smothering sediment, pollution and disease. Please remember to stand only on sand, and give the corals a chance to survive.
Plants
Virgin Islands National Park protects an interesting and diverse variety of plant life. Visitors can travel from moist forests to dry cactus scrub land in minutes, each landscape telling a different story of rainfall, human impact, and slow natural change. Most of the vegetation on St John today is second growth forest with native and non-native species competing for space. Coastal mangroves and sea grass support marine ecosystems. These plants stabilize shorelines and provide critical habitat for fish and marine invertebrates. In 1718 the Danes established the first European settlement on St John, and people began to clear the land for plantation agriculture (mostly sugarcane and cotton). As much as 90% of the island's original vegetation was destroyed. Agriculture changed the hydrology and soil composition. In the mid 1800s, plantation agriculture declined, and forest cover began to return to St John. Small scale production of charcoal and bay rum (with leaves from the Pimenta racemosa tree) began. Livestock grazing became more widespread. Introducing plants and animals that would compete with, and damage recovering forests. After the turn of the century and the purchase of the islands by the United States in 1917, land use on St John changed again. People bought land to build vacation homes, and tourism began to grow. Plants now compete with people for space to grow.
In 1956, Frank Stick and Laurance Rockefeller helped to establish Virgin Islands National Park to help preserve more than half of the island. Since then, the terrestrial protected area has grown to protect more than 2/3 of St John. most recently with the purchase of the Maho Bay watershed in 2008 in cooperation with the Trust for Public Land. These protected areas are crucial to the reforestation on St John. Environmental factors can be sudden and catastrophic events like hurricanes and earthquakes. They may be slow, incremental processes, like erosion or reforestation. The health of ecosystems and the individual organisms that depend on ecosystems depends largely on the stability of environmental factors, such as rainfall, air quality, fair weather, or a balance of animals in the food chain. But Nature is dynamic, and systems adjust, sometimes painfully, to changes in their components. Plants and animals are in constant competition with each other, always seeking the slightest advantage for survival. Hardship for one may be opportunity for another. Destruction and recovery are really points of view.
World famous Trunk Bay beach got its name from the Leatherback turtle which once nested there in abundance. The Danes claimed the turtle resembled a large leather trunk. Virgin Islands National Park Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do in an hour? Self-guided trails at Annaberg sugar mill and Cinnamon Bay sugar mill are one-half mile or less and can take an hour to explore. What can I do in two - three hours? One can hike the Lind Point trail from the Visitor Center to Caneel Bay resort hotel within two hours (1.1 miles each way). Safari taxi drivers offer a two-hour island tour as well, stopping at scenic overlooks. Many of the ranger-led programs take less than two hours. See the Weekly Programs brochure for more details. What can I do in a day?
The Reef Bay hike takes almost six hours, starting from the Visitor Center at 9:30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays (schedule changes during the winter months). Reservations are required and there is a transportation fee. Hikers should bring adequate water, lunch and a swimsuit. See the Weekly Programs brochure for more details.
Virgin Islands National Park, renowned throughout the world for its breathtaking beauty, covers approximately 3/5 of St. John, and nearly all of Hassel Island in Charolette Amalie harbor on St. Thomas. Within its borders lie protected bays of crystal blue-green waters teeming with coral reef life, white sandy beaches shaded by seagrape trees and coconut palms, and tropical forests providing habitat for over 800 species of plants. To these amazing natural resources, add relics from the pre-Colombian Amerindian civilization, remains of the Danish colonial sugar plantations, and reminders of African slavery and the subsistence culture that followed during the 100 years after emancipation- all part of the rich cultural history of the Park and its island home.There are 22 unique nature trails in the National Park, you are bound to find several that appeal to you. You can find an enjoyable 30 minute stroll through shady trees or an invigorating full day hike through Danish plantation ruins, mysterious carvings and lush forest. Which ever you choose you will be taken away by the beauty of the Virgin Islands National Park!Special use permits are required for organized activities that include ten (10) or more people for events such as weddings, birthday parties, etc. Picnic pavilions and grills are available for all activities. 
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