Photos:  Volunteers from the Capetillo community participate in the PR Water Monitoring Day; the San Juan Municipality and the DNER cleanup 1,200 tons of debris from the Martín Peña Channel; and volunteers performing beach profiles.

Our highlights for the months of April and May 2012 are as follow:

Puerto Rico Water Quality Monitoring Day:  Island-wide Citizen Science in practice – On April 21 more than 1,200 volunteers joined ranks with the SJBEP to complete the 4^th Puerto Rico Water Quality Monitoring Day.  Thanks to our volunteers we were able to monitor approximately 120 water bodies along 30 municipalities. The collected data will be submitted to the World Water Quality Monitoring Challenge database.

Through this event we offer water-monitoring kits to persons from all ages, which they use as a tool to interact with water bodies and produce knowledge and information about their immediate ecosystem.  This year the person in charge of the coordination of the event was Gladys Rivera.

We want to thank our sponsors and collaborators: the Environmental Protection Agency, the Environmental Quality Board, the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Puerto Rico Water and Environment Association.  

Related news:

http://www.prdailysun.com/index.php?page=news.article&id=1335063987

http://www.elnuevodia.com/videos-noticias-monitoreanlacalidaddelagua-1575827384001.html

http://www.elnuevodia.com/celebraeldiamundialdemonitoreodecalidaddeagua-1228355.html

http://www.telemundopr.com/telenoticias/ciencia/Convocan-a-la-ciudadania-a-participar-de-iniciativa-para-proteger-nuestros-cuerpos-de-agua-146071225.html

http://www.primerahora.com/invitanaparticipardeldiademonitoreodecalidaddelagua-632058.html

http://revistaatabey.com/blog/2012/04/19/programa-del-estuario-de-la-bahia-de-san-juan-celebra-el-dia-de-monitoreo-de-calidad-de-agua-en-puerto-rico/

Staggering 1,200 tons of debris removed from the Martín Peña Channel-  The San Juan Municipality and the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (part of our Management Conference), performed this massive mechanized cleanup that began in February 29 to March 2, 2012, and continued during May 25, 2012.  The effort took ninety (90) trips to the Humacao landfill and the use of three trucks: one (1) unit of 52 feet, one (1) unit of 25 feet, and one (1) unit of 16 feet. 

After the cleanup the Municipality of San Juan installed signs with a telephone number where citizens can denounce illegal dumping in the area.  This event is certainly a step further in the implementation of our Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) and the restoration of the Martín Peña Channel.

EPA’s Evaluation Committee:  The Program at its highest point in eleven years – Every four years the San Juan Bay Estuary Program - as well as all organizations affiliated to the National Estuary Program- undergoes a rigorous evaluation from the Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters.  On this occasion the entity’s Executive Director, Dr. Javier Laureano, welcomed the Evaluation Committee in San Juan from April 29 to May 1^st.  On May 1^st the Board of Directors convened and EPA officials announced the preliminary results of the evaluation, agreeing to pass the SJBEP for another four years.  The Evaluation Committee spokesperson, Noemí Mercado, expressed that at this moment the San Juan Bay Estuary Program is at its highest point of development of the last eleven years.

The PR Daily Sun covered this key evaluation visit:

http://www.prdailysun.com/index.php?page=news.article&id=1335871051

   

Two tons of debris removed from the Ausubo Creek Riparian Restoration, planting begins– The San Juan Bay Estuary Program is part of an alliance to study and restore the Río Piedras river, the main freshwater source of the San Juan Bay.   The National Science Foundation sponsors the Río Piedras initiative through the San Juan Urban Long Term Research Alliance (ULTRA). 

Thanks to the Special Fund of the San Juan Bay Estuary Program, the organization was able to further the restoration of two acres of a riparian ecosystem related to one of the tributaries of the Río Piedras river, the Ausubo creek.

The organization removed two (2) tons of debris from the area and one (1) acre of invasive vegetation, rearranged the land banks near the creek to improve its drainage, and distributed seven trucks of wood shavings to improve the survival rate of new trees being planted in the two acres.

On May 26, 2012 several volunteers planted endemic species in that area donated by the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust, and during the summer volunteers will be watering the trees.  Other partners contributing to the Ausubo Creek Riparian Restoration include the Arboretum de Cupey, Scuba Dogs Society, Grupos Ambientales Interdisciplinarios (GAIA), and Boricuá.        

