Weekly Estuary Update
A warm greeting from the estuary! This edition of the Weekly Estuary Update is dedicated to all mothers who, with their love, effort, and dedication, inspire us to continue working for the good condition of our waters and the health of our estuarine ecosystems. Happy Mother's Day!
Family day out
Splashed with water, we carried out the Family Day Trip in the Estuarine Nature Reserve of the County Lagoon last Saturday, May 4, 2024.
At three in the afternoon we began with a macrame workshop, provided by the staff of Taller Aurora, who guided eight participants in the creation of keychains.
Next, we had a yoga class with instructor Valeria Ruiz. The eight participants learned basic movements and breathing exercises to improve our body's functions and maintain a sense of calm.
Later, we had a talk about endemic birds of Puerto Rico with our bird and education experts, Coral Avilés and Eliezer Nieves. Nine people participated.
We thank José Ramos, administrator of Jaime Benítez Park, for his continued support. Thanks also to the staff at Blue Lagoon, who opened their doors to us so we could carry out these activities sheltered from the rain. Until next time!
Global Big Day
Saturday, May 11, 2024, is the Global Big Day!
Join us for this upcoming World Bird Day, from the comfort of your home or an estuarine ecosystem. You can also join us at Piñones State Forest with Coral Avilés and Eliezer Nieves from 7:00 am to 10:00 am. sign up today.
Remember to submit your observations to eBird Caribbean, where birdwatchers and nature lovers will be observing and recording birds from their respective countries. Learn how, with the eBird guide to the Estuary.
Call for Resident Artists of the Estuary
The Estuary is seeking proposals from artists to support the restoration work on the Juan Méndez ravine. See the call for proposals at [link missing]. estuary.org/jobs.
Learn more about the Estuary's Resident Artists at estuary.org/residentartists.
Job opportunities
Curriculum and Assessment Specialist - The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is seeking to hire a Curriculum and Assessment Specialist to prepare the curriculum in Spanish for a Professional Certification on Participatory Bird Census and Characterization and Reduction of Microplastics Module.
Communications Support—Urban Waters Federal Partnership – The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is seeking qualified applicants to provide Communications support to the Urban Waters Ambassador, who supports the implementation of the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project.
Senior Project Lead (Juan Méndez Creek Restoration) – The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is seeking qualified applicants for the Senior Project Lead- Juan Méndez Creek position to lead project efforts in coordination with Estuario's work and its team.
Stakeholder and Engagement Manager – The Stakeholder and Engagement Manager assists the Executive Director and the Management Conference with engagement, educational, and outreach activities.
Accountant – The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is seeking qualified applications for an Accountant to join our highly skilled team for projects receiving funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Economic Valuation Study – Request for Proposals – The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is looking to engage a professional consultant(s) to conduct an economic valuation study to determine the current economic value of the natural resources and services in the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed.
Citizen Scientist Certification
See more information at: estuary.org/ccc
Participatory bird census module:
Field trip—participatory bird census (Global Big Day)On Saturday, May 11, from 7:00 am to 10:00 am at the Piñones State Forest, with environmental educators Coral Avilés and Eliezer Nieves
Microplastics characterization and reduction module:
Introductory workshop—Characterization and reduction of microplastics; on Thursday, May 16, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm via Zoom, with Coral Avilés
Field trip—characterization and reduction of microplasticsOn Friday, May 17, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am with Cristina Ramírez. The meeting place will be shared later.
Water quality module:
Field trip—water quality monitoring; on Thursday, May 16, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the County Lagoon, with Rebeca Rivera
Coastal resilience module:
Introductory workshop—Coastal resilience; on Thursday, May 23, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm via Zoom, with Coral Avilés
Field trip—ecological assessment of coral communitiesOn Sunday, May 26, 2024, from 8:00 am to 11:00 am at Playita del Condado, with Daritzel Cintrón
Field trip—ecological assessment of seagrassesOn Sunday, May 26, 2024, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the County Lagoon, with Daritzel Cintrón
Media coverage
Interview with Cristina Ramírez, aquatic waste project manager for the San Juan Bay Estuary:
Renia Rosa. April 22, 2024. Plastic soil: a threat to health. Supplements of El Nuevo Día. pp. 2-3.
Interview with Dr. Jorge Bauzá, scientific director of the San Juan Bay Estuary:
Carlos Omar Rivera. April 26, 2024. Mangroves, a vital tropical ecosystem. Interview with Jorge Bauzá. Noticentro. WAPA TV. Web: https://wapa.tv/noticias/ciencia/mangles-un-ecosistema-tropical-vital/article_ce358856-03fb-11ef-8785-f79bef7288a7.html
Other activities
Thorough cleaning with Scuba Dogs Society
On Saturday, April 27, a thorough cleanup was carried out by the Scuba Dogs Society and supported by the San Juan Bay Estuary from the Condado Lagoon.
Some 31 volunteers joined the estuary team in the cleanup. Members of the swimming group The tsunamis and other citizens also collaborated, both in the land cleanup and in the water.
We removed 14 bags of trash, for a total of 181.5 lbs. In addition, we collected 220 lbs. of larger debris—wood and concrete—for a final total of 401.5 lbs.
We rescued 70 individuals from different organisms, corresponding to 16 different species.
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Assessment conducted on Thursday, May 9, 2024. We have a RED flag for County Lagoon. Several stations exceeded the water quality parameter for enterococci. Beach Action Value 70 CFU/100 ML. We recommend avoiding these areas. Remember to avoid water during rain events. Have a good weekend.
