VITAL is Blazing Trails on St. Croix
The Virgin Islands Trail Alliance (VITAL) is a non-profit organization in St. Croix working hard with residents, government and community leaders across the island to bring multi-use pathways for people of all ages and abilities to St. Croix and the Virgin Islands. From clearing hiking trails to installing signage and creating walking/biking pathways, VITAL is bringing nature, heritage, health and adventure together for the enjoyment of the community.

According to the VI Trail Alliance: “VITAL was created to identify, plan, develop, build and manage (in some cases) a system of interconnecting multi-use pathways, green spaces, parks, walking paths, and biking trails in the Virgin Islands. In the territory, safe walking and biking trails are limited, inconvenient, disconnected, and are not conducive to daily living and recreation. In addition, the roads and traffic patterns do not support a pedestrian friendly environment. Building multi-use pathways will create new opportunities and add unique value to the territory by enhancing the territory’s infrastructure and connecting people to services, daily living, and recreation.“

While much of their trail work is not visible from the roads, you’ve probably seen or enjoyed their improvements somewhere on St. Croix. Along the Christiansted Bypass VITAL refurbished the beautiful wooden bench planters and installed the new bicycle lane along the Christiansted Bypass, and off Northside Road they cleared, marked and opened the Windsor Farm Trails. In addition to the projects they’ve already completed, VITAL has several major projects in the concept and design phases including the Historical East/West Maroon Trails, Gallows Bay Boardwalk, Scenic Road Revitalization, Frederiksted to Scenic Road Entrance and many more.

VITAL also partners with local organizations to extend their reach and expand community involvement. They collaborated with AARP on the AARP Fit Park at Altoona Lagoon, which includes the walking trail and workout equipment stations. They partnered with US Fish & Wildlife and the St. Croix Hiking association to clear the trail and install wooden benches, handcrafted by My Brother’s Workshop, and wonderful descriptive signs explaining the history of the Fort and information about shorebirds on the knoll where Fort Louise Augusta stood at Altoona Lagoon. VITAL also collaborates with the St. Croix Hiking Association to clear and maintain existing public access trails on St. Croix like the Hams Bluff Lighthouse Trail. The list of VI Trail Alliance partners is extensive, from government departments to community organizations. To learn more about VITAL partners, check out their website here.

VITAL has also worked tirelessly to win grants from AARP, NPS, USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry, and The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI), and has been putting those funds to good use. As a non-profit, VITAL depends on grants, volunteers, and local community support and involvement. In fact, VITAL’s progress depends on how quickly they can obtain funding and put it to use. To find out how you can volunteer or donate, visit their website at vitrails.org.

THANK YOU to everyone involved in the VI Trail Alliance, from the board members and partners, to the sponsors and volunteers! Your hard work is giving everyone access to so much more of St. Croix to explore and enjoy, as well as providing great educational opportunities and places for the community to come together. If you want to get involved with the VI Trail Alliance, explore their trail maps, or learn more about their projects, please check out their website at vitrails.org. They are a shining example of what can be done when residents, government, local organizations and community leaders work together.
-Jennie Ogden, Editor