Climate change:  Beach profiles begins- As part of the SJBEP’s initiatives to study the effects of Climate Change on the coast, Ernesto Olivares, who is our Monitoring Coordinator, conducted the first beach profiles in the Piñones area.  The event took place on April 5 and 16, 2012.  Through these measurements the organization is analyzing coastal erosion and sea level rise. 

We thank the students of Dr. Elvia Meléndez from the University of Puerto Rico for including the activity as part of her classes, and her students for volunteering.  The organization also thanks Dr. Delmis Alicea (UPR/ UMESCO) and Ruperto Chaparro from Sea Grant for donating the instruments needed to complete the profiles.      

Scientific and Technical Committee (STAC) meeting to discuss the Martín Peña Channel’s dredging– On May 18, 2012 the SJBEP held a special STAC meeting with the purpose of discussing the latest version of the Feasibility Study for the Martín Peña Channel Dredging.  All major state and federal agencies participated.  The meeting was organized in alliance with the Enlace Project of the Martín Peña Channel, the government organization who is sponsoring the Feasibility Study.    

Environmental Challenges and Restoration Projects in Los Angeles: a lecture by Dr. Shelley Luce – On May 1^st, 2012 the SJBEP hosted a presentation held by the Executive Director of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, Dr. Shelley Luce.  The lecture focused on coastal restoration projects and sustainable initiatives aimed at correcting the problems of urban runoff and water supplies, as well as the rehabilitation of streams and wetlands in densely populated areas of Los Angeles, California and the Santa Mónica Bay. The activity took place at 9:00 am in the conference room of the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources.

Estuary Guardians’ academic year closing event - On May 19^th, we celebrated the conclusion of our Estuary Guardians’ academic year. A total of 60 students took part of the celebration, which consisted of a guided tour through various regions of the ecosystem, including Vacía Talega and Piñones’ State Forest, a marine turtle workshop, and a cultural activity in COPI. In the event students were able to exchange technical knowledge and data to further improve their monitoring skills.   

SJBE showcased in the TV program “En ruta por” - On Friday, May 11, our scientific advisor and outreach coordinator, Dr. Jorge Bauzá and Gladys Rivera, respectively, were interviewed as part of the television show “En ruta por”. The segment focused on different low-impact recreational activities within the San Juan Bay Estuary, showcasing some of the SJBEP’s restoration initiatives such as our mangrove reforestation program in the Condado Lagoon and our water quality-monitoring program.

“Aguas dulces/ Aguas saladas” environmental justice communities site-specific performance workshops -  Artist Fiona Templeton, from New York and London, conducted community workshops in the following sites:  Cucharillas Wetland (Juana Matos community), Capetillo community’s Urban Forest, Barrio Obrero and Israel communities (part of the Martín Peña Channel study area).

Approximately 40 persons from the community attended the workshops from  May 31, 2011 to April 20, 2012.  As part of the project members of the communities were able to share their dreams with the artist and a group of local performers.  

The performers, trained by Templeton for a month, represented the dreams of the communities in a presentation at the Luis Muñoz Rivera Park on May 20, 2012.   

The event received ample media coverage, including two full-pages, full-color at El Nuevo Día newspaper on Sunday, April 8, 2012, named “Stories of the Bay”.

http://www.miprv.com/aguas-dulces-aguas-saladas-proyecto

http://agenda.universia.pr/otras/2012/04/18/aguas-dulces-aguas

http://www.primerahora.com/artistainglesafionatempletonofrecetalleresdeperformance-632374.html

We thank the Puerto Rico’s Artistic Council and the National Performance Network for choosing the San Juan Bay Estuary for the development of this unique experience.

Visit from Nancy Stoner, EPA’s Deputy Administrator for the Office of Water-  Nancy Stoner is the person from EPA in charge of the Office of Water. Thanks to an invitation from Judith Enck, Stoner visited several environmental justice communities of the San Juan Bay Estuary Program.  The visit took place on April 13, 2012

Stoner wrote the following excellent article about her visit to the Program:

http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2012/04/challenges-and-opportunities-in-san-juan-bay/

On May 15, 2012 Bernice Smith, the National Estuary Program’s Director in DC, sent a communication to all NEP directors and EPA regions to inform about this relevant visit and congratulate the SJBEP for its fine work.

