Weekly Estuary Update
On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, we commemorated Arbor Day, an occasion to recognize the importance of trees to the health of our ecosystems and communities. Trees provide us with shade and oxygen, protect our waterways, foster biodiversity, and strengthen climate resilience. In the Estuary, we continue to promote the planting and proper management of native vegetation as an essential part of our ecological restoration and green infrastructure strategies.
Below, we share the events and activities scheduled to benefit the waters, communities, and ecosystems connected to the San Juan Bay estuary.
Family day out
The Family Day Out at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve is back! Join us on Saturday, May 3, 2025, starting at 2:00 pm at Jaime Benítez Park. We will have the following activities in celebration of Mother's Day:
Sport activity at 2:00 pm
Talk about endemic birds of Puerto Rico (valid for Green Contact certification); at 3:00 pm
Aurora Workshop presents: Macrame for Mom; at 4:15 pm
Small bird census (valid for Green Contact certification); at 5:30 pm
See more information 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. As always, this screening is free. Bring your blanket or chair!
Risk mitigation workshops
If you live in San Juan, Guaynabo, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, or Cataño, your municipality and the San Juan Bay Estuary invite you to the workshops on identifying, validating, and prioritizing development risks for the Multijurisdictional Risk Mitigation Plan for the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed, this coming week:
Mitigating risks in San Juan; Monday, April 28, 2025; at 6:00 pm at the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico in Hato Rey
Mitigating risks in Guaynabo; on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 9:30 am at the Petra Collazo Multi-Service Center, Guaraguao Ward
Mitigating risks in Toa Baja; Wednesday, April 30th, at 6:00 pm at the Covadonga Community Center
Mitigating risks in Trujillo Alto; Thursday, May 1st, at 1:00 pm at the Casa Cultural Theater
Mitigating risks in Cataño; on Thursday, May 1st, at 6:00 pm at the Vista del Morro Community Center
We look forward to seeing you! If you can't join us in person, these workshops will have virtual participation options. Access links will be available at estuary.org/eventsFor any questions or comments, please write to us at: mitigation[email protected].
Dialogue on the installation of "No Fishing" signs in County Lagoon
To all neighbors, friends and users of the County Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve: join the community dialogue about the “No Fishing” signage in the Reserve, on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at Jaime Benítez Park.
Confirm your participation, in estuary.org/events.
Birds of estuarine ecosystems: techniques for creating meaningful experiences
If you are a tour guide, environmental interpreter, or non-formal educator, The Estuary invites you to the workshop, Birds of estuarine ecosystems: techniques to create meaningful experiences; on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Jaime Benítez Park in the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve.
We will cover the identification of common birds in the various ecosystems of the San Juan Bay estuary watershed, as well as techniques for incorporating this knowledge into guided tours and ecotourism experiences. The workshop will be led by Coral Avilés Santiago and Eliezer Nieves Rodríguez.
Register today at estuary.org/events.
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
Installation of signs at the County Lagoon
Thanks to support from the Mano Amiga Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Estuary developed and installed a series of six educational signs around the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve to raise awareness about the importance of conserving the area's flora and fauna. Each sign highlights an iconic species that can be observed and enjoyed from its location and encourages responsible use of the Reserve, noting permitted activities such as swimming and paddling, and prohibited activities such as fishing. The sign located on Mayagüez Street, in particular, celebrates the community group, Amigos de la Laguna (Friends of the Lagoon), for their tireless work and dedication to the protection and conservation of the Reserve.
With these signs, the Estuary has a new educational activity for the public and thus continues to fulfill its mission of restoring and conserving the water quality of the San Juan Bay Estuary ecosystem and its urbanized watershed.
Learn more about the signs, via the Mano Amiga Program, below.
Planting of coastal vegetation
April 10th 2025—Students from the Montessori High School of Cupey carried out a planting of coastal vegetation in the County Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve, as part of the Estuary Citizens Scientist Certification, under the Coastal Resilience module.
This field experience focused on the mangrove ecosystem. The young people planted approximately 600 specimens of red mangrove, white mangrove, black mangrove, and button mangrove.
We thank the teacher, Marisa Mulero, who led her students along with the coordinators, Andreína Alexatos and Agnes Pagán.
April 12th 2025—As a field experience of the Coastal Resilience module of the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification, with a focus on the dune ecosystem, students and teachers from CEDIN—Laboratory School of the Inter-American University Metro Campus, carried out a planting of coastal vegetation on the embankment of Pocita de Piñones.
They planted approximately 574 trees, including red mangrove, button mangrove, cocoplum, sea grape, jayajabico, and palm. The students were led by Professor Yamila Meléndez Rivera.
Certification of scientific citizens
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. See more information at estuary.org/ccc.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling of water; Monday, April 28, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Piedras River
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Physical-Chemical Sampling; Monday, April 28, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling of water; Tuesday, April 29, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm in San Juan Bay
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling of water; Wednesday, April 30, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Laguna San José
Participatory Bird Census Module
Participatory Bird Census Workshop; Thursday, May 8, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom
Field Experience: Participatory Bird Census; Saturday, May 10, from 7:00 am to 10:00 am at Piñones State Forest
Coastal Resilience Module
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, April 26, from 8:00 am to 11:00 am at County Lagoon
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, April 26, from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm at County Lagoon
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Evaluation conducted on Thursday, April 24, 2025. We have a GREEN flag for County Lagoon. All stations tested below the "Beach Action Value" water quality parameter of 70 CFU/100 ML. Remember to avoid the water during rain events. Have a good weekend.
