Background Paper No. 2


 3) As a Land Grant institution, the College is now in

a position to fill the local niche that has traditionally

provided for the bulk of core research, both basic and ap-

plied, in the ecological sciences.

 4) With the presence of the administrative (Caribbean

Research Institute) and operational (Virgin Islands Ecolo-

gical Research Station) structures for this research, the

College is functionally prepared to undertake a wide variety

of research programs.


Virgin Islands Ecological Research Station.

 The Ecological Research Station is a unique research

facility in the West Indies, in that it: (1) Is administra-

tivel authorized to conduct ecological research on both ter-

restrial and marine habitats, and, (2) Is by right of it's

location on the island of St. John logistically positioned

to conduct such research literally in it's own backyard.

Further to this, is the fact that those habitats are pro-

tected by right of the presence of the Virgin Islands Nat-

ional Park.

 This facility is funded by an annual appropriation from

the Legislature of the Government of the Virgin Islands, and

is administered by the College of the Virgin Islands through

it's Caribbean Research Institute.

 Logically, and by continental president, this facility

 as a part of a Land Grant College should provide for the bulk

 of ecological research in the Virgin Islands. The history of

 the Station and it's contributions have been clouded by ad-


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