Estuario Weekly Update
September continues with more learning and community action. From the Family Day at the Condado Lagoon, where we celebrated the Caribbean manatee, to the start of National Estuaries Week, bringing cleanups, fairs, workshops and tours, we continue creating initiatives to protect and enjoy our ecosystems. Discover recent and upcoming activities and join in the celebration and conservation of the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE).
National Estuaries Week
National Estuaries Week is here! Beginning Saturday, September 20 and continuing through Saturday, September 27, 2025, we have educational activities and training opportunities available to all, including opportunities to accumulate Green Contact hours or community service, as applicable. Below are the scheduled activities:
International Coastal Cleanup 2025
Join the International Coastal Cleanup 2025 on Saturday, September 20, 2025. As in previous years, SJBEP joins Scuba Dogs Society, organizers of the event in the Island, captaining the cleanup of the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve.
Be part of our team! Sign up here.
Feria del Estuario
Don’t miss the Estuario Fair, on Saturday, September 20, starting at 9:00 a.m. in the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve. We will have educational stations where you will learn about estuarine ecosystems, their biodiversity and the projects we carry out for the restoration and maintenance of the quality of the waters connected to the SJBE.
Cine del Estuario
Special feature! Cine del Estuario presents: IF; on Saturday, September 20, at 7:00 p.m. in the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve, in celebration of National Estuaries Week. The film will be screened in Spanish, with English subtitles. As always, this feature is free of charge. Bring your blanket or chair.
#FluyeConElEstuario
Wear your official Estuario T-shirt and join the celebration of National Estuaries Week on Friday, September 26, throughout the day. Share your photos on your favorite social network. Don’t forget to tag us!
An afternoon with Estuario
Enjoy an afternoon with the SJBEP, on Friday, September 26, starting at 5:00 p.m. in the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve. We will have a salsa class with instructor Michelle Rodríguez, an interpretive tour of the Reserve, and we will close with the screening and discussion about the Puerto Rican documentary, Cuando el mar nos alcance.
Screening and discussion: Cuando el mar nos alcance
The coasts are changing globally, and Puerto Rico’s are no exception. To understand the effects of extreme weather events, this documentary takes us on a journey from the beaches of Puerto Rico to the largest island in the world, Greenland.
Produced by the Caribbean Sea Level Rise Center, a program of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, in collaboration with the Rising Seas Institute, this short film guides us through a visual journey that combines scientific research with human interest stories, to highlight the urgency of adaptation and promote a more resilient future for Puerto Rico.
After the documentary, we will have a discussion led by the Puerto Rico Trust for Science, Technology and Research. See you there!
Exploring the estuary
On Saturday, September 27, 2025, we will conclude the celebration of National Estuaries Week with the third annual Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve biodiversity documentation event, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Join the virtual training workshops, where you will learn about the species you can find in the Reserve and how to use the biodiversity documentation tool, iNaturalist. All workshops will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. via Zoom. Register from here:
Getting to know the aquatic life of the Reserve (Monday, 22)
Documenting the Biodiversity of the Reserve [iNaturalist] (Tuesday, 23)
Getting to know the plants of the Reserve (Wednesday, 24)
Getting to know the terrestrial life of the Reserve (Thursday, 25)
See the full calendar of activities and register today, at estuario.org/eventos.
Family Day
Last Saturday, September 6th, the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) held its most recent Family Day in the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve. We started with a badminton game for the whole family and continued with educational activities in celebration of Greater Caribbean Manatee Day.
A total of 19 participants learned about the natural history of this species, the challenges it faces in Puerto Rico, and the actions we can take to protect it. They also participated in a tour of the Reserve, focused on the importance of mangroves for marine life and a talk on water quality, where we explored the role of corals, mangroves and the citizen actions necessary to improve the quality of our waters. The Family Day closed with Cine del Estuario, in which about 35 people enjoyed Dune: Part Two outdoors.
We thank the administrator of the Jaime Benítez Park, Wilfredo Vázquez, and all the people who joined us. The next Family Day will be on Saturday, October 4. Hope to see you then!
Green Infrastructure Workshop
Last Saturday, September 6, the SJBEP, in collaboration with the Center for Urban, Community and Business Action of Río Piedras (CAUCE), held the workshop, Green Infrastructure: Benefits for water in the city.
