Long Bay Picnic Area Ready
The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change has opened a new public picnic area and “Living Classroom” at Long Bay Beach, Beef Island, completing the final phase of the Long Bay Beach Management Plan. Fifteen locally made picnic tables and ten three-part recycling bin sets were installed in partnership with Green VI and the Department of Waste Management to improve visitor experience and strengthen local recycling efforts.
The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change has announced the completion of a new public picnic area and a “Living Classroom” at Long Bay Beach, Beef Island, marking the final phase of the Long Bay Beach Management Plan. The finishing touches follow months of phased improvements designed to protect and enhance one of the Territory’s popular coastal spaces for residents and visitors alike.
Last week crews installed 15 picnic tables and ten three-part waste-recycling bin sets along the beachfront. The tables and bins were produced locally by VI Plastics using recycled materials collected through the territory’s ‘We Recycle Programme’. The installation was carried out in partnership with Green VI and the Department of Waste Management.
Director of Environment Angela Burnett Penn said she was pleased with the work of the Ministry team and partners. “I am happy to see another phase of this project completed. I hope that persons who frequent the beach are appreciative and respectful of this addition, which is intended to enhance the user experience,” she said, noting that the picnic tables were placed within the natural vegetation line to allow shade, breeze and unobstructed views.
The site includes three-part recycling stations for general waste, aluminium and plastic. Beach users are expected to sort materials into the correct bins and are encouraged to avoid bringing glass to the beach for safety reasons. The Ministry asks that picnic tables be cleared after use and not moved from their assigned locations so the site remains safe and accessible.
The picnic area complements interpretive and enforcement signage installed at the beach in December 2025. The signs form part of the Living Classroom concept and explain coastal ecosystems, dune function, the seagrape replanting initiative, native trees and invasive species, turtle nesting activity and sargassum landings.
Enforcement signage also aims to raise awareness and support compliance with laws and policies on sand mining, anchoring, littering and lighting fires. Environmental Officer Atoya George underlined the need for public stewardship. “We encourage everyone to help take care of the newly installed picnic tables and waste-recycling bins so they can be enjoyed for years to come and continue to serve their intended purpose,” she said.
Green VI will monitor bin use and contents as part of its implementation of the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR) project in partnership with the Ministry, to better understand local waste streams. The Long Bay Beach Management Plan began in 2023 and progressed through earlier phases including structured parking (Phase 1), replanting over 360 native trees under “Operation Restoration” (Phase 2) and construction of a vending zone (Phase 3).
Funding for the plan combines Government support with two Unite BVI grants; for this final phase Unite BVI covered signage, picnic tables and general waste bins, while the Government funded the recycling bins. The Ministry thanked the community for continued cooperation in protecting the Territory’s natural spaces.
Primary source: BVI Government