Are all Virgin Islands beaches the same?

Association of Reef Keepers (ARK)

✔ Dr Shannon Gore
(Managing Director)

1. Are all Virgin Islands beaches the same?

The sand that makes up beaches comprises materials derived from land and/or sea over 1000s of years. The shape of a beach is determined by various factors such as the underlying geology, accommodation space, wind and waves. Pick at least 3 beaches and investigate how they might be the same or different. You might be surprised at what you find!

2. Can sargassum be used for construction in the Virgin Islands?

Massive volumes of sargassum reaching our shores have become a major problem in our country. To help reduce the volume, people have been coming up with ways to use seaweed, such as in soaps and fertilisers. Are there other uses for sargassum, such as replacing one of the “ingredients” in concrete?

3. Are rain gardens effective in reducing flooding and sedimentation?

Concrete drainage pathways convey stormwater quickly from one area to the next, often causing flooding in low-lying areas or turning bays and harbours into the colour of chocolate milk. Concrete can’t absorb water, but gardens do.

4. How can we cost-effectively scale up the number of coral nurseries in the Territory?

ARK currently has one coral nursery at Cooper Island. Coral fragments are attached to the monofilament line attached to the PVC “trees”. When they reach a certain size, the coral is cut off the tree and placed in a location to restore the reef. However, there is a cost to maintaining the nurseries (time and money). With limited resources, is there an innovative way to increase the number of nurseries to help restore some of our reefs?

Department of Disaster Management (DDM)

✔ Mrs. Chrystall Kanyuck-Abel

Based on the criteria for projects, the creation of hazard related models would be an excellent opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of the science behind potential disasters. Below is a table of suggestions on some models with associated hazards that can be created.

Hazard	Possible Model(s) Category
Earthquake	1. Types of fault lines Earth science 2. Tectonic plates (e.g., a map or model of plate boundaries)
Tropical Cyclone	1. Hurricane formation Physical science, earth science 2. Wind-resistant structures (e.g., examples of building strategies may protect a home from damaging hurricane winds)
Tsunami	1. Tsunami generation Physical science, earth science 2. Tsunami travel
Storm Surge Soil Erosion in Tropical Soil Climate Change	1. Coral reef or mangrove forests (to Physical science, demonstrate how these structures protect earth science shorelines) 1. Looking at the main types of soil Physical science, degradation earth science 2. Soil comparison for agriculture purposes 3. The effects it has on soil structure 1. Having students prove the theory of Physical science, climate change existence( being real) earth science focusing on the effects it has on weather pattern

Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change ✔ Pearline George
(Environment Officer II)

1. Investigate water pollution in The Virgin Islands.

2. Realistic solution for water pollution / How can we reduce water pollution? 3. The effects of water pollution on marine life / Impact of pollution to coastal water.

4. From an art perspective, an innovative portray of the primary causes of water pollution in the BVI and a creative solution to combat it.

5. Are ‘Green’ products less toxic than conventional products (this can potentially be a solution to reduce pollution)?

6. Investigation of the potential uses of Sargassum in the Virgin Islands and with the current influxes.

7. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Virgin Islands.

Virgin Islands Postal Services

✔ Iris Romney
(Postmaster General Ag.)

✔ Mr Shanesen Turnbull
(
shadturnbull@gov.vg or 469-5162)

Some of the challenges facing the BVI Post are:

1. How to keep the postal services relevant given electronic alternatives; 2. How to diversify services that would serve a wider variety of people across the Territory;

3. How to balance operational costs while maintaining the developing relationships with new and existing customers; and

4. How to provide effective delivery service to customers and businesses without an established physical addressing system.

H. Lavity Stoutt Community College: Centre for Applied Marine Studies (CAMS)

✔ Susan Zaluski
(Director of Marine and Maritime)

✔ Nia Jeffers
(Coastal Resilience Programme Coordinator)

Recommendations for research topics:

● Coastal Erosion Mitigation

● Food Security and Sustainable Food Production

● Clean Energy: Developing alternative fuel and energy sources

● Waste Management: Developing systems for Waste Reduction and Disposal ● Climate Change Mitigation

● Reimagining development: Innovation with Green-Grey Infrastructure ● Aquatic and/or Terrestrial Ecosystems of the Virgin Islands

● Marine Biodiversity

● Coastal Resilience

● Oceanographic (Maritime)

Examples:

Kindergarten to Grade 3:

– Organisms and the environment.

