“The basic mission of Camp Umoja is to provide a location where the community from newborn to our elders can come and just commune with nature. Be at One. Be at peace with nature. Learn to appreciate, to become invigorated with, all that is here for us to enjoy. Our motto is ‘Unity with Nature Promotes Unity Among Man’“. ~ Anna Wallace Francis, Founding Director
Click Here to see the
ENVIRONMENTAL RANGERS
FACEBOOK PAGE
An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2
Environmental Quality Award Winner for Environmental Education
Enroll your children or students in our exciting and award-winning outdoor education programs.
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- An Environmental Ranger assists co-founder Alcedo Francis with construction of a new campsite cabin.
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- Anna Wallace Francis
♦ The Environmental Rangers enrolls ages 12 to 18.
♦ Small group sizes for Individual Attention!
We maintain a maximum limit of Five Children per Adult staff/volunteer
♦ Talk to us about special Eco-tours and classroom presentations for children younger than 12 years.
The exotic Mandahl Bay Beach, Salt Pond and Mangrove Lagoon Eco-system is right on our doorstep and hosts literally thousands of species.
We have area-experienced guides and educators with outdoor safety and rescue training to help assure visitors a safe and up-close look at the eco-system’s hidden treasures*.
♦ ADA Compliant Tours and Programs available!*
Exposure to the wild has shown benefits for many physically and/or mentally challenged individuals. We can accommodate or customize to most special needs provided we are informed in advance of your special situation.*
♦ Family and Special Occasion Tours
We are ready whenever you are. You do not have to be a Ranger to partake of Camp Umoja’s activities and Eco-learning experiences. Your family, school club or organization’s fun day committee, etc. can enjoy a half or full day of Eco-Activities centered around your schedule.
♦ Year-round Community Eco-activities ranging from composting and agriculture to wildlife research and telescope stargazing.
♦ BECOME AN ENVIRONMENTAL RANGER ♦
♦ BOOK A MANDAHL ECO-SYSTEM EDUCATIONAL TOUR AND FUN DAY ♦
{Rates effective 2015}
♦ SIGN UP TO BE ALERTED TO CAMP UMOJA COMMUNITY DAYS AND EVENTS ♦
VIEWS OF THE CAMP ECO-SYSTEM
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- FISH EAGLE – Osprey at Tutu Bay
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- Too many different species of lizards to count!
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- New-born fry in the night waters of Mandahl Lagoon
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- A crab camoflagues itself by growing seaweed and algae on its shell.
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- An Iguana basks on Mandahl rocks in the midday sun.
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- A Fan Worm in the salt pond and lagoon.
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- Duppy, the Great Land Crab.
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- Rock hopper. lol
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- Tidepool babies. Mandahl Bay has been declared a critical nursery habitat!
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- A Brown Pelican soars low over the waves of Mandahl Bay.
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- Love bugs.
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- A school of sprat swims by
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- A Little Blue Heron stands watch among Mandahl’s Mangroves.
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- Hans Lollick Island seen from Mandahl shoreline
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- How small do crabs get?
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- A Fireworm, Sea Urchin and Stonefish crawl the rocky edges of Mandahl Beach. Learning about your eco-system also helps keep you safe and prepared!
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- It only looks dangerous. Still, it is best to follow our experienced nature guides to avoid a face full of …
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- Meet Murry.
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- Sea Skaters skitter about at super speeds in the mangrove lagoon shallows.
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- Duppy, the Great Land Crab is sought after for its succulent meat.
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- Dreams of owning a mansion …
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- A Little Blue Heron patrols the far Mandahl shoreline.
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- Brown Pelican deploys flaps for landing.
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- A Magnificent Frigate bird hunts along the Mandahl shoreline
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- A crab suns itself on the rocks at Mandahl Bay
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- Nieghboring Tutu Bay seen from Mandahl hillside
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- Dinner! Dinner!
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- A blossom of wild-growing cotton at Mandahl Bay.
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- The Jack Spaniard … local Terror of the Skies
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- A mongoose, invasive to the Virgin Islands, scours Mandahl for scraps of human food and to raid bird and turtle nests of eggs.
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- This bird looks like a booby while diving.
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- Mushroom in Mandahl shoreline undergrowth
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- Anemonea
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- Puffer at rest for the night in a few inches of lagoon water.
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- A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron flies past Mangroves at night.
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- The Mandahl Eco-system
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- Mushrooms in the shoreline underbrush at Mandahl Bay
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- Full Moons are clear as the mid-day sun at Mandahl Bay and Camp Umoja Camp Grounds.
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- Bananas ripening at Camp Umoja
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- The VI State Bird – The Bannanaquit a/k/a Yellow Breast
NEW ATTRACTIONS OPENING SOON TO THE PUBLIC:
♦ The Camp Umoja Stellar Observatory
Blood Moon, April 4, 2014, East End, St. Thomas. ©karlcallwood
With very sparse human development in the region, night time is dark and the stars really shine! Camp Umoja’s hilltop view location provides prime stargazing views East, North and West! After several successful community telescope stargazing nights, plans are now underway for the installation of a permanent telescope platform.
In the meantime, stellar activities are held from time-to-time on a temporary viewing platform on the hillside using the portable high power telescope of volunteer, Richard Callwood III
Stargazing nights are free admission, low noise, family nights.
♦ The Marine Center at Camp Umoja
Puffer at rest for the night in a few inches of lagoon water.
A small-scale educational life-studies aquarium for youth is being created in the Marine Center Building at Mandahl Bay. The facility is designed to study, and show off to the public, regional life with zero Eco-system impact.
♦ Year-Round Overnight Camping for Youth and Adults
An Environmental Ranger assists co-founder Alcedo Francis with construction of a new campsite cabin.
We are continually maintaining and improving services on the camp ground to ensure safe and pleasant experiences for our visitors. To do this we sometimes have to close sections or curtail certain services. Overnight camping has been suspended for the time being while low-impact improvements and routine maintenance work is done on natural camping areas and trails.
Day-time tours and educational activities are not affected by the temporary closures.
Year-round Overnight Camping will return to Camp Umoja in the near future. Use the “Subscribe” box in the right hand column to be updated on camp activities and events.
DIRECTIONS TO CAMP UMOJA’S CAMPGROUND
Camp Umoja’s 10.9 acre campground is located on the North-East side of St. Thomas and abuts the beautiful Mandahl Bay Beach, Salt Pond and Mangrove Lagoon.
21B,ROW,21B-C,21B-2, MANDAHL, GREAT NORTHSIDE QT 1
(Instead of making a left to enter Mandahl Beach, turn right at the bottom of Salt Pond Road. From there Campground entrance is 100 feet to the right.)
Use the ©Google Map for directions to our Mandahl Bay area campsite.
*Spending time quality outdoors is a great way to keep physically and mentally fit. While generally safe and healthy on the whole, all outdoor activities come with certain inherent risks from the environment to you and/or your health. You will typically be safer, learn better and observe more wildlife using the services of our area-experienced guides. Before engaging in strenuous outdoor activities such as hiking, exposure to harsh sunlight or rains, or extended swimming/kayaking to name a few, see a doctor to make certain you are healthy enough. Our volunteers and staff consist of educators and trained safety-and-rescue personnel. If you have special needs, let us know and we may be able to custom-tailor a safe, educational and enjoyable day for you.