Dark View Falls is located in the northwestern part of Saint Vincent, in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. I came across a photo of the falls on Google Maps, and the scale of the waterfall looked truly massive and majestic. The way the rocks, eroded by the water, blend harmoniously with the surrounding tropical rainforest is really striking. The appearance of the rocks, shaped by water erosion, was so unique that it made me curious about the bedrock of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Since there's an active volcano called La Soufrière on the island of Saint Vincent, I thought the bedrock at the site of the waterfall might be basalt. However, in the photo, the rocks appear lighter and paler in color compared to the typical dark tone of basalt, so I wondered if the bedrock might not actually be basalt.
I’m curious to know whether basalt is truly the bedrock at the location of Dark View Falls. And if it is, could the lighter color be the result of long-term weathering and lateritization processes that altered the original appearance of the basalt?
Since Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island nation located near the equator, I understand that it receives a lot of sunlight and a high amount of rainfall throughout the year. Heavy rainfall often promotes lateritization of the soil, which is why many equatorial countries tend to have reddish soils. I'm curious whether Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also features red-colored lateritic soil.
I'm also wondering if there are any buildings constructed using this type of red soil, and if so, what they look like.
In addition, on the island of Saint Vincent, there's La Soufrière volcano. I’d love to see photos of any lava tubes or unique landforms that have been created as a result of volcanic activity there
Hi! These days, the weather in Korea has finally started to warm up, and it really feels like spring. Spring weather in Korea is known for having large temperature differences between day and night, with daytime highs rising above 15°C. In the mornings, it's cold enough to wear thick jackets, but by the afternoon, people are walking around in short sleeves.
Since Korea is located on the eastern side of the Eurasian continent, it's greatly influenced by seasonal winds blowing from the mainland. As a result, spring tends to be dry and often comes with a lot of fine dust, which causes respiratory issues for many people. The fine dust was really bad until March, but starting in April, it's gotten much better, so the weather now is quite pleasant.
Thanks to the warmer temperatures, cherry blossoms have beautifully bloomed across most regions in Korea. However, the area where my school is located—Yeongjongdo—is still a bit colder than inland areas, so the flowers haven’t bloomed there yet.
South Korea is a country with four distinct seasons, and spring is typically considered to be from March to May. Usually, the weather starts to warm up around mid-March, but perhaps due to climate change, it's only now—well into early April—that we're beginning to feel the temperatures rise. Because of the delayed warming, flowers haven't bloomed until now, either. This likely affected the bees as well, since they rely on blooming flowers for nectar.
As I start to feel the effects of climate change more tangibly, I'm beginning to truly grasp what the term "climate crisis" means. I’ve heard that small island nations around the world are experiencing serious threats due to rising sea levels, and I imagine that St. Vincent and the Grenadines, being an island country, is facing similar challenges. I'm curious—have there been reports of local residents affected by sea level rise in St. Vincent? What kind of environmental issues is the country currently dealing with, and what measures are being taken to address them?
I heard that St. Vincent and the Grenadines suffered human casualties from Hurricane Beryl last July, which is truly heartbreaking. It's believed that the hurricane was influenced by abnormally high sea surface temperatures in the region due to global warming, as well as the end of the El Niño phenomenon.
Since St. Vincent and the Grenadines is one of the countries directly impacted by climate change and the climate crisis, I became curious about what kind of environmental measures they’re implementing, so I looked into it. I found that the country is systematizing its response to climate-related disasters through its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), and it has set greenhouse gas reduction targets through the implementation of the Paris Agreement and its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
To address coastal erosion caused by rising sea levels, they are strengthening infrastructure in low-lying areas and constructing sea defenses. They are also expanding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to safeguard marine ecosystems, and they are working to conserve terrestrial ecosystems through forest protection and reforestation efforts. As a small island nation on the front lines of the climate crisis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines seems to be making essential efforts for survival and long-term sustainability.
Learning that St. Vincent and the Grenadines has set goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions made me reflect on the situation in Korea. Although Korea has similar goals, public participation remains low, so meaningful change has been slow. That’s why I’m curious—what exactly are St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ greenhouse gas reduction plans? And are the people there actively participating in the country’s environmental policies?
