expand the Ferry Road facility.

It began work on a new marine warehouse.

And in a ground breaking ceremony, held on Thursday, BBSR director Tony Knap said the warehouse will store scientific instruments and marine equipment used aboard the Station's 115-foot research vessel, the Weatherbird II . The original building plans were altered when it was discovered that a cedar tree was on the proposed site.

The Biological Station decided to move the warehouse site some 40 feet in order to save the indigenous tree.

Funds for the warehouse were raised earlier this year through the Ray Moore Challenge.

Trustee and long-time friend of the Biological Station Ray Moore proposed that if the public could donate $50,000, he would match it dollar for dollar.

The $50,000 was raised within six weeks and Mr. Moore honoured his pledge. The money raised met the requirements for an NSF-funded programme, resulting in an additional $225,000.

The money also went toward a state-of-the-art mass-spectrometer that is now housed at the Biological Station.

"Improvements for the station mean improvements for the whole of Bermuda,'' Mr. Moore said.

But Dr. Knap said: "Without the help of Bermuda's community and friends like Ray Moore, the Station wouldn't be the international success that it is today.''