The Capetillo Garden, Nursery and Urban Forest in Río Piedras was the setting for this educational experience. Throughout the activity, participants discovered the stories of this urban forest, located in the middle of Río Piedras; the importance of green spaces for water quality, the stories of its community and the efforts to conserve the Juan Méndez Creek.
We thank Dr. Natalia Rodríguez, coordinator of the Garden, for being part of the resources of the workshop along with our team of educators. We also recognize all those who were part of this educational experience and community training, especially the residents of Capetillo, who accompanied us through the workshop and the tour through the forest.
Coastal Resilience Field Experiences
Seed collection
On Thursday, September 11, we carried out a field experience for the Coastal Resilience module at the Enrique Martí Coll Linear Park. Three volunteers learned about the importance of mangroves and collected around 875 red mangrove and white mangrove seeds, contributing to the restoration process of our coasts.
Propagation of propagules
On Friday, September 12, a group of ten volunteers supported the maintenance and conditioning of the Estuario Nursery at Centro TAU, in Loíza. The group received an educational talk about mangroves and worked on the propagation of mangrove propagules, in support of future plantings and coastal restoration of the region.
We thank both groups of volunteers, for their environmental and community action, and congratulate them for continuing their Citizen Scientist Certification process of with the SJBEP. Thank you!
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. See more information about the certification and all the thematic modules, in estuario.org/ccc. These activities count toward community service hours and Contacto Verde.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling; on Monday, September 22, in San Juan
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling; on Tuesday, September 23, in San Juan
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling; on Wednesday, September 24, in San Juan
Field experience: Bacteriological monitoring; Thursday, September 25, at the Condado Lagoon
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Field experience; on Friday, September 26. Location will be announced.
Coastal Resilience Module
Field experience: Planting coastal vegetation; on Friday, September 26, in San Juan
Media coverage
September 16, 2025. Estuario de la Bahía de San Juan invita a celebrar la Semana de los Estuarios. Ciencia y Ambiente. El Nuevo Día. Web. https://www.elnuevodia.com/ciencia-ambiente/otros/notas/estuario-de-la-bahia-de-san-juan-invita-a-celebrar-la-semana-de-los-estuarios/
September 16, 2025. Conoce cómo celebrarán la Semana de los Estuarios en Puerto Rico. Locales. Metro PR. Web. https://www.metro.pr/noticias/2025/09/16/conoce-como-celebraran-la-semana-de-los-estuarios-en-puerto-rico/
September 16, 2025. Semana de los Estuarios 2025 destaca la restauración ecológica y la participación ciudadana. Ambiente. Ey! Boricua. Web. https://eyboricua.com/semana-de-los-estuarios-2025-destaca-la-restauracion-ecologica-y-la-participacion-ciudadana/
September 16, 2025. Estuario de la Bahía de San Juan invita a conmemorar la Semana de los Estuarios. Salud y Ciencia. Radio Isla. Web. https://radioisla.tv/estuario-de-la-bahia-de-san-juan-invita-a-conmemorar-la-semana-de-los-estuarios1/?fbclid=IwY2xjawM5I2pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFCN05zRVpLeTdzN2p5VDNwAR5wpbXaMy-QG2nBUX59dBJJ38GiZ0RLkfUdm0CZ0Dv1IxK1ISs9iRP8Ocfyew_aem_SVOJJUsdYtngMG0oTG7Gkg
Prepare for Hurricane Season
Get ready for this hurricane season. Download the Estuario Community Hurricane Preparedness Guide and follow its recommendations. The strength and resilience of your community begin at home.
Also visit the Estuario Virtual Community Hub, where you’ll find vital information such as relevant emergency numbers and instructions for preparing emergency backpacks.
Don’t get scared! Get prepared.
Weekly water quality monitoring
We thank the volunteers who supported the bacteriological monitoring on Thursday, September 18, 2025, as part of the Water Quality Monitoring module of the Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists. Up next, the results:
Evaluation conducted on Thursday, September 18, 2025. We have a RED flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the areas which exceeded the “Beach Action Value” water quality parameter for 70 CFU/100 ML enterococci. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
