Fellow Project: Including Traditional Knowledge to Design Reef-Safe Landscapes in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Learn about the research of Race Stryker, a 2022 Diverse Knowledge Systems Fellow.
Fellow Information
- Race Stryker, University of the Virgin Islands
- Fellowship: 2022 Diverse Knowledge Systems Fellow
- Mentor: Mitch Eaton, Southeast CASC
Project Summary
The degradation of coral reefs is a global issue that tends to attract global attention. Global action is required to reduce some of the biggest threats to coral reefs, like ocean acidification and ocean warming, but global action cannot overshadow the importance of local action to reduce local threats to coral reefs such as terrestrial runoff. Heavy rains can transport sediment and pollutants into coastal waters where they can smother corals and reduce the productivity of local fisheries. The impacts of sedimentation are exacerbated by increasing development, land-use change, and climate-modified precipitation patterns. There is a pressing need for local solutions to match the scale of the threats from localized terrestrial runoff. Fortunately, the negative impacts of runoff can be reduced by local initiatives. This project aims to collaborate with prominent community members in the USVI to incorporate diverse ways of knowing into the design and testing of different vegetated buffer strips to promote reef-safe landscapes and the restoration of culturally significant landscapes in the US Virgin Islands.
Learn about the research of Race Stryker, a 2022 Diverse Knowledge Systems Fellow.
Fellow Information
- Race Stryker, University of the Virgin Islands
- Fellowship: 2022 Diverse Knowledge Systems Fellow
- Mentor: Mitch Eaton, Southeast CASC
Project Summary
The degradation of coral reefs is a global issue that tends to attract global attention. Global action is required to reduce some of the biggest threats to coral reefs, like ocean acidification and ocean warming, but global action cannot overshadow the importance of local action to reduce local threats to coral reefs such as terrestrial runoff. Heavy rains can transport sediment and pollutants into coastal waters where they can smother corals and reduce the productivity of local fisheries. The impacts of sedimentation are exacerbated by increasing development, land-use change, and climate-modified precipitation patterns. There is a pressing need for local solutions to match the scale of the threats from localized terrestrial runoff. Fortunately, the negative impacts of runoff can be reduced by local initiatives. This project aims to collaborate with prominent community members in the USVI to incorporate diverse ways of knowing into the design and testing of different vegetated buffer strips to promote reef-safe landscapes and the restoration of culturally significant landscapes in the US Virgin Islands.