Located in the warm waters of the eastern Caribbean, the U.S. Virgin Islands are a hot spot for laid-back nature lovers who thrive on breathtaking views. Responsible for the preservation of these world-renowned beaches and their coastal habitats is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This series of publications is NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation program special project to develop its first comprehensive guide containing the biology, ecology and laws that govern the work of environmental enforcement officers in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 

We collaborated on both brochures and a long form publication for NOAA. The "Wildlife Sanctuaries" and "Seabirds" publications were developed for tourists and visitors to the area, to provide them with regulations and best practices when encountering endangered wildlife in the region. The 230-page publication, The "Regulations and Biology Guide" is fully bilingual, back to front English/Spanish with custom maps and diagrams. It provides Environmental Law Enforcement Officers with a quick source for information needed when conducting field interventions. To ensure the publications' ease-of-use, we split the guide into three major sections – Habitats, Organisms and a Quick Reference Guide. The “Habitats” and “Organisms” tabs includes content and images for habitat, plant and animal identification as well as an explanation of the biology behind the regulations. The quick reference guide is the go-to section for the information most commonly used by Officers, including, maps, tables, diagrams contacts list and detailed intervention procedures. We also developed a series of wall posters, giving law enforcement officers a quick visual reference when identifying species.