SJBEP speaks to the New York Federal Reserve - On the second of May, Dr. Javier Laureano presented to the executive staff of the New York Federal Reserve the economic relevance of the SJBE's ecosystems.

Among the attendees to the presentation were Christine Cumming, First Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank; Richard Peach, Senior Vice President; and Rae Rosen, Assistant Vice President. After the meeting, the members of the NYFR visited our mangrove planting and artificial reef restoration projects in the Condado Lagoon.

Alliance with Cantera presented in a press conference– On April 19^th, Dr. Javier Laureano, and STAC President Ernesto Díaz participated in a press conference organized by the Company for the Integral Development of the Cantera Peninsula to announce the alliance of the Company with the SJBEP and the DNER.

One of the projects discussed during the event was the Guachinanga channel’s dredging.  The SJBEP and Cantera have destined an investment of $400,000 for this initiative.

Related news:

http://www.elnuevodia.com/firmeconsuproyectounacomunidadsanturcina-1254371.html

This Tuesday, May 1, 2012 the San Juan Bay Estuary Program presents "The City of Los Angeles and the Santa Monica Bay Estuary:  Environmental Challenges and Restoration Projects" by Dr. Shelley Luce, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission.  The conference will take place at 9:00am in the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources' conference room,  Environmental Agencies Building, 9th Floor.  You can reserve by calling 787 725 8165 or writing an email to jlaureano@estuario.org

Cucharillas cleanup; EPA evaluation; Beach profiles; Cruise Passengers Donation Program; Students from PR join NJ; Guachinanga restoration

Pictures: designs for the Cruise Passengers Donation Program and photos from the Guachinanga cleanup event.

Update from February 18 to March 28, 2012

1) Our volunteers remove 500 lbs of debris from the Cucharillas Wetland: On March 10, 2012, our organization, in coordination with the community-based initiative The Yaguazo Corridor, organized a cleanup and monitoring of the Cobana Negra endangered tree in the Cucharillas Wetland. Please follow some of the extensive media coverage of this important event:

http://www.elnuevodia.com/voluntarioslimpianlacienagalascucharillas-1217949.html

http://www.elnuevodia.com/recogen500librasdebasuraenlacienagalascucharillas-1209708.html#.T1v47X4nWmo.facebook

http://www.vocero.com/puerto-rico-es/recogen-500-libras-de-basura-en-cienaga-las-cucharillas

http://www.primerahora.com/recogen500librasdebasuraencienagalascucharillas-623772.html

http://www.miplanetaverdepr.com/2012/03/recogen-500-libras-de-basura-en-la.html

http://revistaatabey.com/blog/2012/03/12/mejoran-habitat-de-cobana-negra-y-cienaga-las-cucharillas/

2) Evaluation from EPA; Resident Commissioner to join Board meeting to discuss the evaluation: The SJBEP is undergoing a 4-year evaluation conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Headquarters in Washington, DC. On February 28, 2012, we submitted over 200 documents and attachments to EPA, and between April 20 - May 1, 2012, we will receive a site visit from the agency. Our Resident Commissioner in DC, Hon. Pedro Pierluisi, will join the meeting with the DC personnel to discuss the results of the evaluation with our Board of Directors.

3) SJBEP to support more community-based restoration initiatives: As part of the design of our next year’s budget, we have included ten wonderful community-based restoration projects. Some of the initiatives consist of invasive species removal, restoration of riparian flora, cleanups, vegetable gardens, stormwater pollution prevention, and wetland enhancement and restoration, among others. These activities were discussed in our Citizen Advisory Committee’s meeting of March 15, 2012.

4) New volunteers for water quality monitoring, including the Río Piedras river: On March 23, 2012, our Water Quality Monitoring Coordinator recruited new volunteers from the Inter American University, which is helping us by developing a special monitoring project on the Río Piedras river. On March 12, 2012, our Coordinator also offered a monitoring workshop for the AmeriCorps volunteers of the Cantera Peninsula and to the students of the University of Puerto Rico’s Dr. Elvia Meléndez, who will also join our monitoring initiative.

