The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a UK Territory comprising over forty islands, islets and rocks in the Virgin Islands archipelago. The islands are about 60 miles east of Puerto Rico and 140 miles northwest of St. Kitts, located near latitude 18.3o N, and 64.5o W. The three largest are Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Anegada respectively.
The largest island, Tortola, is about 62 square km in size. The highest point, Mount Sage on Tortola, is 543 m above sea level.
The population increase of about 2.1% per year, from 16 000 to 20 000 over the last ten years, has increased pressure on the use of land. The population density is about 50 persons per square km. Over half of the population is between 15 and 44. Twenty one percent of the labour force is in the public sector and 0.2% in agriculture. The BVI consist of 38,248 acres (15,499 ha) of land, 39% of which is Crown land and 61% is privately owned.
The tourism and financial services sectors are the mainstay of the BVI economy. Total visitor arrival was 0.5 million in 1999 with 1300 rooms contributing approx. 300 million. The visible trade balance is -172 million, the balance of Services, 230 million, resulting in a net overall trade balance of 62 million.
There are a total of 360 000 international business companies, paying a total of 73 million in licence fees.
The annual food importation cost is about 36 million dollars (DPU statistics for 1998). Fruits and vegetables account for ten million dollars while beef, chicken, milk, fish, cereals and non-alcoholic beverages account for about three million dollars each. The annual domestic agricultural production amounts to 850 tons of beef, sheep and goat meats, pork, fruits, vegetables
Leland
Dennis |
and root crops at a value of 2.25 million dollars. The main crops produced in the BVI are bananas, sweet potato, cassava. The local agricultural production therefore accounts for about six percent of food consumption.
It is clear that the British Virgin Islands cannot produce, locally, sufficient food and materials needed for its survival. It has no control over the supply of its requirements from abroad and is susceptible to international market forces, importing all its fuel and supplies and almost all the food consumed from overseas.
FIGURE 1
British Virgin Islands average monthly rainfall
The average rainfall is about 59 inches (1 300 mm) per year, with the heaviest showers occurring between September and December producing about half of the annual rainfall (Figure 1). The driest period is January to July, with monthly deficits of two to four inches (Figure 2).
Most islands with the exception of Anegada consist of steep slopes which rise precipitously from the sea. Anegada is a very flat limestone island; one quarter of its surface area is occupied by salt ponds and a number of sand dunes.
Soils throughout the islands are shallow, friable, immature residual soils generally less than 0.5 m thick. These soils are medium to coarse grained, well graded, sandy silts generally with a dark yellow brown colour.
Large boulders form significant surface deposits, especially in southern Virgin Gorda where large boulders up to 10 meters in size form an extensive boulder field.
The present and proposed land use are outlined in the Draft Physical Development Plan.
A number of the wetlands are continually being filled. A number of salt ponds are also being lost. Recently there has been an initiative of replanting some mangroves. Prior to the current development boom in the BVI the main communities were located in the flats and most of the area was used for cultivation. This has changed recently, and wetlands that were previously cultivated and even virgin areas are now being encroached upon.
FIGURE 2
British Virgin Islands average monthly water balance
At its present scale, agriculture does not constitute an urgent threat to wetland areas. Those that have been abandoned have quickly reverted to their original vegetation. There are not many intensive agricultural holdings and pesticides are not used at high levels. The major threat to the wetlands from agriculture are the livestock farms, but this is still minor in comparison to the issues of encroachment and landfills.
All the natural surface water bodies in the BVI are estuaries, cays or salt ponds. All of them are of very high salinity. The only fresh surface water that in the BVI consists of small ponds or Minidams created by the Department of Agriculture, for use by farmers. They have a total capacity of about 14 000 cubic metres. This has also improved the hydrology and the microclimate in the immediate area.
There are a few perennial springs in the hills but the volume of their flows has not been documented.
Most of the water supplied as potable water originates from desalination. Although it is reported to comply with WHO standards, its effects on crops, which vary greatly, indicate that it is not suitable at all times as drinking water.
There are only two major irrigation system in the BIV, one on Tortola where the Department is located and the other on Virgin Gorda. These supply the Department and 48 farmers on Tortola on 12ha. The project on Virgin Gorda serves 14 farmers on 5.6 ha. The project on Tortola is fed by public water and well water. The Project in Virgin Gorda is fed only by well water and spring water. Other farmers are supplied with public, surface and well water.