Marine animals who make their own food. Examples: Mangrove Jellyfish and corals Marine animals that eat both plants and animals: Examples: Sea Turtles Grade 4-6

– Predator/ Prey relationships

Grade 7-9

– Plant and animal adaptation

Grade 10-12

– Developing infrastructure to mitigate coastal erosion and combat sea level rise Comments:

It would be nice if project ideas were more relevant to the Virgin Islands. How do these issues affect us specifically?

Water and Sewerage Department

✔ Kyle Moses (
KMoses@gov.vg)

✔ Brian Davis (
BriDavis@gov.vg)

✔ Devlon Joseph (
DevJoseph@gov.vg)

Questions:

1. Water conservation: How can water be conserved?

2. Water Quality: How can we ensure that the quality of water produce is good to consume?

3. Water leaks: How can we reduce water loss?

4. High cost to produce clean water: How can water be produce cheaper? 5. Recycle Water: How can wastewater be re-used to benefit the island? 6. Based on simple analysis, which sources of water in the BVI would be the most

safe to consume? (a comparative study of rainwater harvesting vs desalinated water production quality).

For Question six, students are to present a hypothesis and conduct a simple scientific study/research on water quality from both sources, and provide scientific inference to support their answer and justification.

Public Works Department

✔ Jeremy W. Hodge
(Director)

Due to our territory’s proximity, we are often in the path of natural disasters such as Tropical Storms, Hurricanes and Earthquakes to name a few. As such, our coastlines and infrastructure are often subjected to these elements and may end up either being damaged or completely destroyed.

We are now encouraged to find more innovative ways to construct and manage our application processes. With that sentiment, the department has put forward the following questions for your team of students.

1. Name/describe other methodologies that could be used in the protection of the coastal shorelines apart from the rock revetment method. (Key areas to look at Pockwood Pond to Nanny Cay, Carrot Bay)

2. Name/describe other methodologies that could be used in building the base and sub- base of a road before the application of concrete or asphalt to prevent the occurrence of potholes, sinkholes and any other related structural failure.

3. Name/describe other alternative methodologies that could be used with the application of asphalt after the base and sub-base has been prepared and ready for surfacing.

4. Name/describe other methodologies apart from the standard reinforced concrete retaining walls that could be used in the soil retention of areas that are susceptible to landslides after heavy rainfall, earthquake or any other natural disaster.

5. Name/describe other methodologies that can be used for the construction of the Territory’s bridges.

Department of Youth Affairs and Sports

✔ Miss Mignon Williams
(468-5904 or
mwilliams@gov.vg)

As requested, we have identified the following as areas that will provide solutions for the department:

1. Filing system

2. Payment system

3. Log-in System for Youth

4. An app to find/interact/source info on all youth organisations/entities in the Territory

5. An app to source businesses/services owned by young people

Department of Waste Management

In reviewing the Scientific Method, below are some questions applicable to Waste Management;

1. What single use item produces the highest concentration of chemicals toxic to humans when burnt?

2. Is there impact to the soil quality (positively or negatively) by storm water runoff from landfill sites?

3. Is it possible for groundwater to be affected by landfill operations? 4. Do emissions from the Department of Waste Management Operations positively or negatively impact the flora and fauna within radius? (Marine & Terrestrial)

5. Does Waste dissolve in the landfill faster in particulate form? 6. Does Waste require the same temperature to be incinerated in particulate form?

7. What is the byproduct of comingled Waste Digestion?

8. Would the introduction of an invasive species benefit or harm the BVI’s ecosystem?

Green VI

✔ Natasha Harrigan (natasha@greenvi.org) – Agriculture

✔ Amy Lynd (amy@greenvi.org) – Mosquitoes

✔ Vernessa (vernessa@greenvi.org) – Mosquitoes

WE Recycle

1. What can be done to encourage more people in the BVI Community to recycle?

Gardens

1. Many areas in the BVI, because of climate or terrain, are seen as not ideal for food gardens.

2. How can we couple renewable energy use with our cultivation of food gardens? 3. How can we fight flooding with the cultivation of food gardens?

BugOUT

1. How can mosquito borne diseases be prevented without harming the environment? 2. Discarded rubbish can be a public health hazard as it can provide breeding sites for mosquitoes.

Water

1. Toxic pollutants enter our BVI waters.

2. Runoff is damaging our coral reefs.

3. What types of systems and procedures can be established to make our schools more water efficient?

Energy

1. The BVI is dependent on fossil fuels.

2. What types of systems and procedures can be established to make our schools more energy efficient?