5) Sea Grant and UNESCO donate equipment to perform beach profiles: Beach profiling is an important tool for measuring the changes of shape in the beach and the risks posed by factors like Climate Change to coastal communities. We want to thank Mr. Ruperto Chaparro from Sea Grant and Dr. Delmis Alicea from the UNESCO for providing our organization with the equipment necessary to perform these beach profiles in the Metropolitan Area. Ernesto Olivares coordinated this donation and, on March 16, 2012, offered a workshop to Dr. Elvia Meléndez’ students, who will perform profiles during the current semester.

6) QAPP submitted for Water Level Sensors: On March 27, 2012, the SJBEP submitted to EPA the Quality Assurance Project Plan for our innovative study regarding water levels in the Metropolitan Area’s water bodies.

7) New steps towards the Guachinanga Island’s restoration: On March 28, 2012, Dr. Jorge Bauzá and our partners from the Company for the Comprehensive Development of the Cantera Peninsula performed a site visit with several bidders on our Request for Proposal for the restoration of the Guachinanga Island. We will begin receiving the proposals within the next three weeks. The first phase of this project is estimated at $200,000.

8) Cruise Passengers Donation Program set to begin next week: Thanks to the collaboration of Blanca Sáez and Milagros Rodríguez from the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, next week we will begin this promising donation program. We have produced t-shirts, postcards, tote bags, and waterproof pouches as gifts for the donations from the passengers.

9) Nancy Stoner, EPA Assistant Administrator for Water, and Judith Enck, Region 2 Administrator, will visit the SJBEP: As part of their engagement with Environmental Justice communities, Stoner and Enck will visit the San Juan Bay Estuary Program on April 13, 2012. Information about Stoner and Enck in the following links:

http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/owaa.html

http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region2ra.html

10) Estuary’s Cinema included in local press as an example of citizen’s re-capturing of public spaces in the city:

http://www.primerahora.com/retomandolaciudad-hogaryconstruccion-suplemento-nota-624726.html

11) San Juan Bay Estuary Guardians joined students from New Jersey to discuss water conservation proposals: On March 22, 2012, participants from our Estuary Guardians monitoring project visited local EPA offices and joined, through teleconference, a group of student volunteers from the New Jersey Clean Communities organization. Evelyn Hiertas offered a guided tour for our students, who were able to discuss proposals and exchange ideas with their peers from New Jersey. We want to thank Gladys Rivera for her great support in this event.

Collaborative agreement for Guachinanga; Stormwater sewage Bayamón; Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment; Cruise Passenger Donations Program

Pictures: Educational markers placed in stormwater sewage of the Bayamón municipality.

Our update for February 10, 2012 to February 17, 2012 is as follows:

TOP 5 UPDATES:

1) Collaborative agreement signed for the restoration of the Guachinanga carsic island, a $220k investment: This week the Company for the Comprehensive Restoration of Cantera, the San Juan Bay Estuary Program, and the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources signed a collaborative agreement to complete the cleanup and dredging of a segment of this beautiful carsic island. Cantera and the SJBEP will provide the funds to complete the project while the DNER will provide technical assistance.

2) Educational markers placed in stormwater sewage of the Bayamón municipality: As part of our ongoing stormwater pollution prevention campaign, on February 16, 2012, Gladys Rivera trained sixteen students who then distributed educational materials to businesses and the public and placed educational markers on stormwaters. The event took place in the heart of the municipality.

3) First RFP meeting for Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: Our Program will deploy three radar water level sensors in the SJBE. These sensors will help us to assess the ecological vulnerability of the SJBE to global climate change and identify adaptation alternatives. Last Wednesday, February 15, 2012, Jorge Bauzá conducted a meeting with nine firms interested in submitting proposals for the assessment.

4) Our Special Fund in action: Cruise Passenger Donations Program: On February 16, 2012, the Corporation for the Conservation of the SJBE contracted Berliz Morales and Darío Morales for the design and implementation of our Cruise Passenger Donations Program. This is the first time a philanthropic project like this takes place on the island. We will provide more information as the initiative develops.

5) SJBEP’s Dr. Bauzá as speaker at Climate Change Caribbean Summit: Twelve (12) Caribbean countries met from February 1-3 in Mayagüez, PR, to discuss the impacts of climate change in our region. Dr. Bauzá presented the conference “Initiatives to turn the San Juan Bay Estuary into a Climate Ready Estuary.” The National Science Foundation’s Coastal Area Climate Change Education Partnership (CACCE) and the Center for Hemispherical Cooperation in Research and Education in Engineering and Applied Sciences (CoHemis) coordinated the event.

