Weekly Estuary Update
This week we continue to promote actions to protect and restore the waters connected to the San Juan Bay estuary, from reducing aquatic debris to new opportunities for citizen and professional engagement. We're sharing active recycling initiatives following the holiday season and a full schedule of workshops and field experiences from the Citizen Scientist Certification program. We invite you to learn more, participate, and be part of the solutions that strengthen the ecosystems of our communities.
Reducing aquatic waste in the estuary
Below, we share recycling and waste reduction initiatives and actions throughout the San Juan Bay estuary watershed:
Christmas tree diversion
With the Municipality of Trujillo Alto:
You can take your tree to the Community Deposit Center, located on the grounds of Municipal Public Works, Carr. 8860 Km. 1.0, Saint Just Neighborhood.
There will also be collection routes on January 21, 22, 23 and 26, 27, 28, in the urban areas detailed in the promotional image included here.
For more information, call 787-761-0172, ext. 3174, 3172.
With For Nature:
Bring your tree to the Nature Nursery station at the North Botanical Garden, Río Piedras, from January 12th to 31st, Monday to Saturday from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm
There are also stations available outside the San Juan Bay estuary watershed.
Recycling efforts by the Municipality of San Juan during the San Sebastián Street Festival
The Municipality of San Juan provided guidance to merchants in Old San Juan and distributed recycling containers for use during the San Sebastián Street Festival, from Thursday, January 15th to Sunday, January 18th. Glass, mixed recyclables, and used oil will be collected.
Recycling stations will be available to the public. Look for a station in the nearest square.
Opportunities for professional services contracts
Audit & Tax Services Contract Announcement (2025)
[REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL] KICK-OFF WORKSHOP FACILITATION SERVICES
Citizen Scientist Certification
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. Remember that all workshops and field experiences count toward Green Contact hours or community service. See more information at [website address]. estuary.org/ccc.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Physical-Chemical Parameters; on Tuesday, January 20th, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Field experience: Bacteriological monitoring; on Thursday, January 22, at 9:30 am at the County Lagoon
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; on Monday, January 26, at 8:30 am at Lake Las Curías and the Piedras River
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; on Tuesday, January 27, at 9:00 am in San Juan Bay
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; on Wednesday, January 28, at 8:00 am at Laguna San José/Torrecilla
Field experience: Bacteriological monitoring; on Thursday, January 29, at 9:30 am at the County Lagoon
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Workshop; on Thursday, January 29, at 7:30 pm via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Field experience: Planting of coastal vegetation; on Sunday, January 18, at 8:00 am at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses; on Wednesday, January 21st, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological restoration of dunes and mangroves; on Thursday, January 22, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Field experience: Seed collection; on Friday, January 23, at 8:00 am in Hato Rey
Field experience: Ecological assessment of coral reefs; on Saturday, January 24, at 8:00 am at the County Lagoon
Field experience: Ecological assessment of seagrasses; on Saturday, January 24, at 12:00 pm at the County Lagoon
Field experience: Seedling propagation; on Sunday, January 25th, at 8:00 am at Vivero Estuario of Centro TAU, Loíza
Field experience: Planting of coastal vegetation; on Saturday, January 31st, at 8:00 am in Piñones
Field experience: Ecological assessment of coral reefs; on Saturday, January 31, at 8:00 am at the County Lagoon
Field experience: Ecological assessment of seagrasses; on Saturday, January 31, at 12:00 pm at the County Lagoon
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Thanks to the volunteers who supported the bacteriological monitoring on Thursday, January 15, 2026, as part of the Water Quality Monitoring module of the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification. The results are below.
Assessment conducted on Thursday, January 15, 2026. We have a RED flag for County Lagoon. We recommend avoiding areas that exceeded the "Beach Action Value" water quality parameter for enterococci of 70 CFU/100 ML. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
