Estuario Weekly Update
Estuarine greetings! This week we invite you to continue exploring, learning, and participating in the restoration and management of the waters connected to the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE). From urban and interpretive tours to educational talks and field experiences, we offer multiple opportunities to get involved, up next. In addition, we celebrate the success of the Gamaliel Pagán Hernández Christmas Bird Census and continue to expand spaces for collaboration, education and community action.
Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve
The Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve is back! Get ready for an afternoon of learning and enjoying nature together, on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Jaime Benítez Park. We will have the following activities, in commemoration of World Wetlands Day:
[2:00 p.m.] Zumba in the SJBE – Work out with instructor Nellian Reyes. Bring your friends and family.
[3:00 p.m.] Educational Talk: The Wetlands of the Estuary Watershed: Knowing Their Geography, Ecosystems, and Biodiversity – Learn about the wetlands connected to the waters of the SJBE (this activity counts toward Green Contact/Community Service hours).
[4:00 p.m.] Interpretive Tour: Water Quality in the Wetlands of the SJBE – On this informative walk, you will learn about the biodiversity of these ecosystems and the conservation efforts we make to protect them (Green Contact/community service).
[5:30 p.m.] Community Conversation on County Lagoon Conservation – Join the conversation with residents, concessionaire operators, caretakers, and users of the Preserve (Green Contact/community service).
Don’t miss this opportunity to share in community and connect with the ecosystems that surround us. No registration is required. Any questions or comments, write to us at: [email protected]. See you there!
Cine del Estuario
Cine del Estuario presents: How to Train Your Dragon (2025), on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve.
The film will be screened in Spanish, with English subtitles. This feature is free of charge. No registration is required. Bring your blanket or chair.
Urban trail in Old San Juan
Join us on a trail through Old San Juan, where you will learn about this urban space and its connection to the waters of the SJBE. This tour counts toward Contacto Verde or community service hours, as applicable.
Sign up today, at estuario.org/eventos.
Interpretive tour in the Piñones State Forest
Join an interpretive tour in one of the spaces of the Urban Forest Network of the SJBE watershed, the Piñones State Forest. The tour will be on Sunday, February 1, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. It counts toward Contacto Verde or community service hours, as applicable. Register today, at: estuario.org/eventos.
Talk about wetlands connected to the SJBE
On Monday, February 2, 2026, World Wetlands Day, don’t miss the talk, The Wetlands of the SJBE Basin: Knowing Their Geography, Ecosystems, and Biodiversity; from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. via Zoom. This talk counts toward Contacto Verde or community service hours, as applicable. Sign up here.
School activities in the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve
The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) offers educational activities for student groups at Jaime Benítez Park, from interpretive tours, workshops and other activities related to the topics of biodiversity, ecosystems, water quality, green infrastructure and coastal resilience.
Spaces are available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. for groups of all levels (K-12), from public, private schools or homeschoolers, with a maximum of 30 participants per activity. These activities count toward Contacto Verde or community service hours.
To coordinate, write to us at: [email protected].
A successful Gamaliel Pagán Hernández Christmas Bird Census
During this holiday season, we held the annual Gamaliel Pagán Hernández Christmas Bird Census, from December 26, 2025, to January 10, 2026.
We documented a total of 91 species of birds, including 10 endemic species and 25 migratory species, through 16 censuses conducted in 13 natural areas connected to the waters of the SJBE. A total of 147 volunteers participated.
We thank the volunteers and citizen scientists who joined us. Thanks also to the managers and administrators who allowed us access to their natural areas.
View the report of the documented species, including dates, locations and photos, through the eBird platform, HERE.
Professional Services Contract Opportunities
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. Remember that all workshops and field experiences count toward Contacto Verde or community service hours. See more information in estuario.org/ccc.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; Monday, Jan. 26, at 8:30 a.m. at Las Curías Lake and Piedras River
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; Tuesday, January 27, at 9:00 a.m. at San Juan Bay
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; Wednesday, January 28, at 8:00 a.m. at Laguna San José/Torrecilla
Field experience: Bacteriological monitoring; Thursday, Jan. 29, at 9:30 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Workshop on Water Quality Monitoring: Bacteriological Monitoring; Thursday, February 5, at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Workshop on Characterization and Reduction of Microplastics; Thursday, Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom
Field experience: Characterization and Reduction of Microplastics; Friday, January 30, at 9:00 a.m. at San Juan Bay
Coastal Resilience Module
Field experience: Ecological assessment of coral reefs; Saturday, January 24, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field experience: Ecological assessment of seagrasses; Saturday, January 24, at 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field experience: Seedling propagation; on Sunday, January 25, at 8:00 a.m. at Centro TAU’s Nursery Estuary, Loíza
Field experience: Planting coastal vegetation; Saturday, January 31, at 8:00 a.m. in Piñones
Field experience: Ecological assessment of coral reefs; Saturday, January 31, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field experience: Ecological assessment of seagrasses; Saturday, January 31, at 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Workshop on Coastal Resilience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses; Tuesday, February 3, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Field experience: Planting coastal vegetation; Friday, February 6, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Weekly water quality monitoring
Thanks to the volunteers who supported the bacteriological evaluation on Thursday, January 22, 2026, as part of the Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists’ Water Quality Monitoring module. Up next, the results.
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, January 22, 2026. We have a RED flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the regions that exceeded the «Beach Action Value» water quality parameter for 70 CFU/100 ML enterococci. Remember to avoid the water during rain events. Have a good weekend.
