St. John Land Conservancy (SJLC)
is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community organization dedicated to
the preservation of the natural and historic resources of St. John
Our Purpose
We share the concern that St. John is threatened with the destruction of natural habitat, historic and cultural resources,
and the loss of public access.
We strive to mitigate these threats by attaining land and other resources to protect from future development
so that all St. Johnians and visitors alike can continue to enjoy the splendor of this beautiful island.
Our Accomplishments
We are very proud of our first accomplishment — the preservation of historic Haulover on the East End of St. John in 2011 and 2014. These 3.6 acres of unspoiled beach property, fronting both north and south bays, were to be sold to off-island concerns for condominium development. The history, culture and life that this land sustains are now saved for all to enjoy. See Projects
Our second main accomplishment was the preservation of the eastern tip of Lovango Cay. This lovely piece of land — more than an acre on the very easternmost tip of Lovango — has been set aside for our community for public enjoyment, both scenic and otherwise, by current and future generations. The scenery and nature of this land and surrounding waters will be maintained, thanks to this generous donation and the efforts of all involved with the SJLC.
You love the warm breezes and the aroma of tropical blooms, the sounds of birds, the waves on a pebble beach that are the distinctive charms of our island, St John. We do too, and we believe in celebrating and protecting them for everybody – forever.
The future of preservation begins with you and you can make a difference.
Please help us to save other endangered properties and keep St John, St John.
is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community organization dedicated to
the preservation of the natural and historic resources of St. John
Our Purpose
We share the concern that St. John is threatened with the destruction of natural habitat, historic and cultural resources,
and the loss of public access.
We strive to mitigate these threats by attaining land and other resources to protect from future development
so that all St. Johnians and visitors alike can continue to enjoy the splendor of this beautiful island.
Our Accomplishments
We are very proud of our first accomplishment — the preservation of historic Haulover on the East End of St. John in 2011 and 2014. These 3.6 acres of unspoiled beach property, fronting both north and south bays, were to be sold to off-island concerns for condominium development. The history, culture and life that this land sustains are now saved for all to enjoy. See Projects
Our second main accomplishment was the preservation of the eastern tip of Lovango Cay. This lovely piece of land — more than an acre on the very easternmost tip of Lovango — has been set aside for our community for public enjoyment, both scenic and otherwise, by current and future generations. The scenery and nature of this land and surrounding waters will be maintained, thanks to this generous donation and the efforts of all involved with the SJLC.
You love the warm breezes and the aroma of tropical blooms, the sounds of birds, the waves on a pebble beach that are the distinctive charms of our island, St John. We do too, and we believe in celebrating and protecting them for everybody – forever.
The future of preservation begins with you and you can make a difference.
Please help us to save other endangered properties and keep St John, St John.
Our Mission
To preserve the natural and historic resources of St. John.
Meet Our Team
Officers and Directors
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Karen VahlingPresidentKaren Vahling became a full-time resident of St. John some 27 years ago. As a SCUBA Dive Master from Illinois, Vahling fell in love with the underwater world first, and soon learned the connection between healthy coral reefs and land development practices. Passionate and determined to protect the environment above and below the water, she volunteered to collect scientific data related to the effects of erosion on coral reefs and began a quest for the education and tools to make a difference for St. John.
As a nontraditional student, Vahling graduated with honors at age 39 with a BS in Environmental Communications and Nonprofit Management from Colorado State University, Ft. Collins. She launched into the nonprofit world with an internship at the Coral Bay Community Council, where she did environmental outreach about erosion control for the community, contractors, school groups and visitors. Meanwhile, Vahling began building her eco-friendly home in Coral Bay from the ground up, following Green Building guidelines established by the Island Green Living Association, which she became Executive Director of for several years, launching creative recycling initiatives such as today’s Resource Depot. In 2012, Vahling became Development Director for Friends of Virgin Islands National Park, the largest nonprofit based in the Virgin Islands. Here, Vahling was able to bring her passion to bear on 23 programs and projects that preserve, protect and educate for Virgin Islands National Park. In close collaboration with the President, Vahling had senior responsibility for all aspects of fundraising, membership, coordination of special events, and public relations for the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park. Known for her “outside the box” thinking, Vahling prepared development strategies and annual development plans, lead fundraising activities, cultivated private and corporate donations, wrote grants, and generally raised awareness of the organization’s accomplishments and activities. In her tenure, Vahling increased event revenue 40 percent and secured several major donations and grants. She also created many new fundraising and cost-reducing initiatives still in use by the organization today. Throughout her nonprofit career on St. John, Vahling worked to complete her eco-friendly rental villa that runs on the sun and rain, and remains free of hot tubs and swimming pools, which she feels are out of place in the nature of things. She lives in a small, rooftop cottage under 30 solar panels with her partner, Jeff, who can build or fix just about anything. Most days, Vahling can be found tending to organic produce in her garden, or walking her 11-pound rescue dog, Taco, to far-flung places around St. John. And in her spare time, Vahling still puts her passion and experience to good use, as Volunteer President for the St. John Land Conservancy. |
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Gabrielle Audain
Board Member & Secretary
Gabrielle spent much of her childhood and adolescent years with her family in the Virgin Islands. While Gabrielle was born and raised in South Florida, she didn't allow distance to get in the way of keeping deeply in touch with her cultural roots on St. John. She graduated from Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English where she studied various genres of literature from Shakespeare to Caribbean Women Writers. Gabrielle brings to SJLC a tenacious background in writing and editing, where her perspicacity and technique have led her to roles in the fields of Education and Public Relations. After years of spending her summer vacations on St. John, and after completing her college degree, Gabrielle decided to permanently stay on the island with a vision to work and engage with her community. Gabrielle became a SJLC volunteer in October of 2020, serving on the SJLC marketing and communications committee, where she exercises her skills in social media management. Gabby showed dedication to SJLC as well as excellent writing and administrative skills which lead to her take on the role of Secretary in January 2020. We at SJLC are extremely pleased to have Gabby on our board!