OTHER IMPORTANT UPDATES:

6) Meeting of the Board of Directors: The Board of the Corporation for the Corporation of the SJBE met last Monday, February 13, 2012, at the McConnell Valdés offices. We want to thank María de Lourdes Jiménez, Pedro A. Gelabert, Brenda Torres, Carlos Fernández Lugo, and William Thon for their continuous support and guidance.

7) Work Plan designed hand-in-hand with the community – Student promotes the restoration of the Blasina Lagoon and Estuary Guardians teachers to propose activities: Laura Roldán, student and leader in her community in Carolina, coordinated a site visit with our Program to share her concerns and to propose recommendations for the restoration of this lagoon. Also, during a very productive networking and planning meeting held with the teachers of our Estuary Guardians initiative on January 19, 2012, the teachers discussed several projects that they will be submitting for our next year’s Work Plan.

8) Visual Arts students to create educational exhibit: Students from the Central High of Visual Arts in Santurce are creating wood engravings with images of the SJBE’s ecosystem and will print them as part of an educational exhibit. Gladys Rivera offered the students an educational talk and will guide them in a boat tour.

9) Environmental Justice community school joins our monitoring project: On January 13, 2012, the Onofre Carballeira public school of the Cataño municipality signed the Participation Agreement to join the Estuary Guardians. This school receives kids from low-income communities located just in front of the western axis of the San Juan Bay.

10) Our community leaders in action: We want to thank leaders Laura Roldán, Diana Ferro, RJ de Pedro, Ivan Rivera, Jeffry Rivera, and Eneilis Mulero for their support and participation during this month’s activities.

11) Educational talk to fishermen: Dr. Bauzá offered a talk to 20 fishermen of the “Sociedad de Pesca y Recreación Marina” on January 21, 2012, at the DNER. Fishermen are our own eyes in the ecosystem and an integral part of the restoration of the San Juan Bay Estuary.

SAVE THE DATE

Fishing Bats at the Estuary! Are you interested in joining as a volunteer to help in a Fishing Bat census? Join the collaborative project Noctilio by Workshop on February 18, 2012, at Santa Ana Environmental Center Facilities. Fishing bats are an emblematic symbol of the connection among the estuary and the forest (Santa Ana). [Inscriptions are now closed]

Isla de Cabras cleanup; Car sank in the Condado Lagoon; Iguana iguana; Isla Verde marine reserve; San Antón creek; new contracts

Pictures: Isla de Cabras cleanup

Our update for January 14 to February 9, 2012, is as follows:

1) Successful cleanup event in the San Juan Bay, Isla de Cabras; great media coverage: On February 4, 2012, from 9:00am to 12:00pm, a group of 73 volunteers organized by our Outreach Coordinator, Gladys Rivera, cleaned up over 1,200 pounds of debris from this axis of the Bay. Kudos to our volunteers and Gladys! The activity received ample media coverage in the main newspaper of the island, El Nuevo Día. We also congratulate José Enrique Rodríguez, our communications assistant, for his efforts in reaching out to the media and giving the activity island-wide visibility.

http://www.elnuevodia.com/muchasmanosamigasparaprotegerelestuario-1182761.html

http://www.elnuevodia.com/joveneslimpiaranisladecabras-1182000.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnRe-Wj4afs&feature=youtu.be

2) San Juan Bay Estuary Program quoted in media article of Condado Lagoon car accident: On February 4, 2012, an auto sank in the Condado Lagoon. El Nuevo Día consulted our organization regarding the potential environmental hazards of the accident:

http://www.elnuevodia.com/acusarianaconductordeautohundidoenlagunadelcondado-1183551.html

3) SJBEP quoted nationally on the local plans to kill and export Iguana meat: Currently there is a local frenzy (in part generated by misleading information on the Iguana iguana species) to kill and export the meat of the Iguana iguana. The Associated Press interviewed the SJBEP and the coverage went national:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/puerto-rico-iguanas-killed-exported_n_1252990.html

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/feb/03/puerto-rico-to-kill-iguanas-export-meat/

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/puerto-rico-kill-iguanas-export-meat-15507861#.TzQVUZi4JSU

