Weekly Estuary Update
Greetings from the estuary! Below, we share events, activities, and training and collaboration opportunities scheduled to benefit the San Juan Bay Estuary, its ecosystems, and communities.
Family Day Trip to the Estuarine Nature Reserve of the County Lagoon
Come to your Family Day Out! Tomorrow, Saturday, September 7, 2024, starting at 2:00 pm at Jaime Benítez Park. We'll have activities for the whole family.
Celebrate Manatee Day on your Family Day Out
As part of Caribbean Manatee Conservation Day in Puerto Rico, don't miss the educational talk: The West Indian Manatee: Treasure of the Condado Lagoon and the Caribbean; at 4:00 pm with Yabriel Pagán and Mariellie Pérez, from the Caribbean Manatee Conservation Center.
This talk counts towards Green Contact hours.
We will also have the talk: Mangroves in danger, a call to conservation; at 5:00 pm with Jomaris A. Ramos López, from Troop 400 of the Girl Scouts.
At 6:00 pm, we will have a reading of the story: Carlitos the little ant wants to hear the sea; with the writer, Gabriela Joglar Burrowes.
The Family Day Out will conclude with a screening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at the Estuary Cinema at 7:00 pm. The film will be shown in Spanish with English subtitles. As always, this activity is free of charge. Bring your blanket or chair.
National Estuaries Week
Save the dates! National Estuary Week 2024 begins Saturday, September 21, and continues through Saturday, September 28. We'll have educational workshops, volunteer opportunities, and other activities. The schedule will be posted soon. Stay tuned for your weekly update.
Characterization and reduction of microplastics in San Juan Bay
Last Friday, August 30, the most recent field experience of the Microplastics Characterization and Reduction module of the Estuary's citizen scientist certification was carried out.
We thank the volunteers who joined us: Kibsaim Marquez, Jeremy Oyola, and Glorian Soto. Thanks also to Captain Kenneth Pastor for his support in this activity.
Planting of coastal vegetation in Isabela
As part of the Coastal Resilience module of the Estuary's citizen scientist certification program, coordinators Andreína Alexatos and Agnes Pagán led a group of 57 volunteers in planting approximately 1,300 red and white mangrove seedlings at Secret Spot, Isabela. The planting was organized by Surfrider Puerto Rico.
Complete your citizen scientist certification in the Estuary Coastal Resilience Module
Gain the training you need to help strengthen coastal regions in your community. See available events in the Coastal Resilience module and register today at estuary.org/ccc . We add new events regularly.
The Coastal Resilience module covers the topics of Coral Reef Assessment, Seagrass Assessment, and Coastal Restoration of Dunes and Mangroves.
On Thursday, September 19, 2024, we will be offering a new introductory workshop from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm via Zoom, with arborist Andreína Alexatos. Sign up for the workshop here.
For any questions, or if you would like to know your certification status, please write to us at: [email protected] . Certification is free of charge.
Citizen Scientist Certification
Below are the upcoming scheduled events. See more events at: estuary.org/ccc.
Job opportunities
Stakeholder and Engagement Coordinator — The Stakeholder and Engagement Coordinator supports Estuario's role as a regional convener, catalyst, and facilitator to restore and maintain clean waters that support thriving ecosystems, healthy communities, and a vibrant ecosystem in the San Juan Bay Estuary and its urbanized watershed.
Part-Time Faculty —The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is seeking qualified applications for a part-time faculty contract with a background in civil engineering for the graduate course “Innovative Approaches for a Sustainable Water Infrastructure.” This course will focus on the development of resilient infrastructure and nature-based and will integrate a multisectoral view in the study and evaluation of socio-ecological-technological urban systems. In this course, graduate students will be guided toward interdisciplinary research.
Estuary Resident Artists – Request for Proposals — Estuary Resident Artists create artistic expressions with the aim of involving citizens in the process of conservation and restoration of the estuary basin, in a creative and culturally relevant way.
[Download your free copy] San Juan Bay Estuary: History and Research Opportunities
The Estuary is pleased to share the recent publication, San Juan Bay Estuary: History and Research Opportunities ; by Ariel E. Lugo and Jorge F. Bauzá Ortega.
This comprehensive document includes valuable information on research conducted in the estuarine system, calling for these observations, findings, and conclusions to be added to in potential future research.
To arrange for the pickup of a free printed copy, please contact us at 787-725-8165.
Prepare yourself this hurricane season
Prepare for this hurricane season. Download the Estuary Community Hurricane Preparedness Guide and follow its recommendations. Your community's strength and resilience begin at home.
Also visit the Estuary Virtual Community Center , where you'll find vital information, such as relevant emergency numbers and instructions for preparing emergency kits.
Don't panic! Get ready.
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Evaluation conducted on Thursday, September 5, 2024. We have a GREEN flag for County Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the area that exceeded the water quality parameter for enterococci of 70 CFU/100 mL. Have a good weekend.
