UPDATE as of Dec 8, 2022: The construction costs of the main platform has been fully funded and the platform is complete. The VNWR supplied all the materials and Ticatove's fundraising efforts covered the labor costs. In order to open to the general public, the FWS will complete a mid-mountain parking lot, open a trail under canopy and install interpretive signs. Stay tuned for the grand opening of the main platform and for future fundraising efforts for other related projects.
As of June 2021, planning for the Monte Pirata Observation Platform has been well underway. To date we have raised $20,000.00, including meeting a $5,000.00 challenge grant. Due to the support of local donors, the VNWR received additional funding to purchase the materials for the main observation platform. This freed Ticatove's donations to fund the employment of local residents as the construction crew. We are thrilled to report a local contractor has joined the project and construction of phase 1 began March 21, 2022!
Yet, we still need your support to cover the materials and labor for the additional walk-ways, hiking trails, and interpretive signs design work and printing, all of which we aim to have in place for the grand reopening!
TICATOVE, a local, community-based, non-profit organization, has worked on conservation of nesting sea turtles and other natural resources for over 15 years, assisting the Vieques NWR on projects that improve Wildlife Refuge visitor experiences and expand recreational opportunities. We believe this observation platform and the accompanying hiking trails fits our core mission.
TICATOVE is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, and your contribution is tax deductible within the limits of the law.