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120203/API/1202031211?p=2&tc=pg

4) SJBEP in public hearing regarding designation of Isla Verde marine reserve (PC 3721): On February 2, 2012, our organization offered a presentation in favor of the Isla Verde marine reserve. Our viewpoint was taken into consideration by the local media report on the public hearing:

http://www.elnuevodia.com/apoyounanimealareservamarinaarrecifedelaislaverde-1181067.html

http://www.camaraderepresentantes.org/noticiasread4.asp?r=%7BA866352F-627A-4AAB-BECA-5F77870A754B%7D

5) SJBEP joins intergovernmental initiative to clean the San Antón creek: The San Antón creek is one of the main sources of fresh water carried into the San José Lagoon. On February 9, 2012, Dr. Javier Laureano participated in a public hearing regarding the San Antón cleanup, presided by House Representative Ángel L. Bulerín Ramos. The municipal governments of Carolina and San Juan will clean 1,800 linear meters of debris, aquatic weeds, and sediments.

6) New contractors for our library and CCMP Tracking: We welcome to our estuarine team Betzaida Ortiz, María Rodríguez, and Manuel Aponte. Ortiz will collaborate as CCMP Tracking Coordinator, and Rodríguez with Aponte as librarians to organize and create an online catalog of our Pedro Antonio Gelabert Estuarine Library. ¡Bienvenidos!

7) Talk to Evertec employees: Evertec is the main electronic transactions processing company of the Island. On January 25, 2012, volunteer Diana Ferro and Dr. Javier Laureano offered a talk to Evertec employees.

8) SJBEP participates in a special hearing session of the National Ocean Council: Dr. Jorge Bauzá represented the SJBEP on February 8, 2012, in this special session to discuss President Obama’s National Ocean Policy.

9) Regular meetings with President Andrés Salas Soler, Esq.: The Executive Director of the SJBEP has been meeting regularly with President Salas Soler regarding the implementation of this year’s Work Plan and key issues of the organization.

10) Estuary’s Cinema against all odds: For unknown reasons the Condado Lagoon Park has been without power for over a month. We were able to use the power plant of a special events concessionary to plug in our Estuary Cinema equipment. On January 28, 2012, we began this year’s screening with over 150 attendees.

SJBEP in the cover of international report; New member of our Board; Indicators; Vacuum Sewage System in Cantera; Christmas Bird Census; IGERT; Others

Pictures: Photo winner of the international contest to be featured in the cover of the 2011 World Water Monitoring Day Report; Workshop for volunteers at the Piñones Forest; Workshop for volunteers at the Red mangrove planting site of the Condado Lagoon; Monitoring workshop for Estuary Guardians School Monitoring Program and planting project at one of the Cantera community's parking lots.

Our update from November 23, 2011 to January 13, 2012 is as follows:

San Juan Bay Estuary on the cover of the World Water Monitoring Day’s annual report – This December a photograph depicting the SJBE was chosen, amongst others from all parts of the world, as the cover of the WWQMD’s annual report of 2011. The image, taken by photographer Ana Martínez, was submitted by the SJBEP and will help promote next year’s event.

New member in SJBEP’s Board of Directors: The SJBEP is honored to welcome Mr. William F. Thon Murphy to its Board of Directors. Mr. Thon Murphy is Merrill Lynch’s First Vice President, holds a bachelors degree from Notre Dame University and has extensive experience working for UBS of Puerto Rico and Kidder Peabody. As part of our welcome Javier Laureano offered in December 18, 2011 a guided tour in the Estuary for him and other members of our board of directors, showcasing the some of our restoration projects.

San Juan Bay Estuarine Indicators/ STAC meeting: On December 1st, 2011, Dr. Ernesto Otero presented the findings of his investigation concerning the sediments and fish tissue contaminants found in the SJBE system to our Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. The report is entitled: “Estuarine Environmental Indicators for the San Juan Estuary: Assessment of Sediments and Fish Tissue Contaminants.” and will be available in our website’s Science section.

Novel Vacuum Sewage System to improve water quality: On December 22, 2012 the Proyecto Península de Cantera announced the construction of a vacuum sewage system that will serve approximately 1,000 family units that historically discharged untreated sewage waters into the Martín Peña Channel and San José Lagoon. This far-reaching project means that approximately 420,000 gallons of sewage waters per day will not be able to reach the San Juan Bay Estuary system. Dr. Jorge Bauzá participated in the press conference and spoke about the ecological and water quality benefits of this project.

