US Virgin Islands
The Living Oceans Foundation conducts coral reef research in the US Virgin Islands. Our scientists conduct extensive local mapping of coral reefs through aerial surveys using remote sensing carried out aboard the Golden Eye, our Cessna amphibious aircraft. The information gathered on our missions is made available to the US Virgin Islands National Park Service for use in selecting sites to designate as Marine Protected Areas. Our goal is to improve the mapping of coral reefs, to understand patters and dynamics of reef communities, and to improve the use of habitat maps for conservation.
In our 2001 mission, we were joined by a group of U.S. researchers collecting sediments, plants, and invertebrates as part of their continued efforts to identify natural marine products with antibiotic and anticancer activities.
