Highlights for the week of April 30th

Bird census at Luis Muñoz Marín Park:

On April 26th we performed a bird census at Luis Muñoz Marín Park in San Juan. We counted 31 bird species. This activity was led by our AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers, Diana Ferro and Laura Fidalgo, with the special  contribution of Tania Marrero, from the municipality of San Juan. This effort is part of the VISTA group's ongoing initiative to create environment-based economic growth in our watershed's communities.

Climate change curricular lessons:

This week our Educational Manager, Javier Cardona, and AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, Helen Angell, facilitated climate change curricular lessons for public school students at the Papa Juan XXIII School and Pachín Marín School. Dozens of students learned about the estuary and the effects of climate change in our communities. Also, on April 28th the students from the Pachín Marín School had the opportunity to participate in a mask workshop conducted by Javier Cardona. The activity served to attract students to the discussion on endangered species and invasive species. Art empowers our environmental message based on the framework of education as the practice of freedom.

Monitoring station:  

As part of our current efforts to expand the Estuarine Water Quality Volunteer Monitoring Program of the entity, we are happy to announce our new water quality monitoring lab. Located within our Visitor Center, it will serve as a new space to examine water samplings, as well as other ecosystem indicators of our watershed.

Dune Restoration Pilot Project in Piñones:

Our Science Director, Dr. Jorge F. Bauzá- began a dune restoration pilot project in the dunes of the community of Piñones. As part of the project we installed bamboo sand-retaining fences, which are supposed to help form a new dune. As part of the pilot project, we also planted shrubs to strengthen the sand. Several volunteers conducted coastal profile and beach cleaning.  

We thank our AmeriCorps volunteer, Ivangs Rivera, MSc, who was a leader in the activity, as well as other fifteen (15) estuarine volunteers, to whom we owe the success of the activity.

Here’s a short video: