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Blue Flag Designations on St. Croix


Blue Flag LogoThe Blue Flag is a prestigious eco-label award given by the Foundation of Environmental Education to beaches, marinas or boats across 46 different countries. Seeing a Blue Flag on a beach or at a marina symbolizes that the utmost care goes into maintaining that area along with ensuring the safety of and educating those who use it. The Blue Flag has been an international award since 1987 and there are around 4,600 beaches and marinas awarded with the Blue Flag worldwide.

The Blue Flag is awarded annually based on a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria which must be met and maintained. The international Blue Flag jury that reviews each application is comprised of representatives from many of the worlds environmental agencies including the World Tourism Organization, the United Nations Environment Program, the International Lifesaving Federation, the European Union for Coastal Conservation, the European Environmental Agency, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, an Environmental Education expert, the International Council for Marine Industry Associations, and the Foundation for Environmental Education. All Blue Flags are awarded by the jury for one season at a time, with the Blue Flag season in the territory running from December 1st through June 30th. If the strict criteria is no longer fulfilled or the conditions change the flag may be withdrawn.

What does is really mean to earn a Blue Flag award? The beaches, marinas and boats that earn this award are meeting or exceeding global standards in amenities, safety, water quality, and environmental standards. The Blue Flag program strives to encourage authorities and managers to provide marinas and beaches that maintain high environmental quality, cleanliness, and safety standards. To learn more about the Blue Flag program, click here.

Green Cay Beach at Tamarind Reef Resort, Spa & Marina was awarded it’s first Blue Flag award on December 1st of 2015, and has maintained it’s Blue Flag designation ever since. Part of Tamarind Reef Resort, this beach affords beautiful views of both Green Cay and Buck Island. This small stretch of well maintained beach boasts rows of towering palms and amenities galore including fantastic snorkeling right off the beach, lounge chairs and cabanas, hammocks, a volleyball court, restrooms, a beach bar and grill, and a beach shack that rents water sports equipment.

Congratulations to Tamarind Reef Resort, Spa & Marina for earning the Blue Flag designation again. We appreciate the hard work you do to keep this eco-label, and to keep your beaches and marina’s cleaned, your amenities maintained, and everything up to the global environmental standards that the Blue Flag represents. Keep up the good work!

-Jennie Ogden, Editor

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