Weekly Estuary Update
Greetings from the Estuary! This week, we held discussions with members of our community to delve into the issues we will address over the next 10 years, as well as the goals we will set to be effective. These discussions are ongoing as part of the Estuary Plan review. Everyone is welcome to participate in this conversation; stay tuned for announcements on our website. We also held meetings throughout the San Juan metropolitan area to identify risks and discuss mitigation measures with community leaders, municipalities that own their risk management plans, and emergency management professionals. We urge everyone to be cautious in the face of the torrential rains expected in the coming days. Remember that if it rains, the runoff will flow into lagoons, streams, and beaches, impacting water quality. We invite you to continue being an active part of this collective effort for the precious water resource of the San Juan Bay Estuary system.
Family day out
Join us for the next Family Day Out at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve on Saturday, May 3, 2025, starting at 2:00 pm at Jaime Benítez Park. We'll have recreational and educational activities for the whole family, including opportunities for students to earn Green Touch time. See the activities at: estuary.org/events. We will wait for you!
Estuary Cinema
Estuary Cinema presents: Wonka; Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 7:00 pm at Jaime Benítez Park in the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve. The film will be shown in Spanish with English subtitles. This screening is free. Bring your blanket or chair!
Educational activities for summer camps
This summer, the Estuary will offer educational camp activities focused on water conservation. These experiences are designed for groups of up to 30 participants and will be coordinated by appointment, Monday through Friday, during June and July. Form your group to secure your spot.
The meetings will take place in natural spaces, such as Jaime Benítez Park, the Piñones State Forest, Julio E. Monagas Park and the UPR Botanical Garden in Río Piedras, with topics of biodiversity, ecosystems, water quality, green infrastructure and coastal resilience.
To coordinate, write to us at: [email protected].
The Estuary participates in the 3rd Environmental Festival of the Cantera Peninsula
The Estuary was present with its information booth at the third Environmental Festival of the Cantera Peninsula Community Project on Friday, April 25, 2025. We had the opportunity to share information with the community about our vegetable oil diversion program, as well as our water quality monitoring efforts. Approximately 35 people approached us to learn about the Estuary's initiatives. We appreciate the invitation from Cantera Peninsula.
The Estuary celebrates Earth Day with young students
As part of the commemoration of Earth Day, the Estuary visited the Sotero Figueroa Specialized School of Science and Mathematics, where two educational workshops were offered to intermediate level students.
The activity, which took place at 10:00 am, brought together approximately 45 students from fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth grade. The first workshop was for a group of about 25 students, and the second for a group of 20 students.
Both workshops addressed the topic of the correct diversion of used vegetable oil, its negative impacts when not handled properly, and the environmental benefits of its collection and proper disposal.
We thank the school community for opening their doors to us and continuing to sow environmental awareness from the classrooms.
Interpretive tour in Piñones
Last Sunday, April 27, the Estuary conducted the second interpretive tour in its series: Discovering the Nature of Our Urban Forests, this time in the Piñones State Forest. During the tour, participants learned about the history of this green space, its connection to water, and the region's biodiversity.
As we ventured into the mangrove, we reflected on the importance of protecting these spaces and the ecosystem services they provide, and on how essential collaboration between communities is for the restoration and co-management of these urban green lungs.
We thank everyone who participated in this interpretive experience in the estuarine environment. Interpretive tours and educational experiences will continue in the green spaces of the San Juan Bay Estuary Urban Forest Network. You can find them at: estuary.org/events.
Students become certified as citizen scientists in Coastal Resilience
During the past few months, several school groups successfully completed the Coastal Resilience thematic module, as part of the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification.
We congratulate the students of Colegio San Antonio, American Military Academy, Montessori High School of Cupey, CeDIn—Laboratory School of the Inter-American University Metro Campus, Robinson School and Marist School of Guaynabo, for their participation in field experiences, educational workshops and concrete actions for the protection of our coastal ecosystems.
Their commitment strengthens the network of environmental leaders in the San Juan Bay estuary watershed and demonstrates the transformative power of environmental education. Congratulations, citizen scientists!
Citizen Scientist Certification
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. See more information at estuary.org/cccRemember that we offer community and Green Touch hours.
Participatory Bird Census Module
Participatory Bird Census Workshopos; on Thursday, May 8, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom
Field Experience; Saturday, May 10, from 7:00 am to 10:00 am at the Piñones State Forest
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Workshop; on Thursday, May 15, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Assessment of Corals and Seagrasses; on Tuesday, May 13, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, May 17, from 8:00 am to 11:00 am at County Lagoon
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, May 17, from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm at County Lagoon
Ford Environmental Donations Call
If you are a nonprofit organization, Ford Environmental Grants will distribute $85,000 among select community environmental projects in Puerto Rico. Applications are now open until Friday, May 30, 2025.
Apply today at: https://donativosambientalesford.com
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Assessment conducted on Thursday, May 1, 2025. We have a RED flag for County Lagoon. We recommend avoiding all areas that exceeded the "Beach Action Value" water quality parameter of 70 CFU/100 ML. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