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Clifford DavidBoard Member
Cliff David first visited St. John in 1976 and stayed at the Maho campgrounds. Ever since that first visit he has been charmed by the beauty and the unique community of caring people. After several visits he and his wife bought a property in Kiddel Bay and spent the next 10 years restoring the house and grounds. David’s career has included work with government, Nonprofits and the private sector.
Working for the Town of Windsor, CT he managed a 500 acre park adding additional acreage to the park, establishing an Interruptive Nature Center, creating year round educational programming, creating several revenue generating programs and establishing a nonprofit “Friends” group that raised several hundred thousand dollars. David also managed the permitting process for protection of wetlands and watercourses in the Town. After leaving government David became President of Heritage Conservancy a regional Land Trust based in southeast PA. During his tenure at the Conservancy the organization protected seve ral thousand acres of land, created several revenue producing programs such as a conservation planning department, real estate management and increased grant and major donor contributions. The organization grew from 5 FTE to 30 allowing the organization to expand its geographic service area from SE PA to multi state. Following a 20 year career at Heritage Conservancy David established “Conservation Economics” a consulting firm focused on generating revenue from natural ecosystems while preserving the the natural habitat. Clients have included BNYMellon Bank, AquaAmerica, PPL utility company and Family offices. Over the years David has served on numerous government, Nonprofit and Private Corporation Boards. |
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Scott HayesBoard Member
Scott Hayes and his wife Lori first came to St. John in 2005. They were immediately taken by the natural beauty of St. John and the warm and welcoming community that greeted them. After several more trips to the island, they purchased a small home in Coral Bay in 2007 to gain a foothold in the place they now knew they wanted to live and retire full-time one day. Like too many others, their home was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and they began the long process of rebuilding, completing construction nearly 3 years later. They spent the next year living in Coral Bay, working to become more ingrained in the community they love and gaining a broader understanding of the sensitive environmental issues that threaten the delicate ecosystems of the Virgin Islands. When introduced to the St. John Land Conservancy, Scott realized this as opportunity to use his expertise in finance and his experience in working with non-profit agencies to help tackle these important issues and to give back to the community and the island that he loves.
Scott has served on a variety of not-for-profit boards ranging from his local sailing club to most recently serving as president of the American Retirement Association in Washington, D.C. He is a CFA Charterholder and he owns and operates a financial services firm based in Dallas, TX. |
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Anna LawsonBoard Member
A former writer and editor for Hollins College (now University) and the Kettering Foundation, Anna Lawson has served on a number of local and state boards in Virginia, chairing those of The Nature Conservancy (Virginia chapter), Hollins, TAP (a Virginia regional poverty agency), and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.