A major irrigation system is being repaired that will serve over fifty farmers plus the needs of the Department.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour is the main agency that has control over land in the Territory, both directly and through its Departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Fisheries and the National Parks Trust. The other Government agencies involved are the Ministry of Communication and Works and the Town and Country Planning Department, which is responsible for physical development planning. Wetlands and mangroves are the responsibility of the Department of Conservation and Fisheries.
Conservation in the Territory is handled by three Department: Agriculture (DOA), Conservation and Fisheries (CFD), and the National Parks Trust (NPT). CFD deals with the marine and coastal areas and the NPT with established parks. All other areas are left to the Engineering Division of DOA by default or established laws.
The Engineering Division has one engineer and three daily paid workers to perform these duties and others throughout the territory. Recruitment of additional staff has been recommended.
There are three review committees for all development work:
The Department of Agriculture is not represented in any of the developmental committees or authorities.
The high silt load from development on the hillsides which causes erosion affects the drainage of the streams into the ocean. The sediment load from hillside development also destroys the coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangroves.
The Department of Agriculture is not appraised of any development in areas where there are protected watersheds.
Sewage disposal is a main concern. There is only one community treatment plant in the entire Territory.
There are conflicts regarding policies, resource use and agency jurisdiction.
Environmental considerations are not effectively integrated into the national development process.
There are no comprehensive environmental policy and associated management plans.
There is no adequate enforcement and monitoring policy.
Pending legislation needs to be approved and passed.
There is a proliferation of developments along the shorelines. Clear cutting of the hillsides for access to building sites is widespread.
The effects on erosion are aggravated by the high rate of deforestation and by encroachment on marginal hillside lands for settlement.
The overall bright spot throughout all governmental agencies is the National Integrated Development Plan entitled The environment of the British Virgin Islands, Emerging Issues - 1998.
The following legislation was drafted and is pending:
The Department has a policy of assisting farmers with water storage tanks by means of a lease. To date, the Department has provided a total of 200 tanks to farmers.
Presently there are regulations governing developments in a number of areas and in some cases the Department of Conservation and Fisheries are asked for their input. In some cases the DOA, reportedly, was also asked for its input.
Presently there are LIS/GIS in the Town and Country Planning, Conservation and Fisheries, and Survey departments as well as the Office of Disaster Preparedness.
An agricultural census, proposed for 2000, will take place in 2001. After this an agricultural LIS/GIS is proposed to be requested for the Department of Agriculture.
All government offices are on a Wide Area Network (WAN), which is accessed by dialup and is primarily used for accounting purposes. A true dedicated WAN will be introduced in the near future. The Survey Department has all land in the territory mapped in its LIS/GIS, and parcel sizes and owners can be readily called up.
It is proposed that the land registry be computerised in 2001. A national project is proposed that will fly coloured aerial photo coverage and create better base data and controls for all Departments in 2001.
A fully computerised weather station has been set up by the US Meteorological service. This station is part of their global monitoring of the impact of global warming and of groundwater flow and storage. This station will also be used by the department in developing well monitoring and recharging methods. This station is fully computerised and can be accessed remotely, via a telephone line and a computer.
The possibilities of introduction of salt tolerant crops is being investigated.
There are numerous wells throughout the territory which have been used in the past but a number of them have now become saline. This was brought about by overpumping and improper monitoring of the well water quality. Pilot projects will be set up in the near future for the rehabilitation of these wells.
Prior work has been done in this area as mentioned below. A number of forested areas were replanted but problems remain: staff shortage, droughts and how to deal with replanted private lands. The extremely high land prices, create great pressure for the sale of these lands; even of lands used for agriculture. There are a number of laws that deal with water areas and protected areas.
Due to the high labour cost there are limitations to the amount of mitigation that can be done by the farmer. Programmes on soil conservation methods were set up earlier with the farmers. Methods of erosion prevention have been introduced to the Departments involved in road construction.
Equipment has been purchased for the monitoring of salinity and other substances present in the water to be used for irrigation. A meeting was held for the formation of a committee involved in collection of rainfall data. This will be expanded to encompass other aspects to be used for the measurement of natural environmental variables.
A general law, "Trees, soil and water conservation" governs most of these areas. Review of this law is proposed.
Priorities for the British Virgin Islands include:
