The family day trip to the County Lagoon in February 2024 was a success.
On Saturday, February 3rd, we held a family day out at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve. Twelve people participated in the frisbee activity with Traveling Chains PR, thirteen people took part in the tour of the reserve with our education team, 36 people attended the outdoor workshop on marine ecosystems in the reserve, and 98 people attended the Estuary Movie screening.
We thank all the public who joined us, Pizzeria 188 for bringing their delicious pizza to the event, Traveling Chains PR for providing the frisbee game, the San Juan Municipal Police for their cooperation, and the administrator of Jaime Benítez Park, José Ramos , for his collaboration during the event.
Until next time!
Job opportunities
Estuary Project Coordinator—Monitoring – The Estuario Project Coordinator—Remote Monitoring will support the installation of a data buoy remote water quality monitoring system at various locations throughout the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed. The Project Coordinator will also support the Scientific Director with the development of a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for data collection of the remote water quality monitoring system, which will be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval. The Project Coordinator will visit the fixed stations for maintenance at least monthly, carry out monitoring events according to the EPA approved QAPP.
Project Evaluator – Under this project, the Project Evaluator will be expected to develop an ongoing storyline of the Juan Méndez Creek restoration process to document and communicate project efforts, project achievements, and impact to various audiences. This contract position will work under the supervision of the Executive Director.
Estuary Internship Opportunity—Stakeholder Education & Awareness – The interns will support the development of educational campaigns and community and municipal recycling programs, as these are essential to improve the quality of the habitat, enhance the aesthetic, recreational, and economic values of the SJBE, and help ensure that the estuary system and its watershed is free of aquatic waste.
Capacity Building & Facilitation. Services (Request for Proposal) – The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (Estuary) seeks qualified applicants to work at Capacity Building Services. The Capacity Building Services supports Estuary's role as a regional convener, catalyst, and facilitator to restore and maintain clean waters that support a thriving ecosystem, healthy communities, and vibrant ecosystem in the San Juan Bay Estuary and its urbanized watershed.
Citizen Science & Education Manager – The Citizen Science and Education Manager is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Estuary's capacity building efforts and education efforts at a regional level. This position will help develop and communicate data related to baseline conditions through habitat, restoration, or coastal resilience initiatives, volunteer monitoring, and other data sets through education efforts.
Web Development/Maintenance & GIS Services – This website contractor will support the integration of the technology being developed into the website and the development of any GIS analysis needed. The contractor will work in close collaboration with the current website contractor who maintains the Estuario.org. The maps created will be accessible to the public via Estuario.org. This contractor will be supervised by the Executive Director.
Webpage Design – The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (Estuario) is seeking qualified applicants to design a separate landing page that can be accessed from Estuario.org for the Juan Mendez Creek Restoration Project. This Service Provider will work closely with the current website contractor, providing UI services to design a landing page that will present the project and its trajectory.
Green Infrastructure Specialist – The Green Infrastructure Specialist would lead discussions with relevant stakeholders to align interests and develop partnerships in green infrastructure, urban forestry, and reforestation projects. This will support the development of strategies related to urban forestry, nature-based solutions, restoration, and coastal resilience efforts to advance reforestation and green infrastructure-based solutions.
Stakeholder & Engagement Coordinator – The Stakeholder and Engagement Coordinator will focus on facilitating and coordinating engagement between the various partners, collaborators, and stakeholders within local, state, and federal agencies, NGOs, academia, and business leaders in the private sector to implement the CCMP.
Stakeholder & Engagement Manager – The Stakeholder and Engagement Manager assists the Executive Director and the Management Conference with engagement, educational, and outreach activities. The position oversees and coordinates Management Conference (MC) committees and pursues new partnerships and funding opportunities; they provide staff support for the Management Conference and serve as a liaison for various external working groups.
See all available opportunities at: estuary.org/jobs
Certification of scientific citizens
Below are the scheduled events for the next two weeks. See more information at estuary.org/ccc.
Coastal resilience module:
February 13 – Thematic workshop: Restoration of dunes and mangroves; with Andreína Alexatos, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm via Zoom
February 17 – Field trip: planting coastal vegetation for dune restoration; with Andreína Alexatos, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am in Loíza
February 18 – Field trip: ecological assessment of coral reefs; with Daritzel Cintrón, from 8:00 am to 11:00 am at Playita del Condado
February 18 – Field trip: ecological assessment of seagrasses; with Daritzel Cintrón, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Playita del Condado
February 20 – Thematic workshop: Identification and census of marine fish; with Daritzel Cintrón, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm via Zoom
Water quality module:
February 15 – Thematic workshop on Water Quality Monitoring: physical-chemical parameters; with Rebeca Rivera, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm via Zoom
Other activities
Recognition to the volunteers and collaborators of the campaign, "Let it not touch the ground or reach the water".
Last Saturday, February 3rd, as part of the La Goyco Community Workshop's Community Fair, the "Don't Let It Touch the Ground or Reach the Water" campaign—an initiative to improve solid waste management and water conservation along Loíza Street—recognized the volunteers who have contributed to the campaign's efforts. On this occasion, the campaign wanted to acknowledge the volunteers, neighbors, and collaborators for their effort and commitment to the initiatives undertaken.
Recognition was given to those who participated in large-scale events (Tito Matos Fest, Christmas Lighting Ceremony, etc.), the diversion of materials (organic waste, glass, oil, batteries, cardboard, aluminum), members of Machuchal Limpio, the La Goyco Community Workshop team, general collaborators, neighbors who labeled their trash containers, workshop leaders, the Candela plena group, and others. To more than 150 people, we say: Thank you for supporting the conservation of natural resources, public health, and our waterways!
As part of the Fair's schedule, there was the "Colilleros" workshop #quenolleguealagua, by José Luis Gutiérrez, from the Comején Workshop.
We also appreciate the efforts to divert organic waste and glass that take place at the Fairs on the first Saturdays of the month.
On Thursday, February 8, 2024, our Estuary Project Officer, Sofia Burgos Caraballo, PhD, along with chemical engineer and lawyer Florabel Toro, shared with sixth, seventh and eighth grade students from the Leonicio Meléndez school in Las Piedras, as part of the activity I am a woman, I am science, I am STEM.
In dialogue with the students, the guests shared their experiences, motivations, challenges, and successes as professional women in science. The event concluded with the entire student body recognizing the Puerto Rican women scientists.
We appreciate the efforts of Lourdes Cancel, Mirma Berríos, and Nelson Sánchez, who organized the event. Congratulations!
Support us with your refund
When you make your individual contribution this 2024, support the Estuary with a tax refund. Look for the option “Contribution to the Special Fund for the San Juan Bay Estuary ” on line 1B of the “Refund” section . Read more here.
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Assessment conducted on Thursday, February 8, 2024. We have a RED flag for the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve. We recommend avoiding areas that exceeded the water quality parameter for enterococci Beach Action Value of 70 CFU/100 ML. Have a great weekend!