She spent eight years as a trustee of the Virginia Environmental Endowment (a grant- making organization created in 1976 with court-ordered fines levied against Allied Chemical Co. for dumping Kepone in Virginia’s James River), and was a board member of the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (appointed by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine in 2007). Until recently she was vice chair of the board of Valley Conservation Council, the 11-county land trust in her area. She has also served on the board of Population Connection, a national education and advocacy organization committed to stabilizing world population (successor to ZPG). Anna was a founding director, in 1994, of ValleyBank (Roanoke, VA), now part of Pinnacle Financial Partners, headquartered in Nashville, TN. Currently, she chairs the Friends Council of the NPR affiliate in her region, WVTF, based at Virginia Tech, and is a board member of Rachel’s Network, a national environmental organization of women leaders and agents of change dedicated to the stewardship of the earth. She holds BA and MA degrees in English from Hollins College, and PhD in anthropology from the University of Virginia, with a dissertation focused on presentation of African-American history in a leading US history museum. The Lawson family began visiting St.John in 1979. In 1992, Anna and her husband, Tom, an artist and writer, built a house in St. Quaco & Zimmerman above Johnson’s Bay, and now split their time between St. John and Virginia, living in the Blue Ridge Mountains on land watered by Tinker Creek and abutting the Appalachian Trail. They have two grown children, five grandchildren, three dogs, and a pair of (wild) great blue herons who nest annually on their (Virginia) creek. On St. John they watch birds, snorkel, paddle board, garden, walk, read, and listen to live music, especially local jazz an open mike events. |
Blake Parker
Board Member
Blake is from the rural midwest. When he first found Coral Bay he knew it was the place for him. He and Terri built a house in Coral Bay - and would still be there full time but for grandchildren living in Iowa.
Blake is an attorney licensed in Iowa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. His wife, Terri, was a teacher at Gifft Hill School. Blake was on the Gifft Hill School board for part of his time on island. Blake’s time in Coral Bay was largely spent working with Coral Bay Community Council managing a grant project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to mitigate stormwater runoff in eastern St. John watersheds. This involved getting the stakeholders (homeowners and neighborhood groups) to play well with various government agencies with the goal to improve the quality of stormwater flowing into the pristine waters of St. John.
Throughout his career Blake worked for minority communities; women, the disabled, people of color, and the elderly. Often this work involved serving on nonprofit boards. When SJLC called, he was more than delighted to step forward and become a board member.
Blake tends the largest garden he has ever enjoyed with his three grandchildren, his beagle that was rescued on St. John, and a doodle dog. He continues to practice law with his son, Judd.
Blake is an attorney licensed in Iowa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. His wife, Terri, was a teacher at Gifft Hill School. Blake was on the Gifft Hill School board for part of his time on island. Blake’s time in Coral Bay was largely spent working with Coral Bay Community Council managing a grant project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to mitigate stormwater runoff in eastern St. John watersheds. This involved getting the stakeholders (homeowners and neighborhood groups) to play well with various government agencies with the goal to improve the quality of stormwater flowing into the pristine waters of St. John.
Throughout his career Blake worked for minority communities; women, the disabled, people of color, and the elderly. Often this work involved serving on nonprofit boards. When SJLC called, he was more than delighted to step forward and become a board member.
Blake tends the largest garden he has ever enjoyed with his three grandchildren, his beagle that was rescued on St. John, and a doodle dog. He continues to practice law with his son, Judd.
Founders
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Lauren MercadanteFounding President40 years ago, I began coming to St John annually with my parents, who had a condo on St. Thomas, long before there was a K Mart. When I was 15 a friend of mine and I rented a Sunfish at Red Hook for $3.00 and sailed it to Salomon Beach and back, my hands bloody and blistered. We hiked into the bush, not knowing where we were going, among bird calls and Gongolos, to the smiling faces who greeted us in a dusty and peaceful town - I was hooked. When life permitted, I continued the tradition with my own family, and now live part-time in St Quacco with my wonderful husband, George. I started working with the Friends of the National Park volunteer trail crew from its inception and was a docent at Annaberg. I am a gardener, a naturalist, a hiker and the luckiest woman on Earth.
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George MercadanteFounding SecretaryBorn, relatively happy childhood, school, more school, work, work, work, ..., work, retire. End of bio.
I'm on the last step and I can't think of a better place to be now than St. John! Pristine beauty and access to beaches, trails, and ruins; her undeniable "quaintness" and slow, comfortable pace. And what could be more fun than donkeys, sheep, and chickens in the road? I love everything about this delicate island. (Lion fish - not so much.) But, as we all know, her many charms are endangered by relentless over-development. How long can St. John remain St. John against that pressure? Is her decline as inevitable as it seems? I don't know. But I can not accept this slow mutation into non-uniqueness. So I hope to add, "... and tried to protect St. John along the way", to the end of my bio. Actually, chickens are a mixed blessing. Hens are great and baby chicks too, of course. But when you're trying to sleep, roosters can be a real pain in the ... island, let's say.. |
Administrative Support
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March C. StormMarch joined STLC in June 2021 to assist with administrative tasks. A 16 year resident of the Caribbean, she brings with her a passion for preserving the unique natural resources here and experience working with non-profit organizations on three islands: St John, Puerto Rico and Bonaire. March is bilingual (English/Spanish), holds an international business degree from The George Washington University and completed her teaching certification at Universidad del Sagrado Corazon in Puerto Rico. She is excited for the opportunity to contribute to land conservancy on St John.
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A special thank you to Steve Simonson for donating his great photography for this site!
See his work here.
See his work here.
