Robert Schuster
Oral Histories about Great Pond lagoon, St Croix as part of the Great Pond Restoration Action Plan
St. Croix, USVI has only a handful of coastal lagoons that serve as critical habitats for many commercial marine fish species, as well as providing other ecosystem services for the small island community. Great Pond Lagoon, located in the East End Marine Park, is one such area that contributes to food security and hazard mitigation. As part of restoration planning for this priority site, the territory has included oral histories from community leaders. These perspectives provide historical context and characterization of Great Pond over time and highlight the importance of restoration for the future.
This project was made possible by principal investigators at the Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), including the Coastal Resilience Coordinator Hilary Lohmann and the East End Marine Park Coordinator Kelcie Troutman. The oral histories were funded by NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management and produced by Soundstage VI through an agreement between CZM and Tysam Tech, LLC to host a community charrette and produce a Great Pond Restoration Action Plan. More information can be found on the project website and DPNR’s website.
Cameron Daddis
Robert Schuster is an educator and historian. His family has resided on St. Croix for generations, and he has had a deep connection to Great Pond Lagoon since childhood. In recent years, Schuster has also been a witness to substantial environmental change across the island.
Scope and Content Note
Conducted by Kelcie Troutman, the interview with Schuster provides a rich account of St. Croix’s flora and fauna as well as the island’s former industries and historical significance. Schuster shares his early memories of fishing and harvesting rock salt with his father, highlighting the lagoon's role as a vital source of food and recreation for the community. He describes the former state of Great Pond as a vibrant ecosystem that was home to numerous species of fish and crustaceans. However, construction, siltation, and overharvesting have all contributed to the degradation of Great Pond and other lagoons on St. Croix. For Schuster, counteracting such trends must begin with changes to education, government policies, and attitudes toward the environment.
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