Weekly Estuary Update
This week, we're sharing more opportunities for participation, learning, and community action in support of the restoration and conservation of the waters connected to the San Juan Bay estuary. See the upcoming events, initiatives, and collaborations below.
Acknowledgments—5K of the Estuary in the Botanical Garden
Last Sunday, May 17, 2026, the second edition of the Estuary 5K was held at the Botanical Garden, an event designed to connect with nature and educate about the importance of green infrastructure for the health of our waters.
We thank the sponsors: UPR Botanical Garden; Para la Naturaleza; Motorambar, Inc.; Aerostar; Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA); Aqueduct and Sewer Authority; Municipality of San Juan; University of Puerto Rico; STRONG Physical Therapy & Performance and Nutri Gals.
Thanks to the route designers: Godo, Freddy Rodríguez, technical director of the 5K and Freddy's Runners.
Thanks to our collaborators: La Meta Running Store and Signs Factory Workshop.
Thanks also to all the volunteers who supported us, the vendors and members of the educational fair, our master of ceremonies, Eyra Agüero , and above all, THANK YOU to all the runners who participated! It wouldn't have been possible without you.
Until next time!
First community meeting of the County Lagoon Coastal Erosion Mitigation Project
On Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 5:30 pm, we will hold the first community meeting for the Condado Lagoon Coastal Erosion Mitigation Project. The meeting will take place in Jaime Benítez Park and is an open forum to hear from those who know the area best. To develop solutions, we need to learn from the communities, users, and organizations that frequent the Román Baldorioty de Castro Promenade about the conditions they observe daily: erosion, flooding, access, and habitat. No prior preparation is required. We look forward to seeing you there!
Coral Reef Week
From May 30 to June 6, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) will celebrate Coral Reef Week 2026, highlighting coral ecosystems throughout Puerto Rico and conservation efforts. This year's theme is "Life in the Coral, Life in the Archipelago."
The Estuary joins the celebration with several activities designed to explore and learn about these fascinating ecosystems. See more details and register today at estuary.org/events.
Join the workshop: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses, part of the Coastal Resilience module of the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification, on Tuesday, June 2, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm virtually via Zoom.
Join us for the Underwater Tour: Discovering the Coral World in an Urban Environment; Thursday, June 4, from 8:00 am to 11:00 am at the Condado Lagoon. Explore coral reefs, marine plants, and the species that depend on these ecosystems, while learning about their conservation and ecological importance.
Participate in the Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs in the County Lagoon, a field experience of the Coastal Resilience module of the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification, on Saturday, June 6, from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. You will gather essential information to monitor the health and evolution of this ecosystem in the Reserve.
All three activities count toward Green Contact hours or community service for students. Any minor must be accompanied by an adult, who must register separately.
Interpretive tour at the County Lagoon
Estuario invites you to the interpretive tour: Birds and Trees in the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve; Saturday, June 6, from 8:00 am to 10:00 am at Jaime Benítez Park. Walk, observe, and connect with this natural space in the heart of the city. You will discover the birds and trees that bring life to this ecosystem connected to the waters of the San Juan Bay estuary. This interpretive tour counts toward Green Contact hours or community service. Minors must be accompanied by an adult, who must register separately.
Actions for the reduction of aquatic waste
In the watershed of the San Juan Bay estuary.
Call for volunteers for the recycling stations at Tito Matos Fest 2026
Estuario invites you to volunteer at the material diversion and recycling stations during the fourth annual Tito Matos Fest at Taller Comunidad La Goyco, on Saturday, June 20th and Sunday, June 31st, 2026. This effort is part of the community campaign, " Don't Let It Touch the Ground or Reach the Water ." Choose a shift and register HERE.
The Tito Matos Fest commemorates the life, work, music, art, and community activism of Tito Matos, a great friend, collaborator, and neighbor of the San Juan Bay estuary. Volunteering at recycling stations during this event will count toward the Microplastics Characterization and Reduction module of the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification.
Pop-Up Recycling Center in Loíza
Last Saturday, May 16, Estuario was present at the Recycling Pop-Up in Loíza, with an educational table focused on highlighting the Leave a Clean Footprint campaign in Piñones , the efforts of proper diversion of used vegetable oil by the Municipality of Loíza and the importance of conserving our waters and gray infrastructure.
The Loíza Pop-Up Recycling event takes place on the third Saturday of each month at Miguel Fuentes Pinet Park. This event is organized by LimPiaR, TAIS, and the Municipality of Loíza. They accept #1, #2, and #5 plastics, aluminum, brass, and corrugated cardboard.
Opportunities for professional services contracts
Come to the presentations and community discussions for the Estuary Plan review
As part of the review and public comment process for the new Estuary Plan, we invite you to one of the presentations and community discussions that we will be holding throughout the San Juan Bay estuary watershed.
These spaces are intended to share the priority problems and actions proposed in the five action plans that make up the new Estuary Plan, focused on:
Water Infrastructure
Estuarine Ecosystems
Integrated Management of Waste and Materials
Estuary System Adaptation
Promote a Culture of Integrated Management
We want to hear your questions, recommendations, and comments as part of the participatory process of reviewing the Plan. Come to the meeting nearest you:
Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 6:00 pm | TAU Center, Loíza <📍🗺️>
Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 7:00 pm | Rafael “Pipo” Negrón Activity Center, Toa Baja <📍🗺️>
We are deeply grateful to all the organizations, community leaders, and collaborators who are making these spaces for dialogue and citizen participation possible.
Gather information before the presentations and discussions. See the documents available for public comment at estuary.org.
Workshop for interpreters
Last Saturday, May 2nd, a group of tour guides and environmental interpreters participated in the workshop: Birds of estuarine ecosystems: techniques to create meaningful experiences.
The workshop provided an opportunity to review common birds in the different ecosystems of the San Juan Bay estuary watershed, heritage interpretation techniques, and the importance of examining the connections between birds and water quality in these urban ecological systems.
We appreciate the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company for validating the contact hours for continuing education of the guides and Birds Caribbean for sharing some of the educational material as part of the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival.
They are conducting a bird census
On Saturday, May 9, a group of citizen scientists conducted a bird census in the Piñones State Forest, joining the “Global Big Day” or global birding event, coordinated by the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival.
They documented the diversity of birds that inhabit this urban and coastal forest, as a field experience of the Participatory Bird Censuses module of the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification.
We appreciate the collaboration of biologist Herminio Díaz, forest management officer, and the support of everyone who joined us. Congratulations to those who completed their citizen scientist certification through this experience!
See more workshops and field experiences from the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification below.
Citizen Scientist Certification
Here are the activities for the coming weeks. Remember that workshops and field experiences count toward Green Contact hours or community service. Minors must be accompanied by an adult, who must register separately. See more information and register at: estuary.org/ccc
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Field experience: Physical-chemical parameters; Monday, May 25, at 8:30 am at Lake Las Curías and the Piedras River
Field Experience: Physical-Chemical Parameters; Tuesday, May 26, at 9:00 am in San Juan Bay
Field experience: Physical-chemical parameters, Wednesday, May 27, at 8:00 am at Laguna San José/La Torrecilla
Coastal Resilience Module
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Restoration of Dunes and Mangroves ; Thursday, May 28, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Field Experience: Planting Coastal Vegetation; Saturday, May 30, at 8:00 am at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve
Field Experience: Propagation of coastal vegetation; Sunday, May 31, at 8:00 am at Vivero Estuario, Centro TAU, Loíza
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses ; Tuesday, June 2nd, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Assessment conducted on Thursday, May 21, 2026. We have a GREEN flag for County Lagoon. However, 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. Have a good weekend.