SJBE Christmas Bird Census: On December 22, the SJBE Program sponsored and coordinated its Christmas bird count with the participation of 18 volunteers. The observations collected by the participants were shared with the Ornithological Society of Puerto Rico, the PR Conservation Trust, and Cornell University Ornithology Lab. The bird population count has constituted an important activity of the Program since 1999.

SJBEP participates at IGERT exchange - Last Thursday, January 12, Javier Laureano represented the SJBEP in a workshop of the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) at the University of Puerto Rico. The main purpose of the meeting was the discussion of possible internship opportunities for graduate students among the participating federal, state and nonprofit organizations.

Estuary Films successful season finale – On December 10^th, Estuary Films closed its season for the year 2011 with the presentation of the movie Avatar. Approximately 150 persons gathered at Jaime Benítez Park for the presentation.

The sound of the sea and global warming: a new article by Dr. Jorge Bauzá - Our Scientific Advisor, Dr. Jorge Bauzá, published a new article on global warming. The article, titled “El sonido del mar y el calentamiento”, was published in El Nuevo Día, one of the Island’s major newspapers, on Sunday, January 8, 2011.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/78679777/Sonido-en-El-Mar

Board of Directors meetings – On December 7, 2011 the SJBEP’s Board of Directors held a meeting at the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, which lasted from 9:00am to 11:00am. The same day our nonprofit entity, the Corporation for the Conservation of the SJBE, met in McConnell Valdés in the afternoon.

Puerto Rico Water Quality Monitoring Day activities to be Integrated in the K-12 Science Curriculum of the Toa Baja/Toa Alta DE District: This year, and for the first time, this annual event will be part of the science curriculum at 27 schools in the Toa Baja and Toa Alta municipalities. Gladys Rivera, our Outreach Coordinator, presented the project to the Department of Education’s District Science Facilitator, Mrs. Ruth Rosa, who immediately coordinated a workshop with the teachers. The workshop took place on December 15, at the Martin García Giusti school in Toa Baja, where a group of teachers from eleven schools received information about the SJ Bay Estuary and how to test for water quality.

Trees for the Parking Lot! A Citizen’s Concern: One citizen’s concern regarding the need for trees in the parking lot of the Salesian Missions facilities in the Cantera community resulted in an educational talk and planting event with students of the San Juan Bosco Private School. In the only green area of the parking lot, 30 students planted 15 Almácigo trees. The event, coordinated by Gladys Rivera, was held during the morning of Thursday, December 1st. Trees and technical support were provided by Herminio Díaz, from the DRNA.

Field trip with our Education and Restoration Volunteers: To complement the workshops for the new group of certified volunteers of the SJBE, Dr. Jorge Bauzá and Gladys Rivera guided a group of 14 volunteers through different areas where the SJBEP has ongoing restoration projects. The field visits took place on Saturday, December 3, 2011.

Estuary habitat as central theme of science fairs: During this month, Colegio de Lourdes, in Carolina, sent several student groups to the SJBE to work on their science fair projects. Two groups, working with San José Lagoon water quality and mangroves, received mentoring from Gladys Rivera, our Outreach Coordinator. Another group received an educational talk and learned to perform water quality monitoring at the Condado Lagoon.

Estuary Guardians at the Lagoon: As part of their participation in the Estuary Guardians project, students from María Reina Academy's received an educational boat trip through the San José and Torrecillas Lagoons.

SJBE joins the Climate Change Education Partnership: Staff member Dr. Jorge Bauzá has been selected as an invited speaker to the “Coastal Area Climate Change Education (CACCE) Partnership Workshop on Impacts of Climate Change on the Caribbean Countries.” The objectives of the workshop are to: define the current state of awareness, perceptions, and literacy about the impacts of climate change; identify issues with “traction” and information needs through surveys, panel discussions, and workshops; and develop a comprehensive educational plan specific to the coastal areas of Florida and the Caribbean to improve climate change literacy, and competency in managing its impacts. The title of the presentation will be: “The San Juan Bay Estuary and its initiatives toward a Climate Ready Estuary.” This workshop will be held February 1-3 of 2012 in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.