Estuario Weekly Update
On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, we commemorate 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 bodies of water, promote biodiversity, and strengthen climate resilience. The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) continues 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 with you the events and activities scheduled to benefit the waters, communities and ecosystems connected to the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE).
Family Day
The Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve is back! Join us on Saturday, May 3, 2025, starting at 2:00 p.m. at the grounds of the Jaime Benítez Park. In celebration of Mother’s Day, we will have the following activities:
Sports activity at 2:00 p.m.
Talk about endemic birds of Puerto Rico (valid for Green Contact certification); at 3:00 p.m.
Taller Aurora presents: Macramé workshop for mom; at 4:15 p.m.
Small bird census (valid for Green Contact certification); at 5:30 p.m.
See more information in estuario.org/eventos. See you there!
Cine del Estuario
Cine del Estuario presents: Wonka; on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve. The film will be screened in Spanish, with English subtitles. As always, this feature is free of charge. Bring your blanket or chair!
Hazard mitigation workshops
If you reside in San Juan, Guaynabo, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Cataño or Loíza, your municipality and the SJBEP invite you to the risk identification, validation and prioritization workshops of the Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan for the SJBE watershed, this coming week:
Mitigating risks in San Juan; Monday, April 28, 2025; at 6:00 p.m. at the College of Engineers and Land Surveyors of Puerto Rico in Hato Rey
Mitigating risks in Guaynabo; on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. at the Centro de Servicios Múltiples Petra Collazo, Barrio Guaraguao
Mitigating risks in Toa Baja; on Wednesday, April 30, at 6:00 p.m. at the Centro Comunitario de Covadonga
Mitigating risks in Trujillo Alto; Thursday, May 1, at 1:00 p.m. at the Teatro Casa Cultural
Mitigating risks in Cataño; Thursday, May 1, at 6:00 p.m. at the Centro Comunitario Vista del Morro
Mitigating risks in Loíza; on Friday, May 2, at 5:00 p.m. at the Centro Comunitario Gregorio “Goyín” Lanza Cirino, Parcelas Suárez
We hope you’ll join us! If you can’t attend in person, these workshops will have virtual spaces for participation. Access links will be available on estuario.org/eventos. Any questions or comments, please write to us at: mitigació[email protected].
Dialogue on the installation of “No Fishing” signs in the Condado Lagoon
To all the neighbors, friends, and users of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve: join the community dialogue about the installation of “No Fishing” signs in the Reserve, on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Jaime Benítez Park.
Confirm your participation in estuario.org/eventos.
Birds of estuarine ecosystems: techniques to create meaningful experiences
If you are a tour guide, environmental interpreter or non-formal educator, the SJBEP invites you to the workshop, Birds of Estuarine Ecosystems: Techniques to Create Meaningful Experiences; on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve.
We will cover the identification of common birds in the various ecosystems of the SJBE watershed, as well as techniques to incorporate into guided tours and ecotourism experiences. The workshop will be provided by Coral Avilés Santiago and Eliezer Nieves Rodríguez.
Sign up today, at estuario.org/eventos.
Donativos Ambientales Ford looking to award grantees
If you are a nonprofit, Ford Environmental Donations will distribute $85,000 to select environmental community projects in Puerto Rico. The application is now open, until Friday, May 30, 2025.
Apply today, at: https://donativosambientalesford.com
Installation of signs in the Condado Lagoon
Thanks to the support of the Mano Amiga Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the SJBEP developed and installed a series of six educational signs around the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve, with the purpose of raising awareness about the importance of conserving the flora and fauna of the area. Each sign highlights an iconic species that can be observed and enjoyed from its location and calls for responsible enjoyment of the Reserve, thus highlighting permitted activities, such as swimming and rowing, and prohibited activities, such as fishing. In particular, the sign located on Calle Mayagüez celebrates the community group, Amigos de la Laguna, for its management and tireless dedication to the protection and conservation of the Reserve.
With these signs, the SJBEP features a new educational activity for the public and thus continues to fulfill its mission of restoring and conserving the quality of the waters of the SJBE ecosystem and its urbanized watershed.
Learn more about the signs, via the Mano Amiga Program, below.
Coastal vegetation plantings
April 10, 2025—Students from Cupey Montessori High School conducted a planting of coastal vegetation in the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve, as part of the Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists, under the Coastal Resilience module.
This field experience focused on the mangrove ecosystem. The youth planted about 600 specimens of red mangrove, white mangrove, black mangrove and green buttonwood.
We thank the teacher, Marisa Mulero, who led her students together with the coordinators, Andreína Alexatos and Agnes Pagán.
April 12, 2025—As a field experience for the Coastal Resilience module of the Estuaro Certification for Citizen Scientists, with a focus on the dune ecosystem, students and teachers from CEDIN—Laboratory School of the Interamerican University Metro Campus, carried out a planting of coastal vegetation on Pocita de Piñones.
They planted around 574 specimens, including red mangroves, green buttonwood, cocoplum, seagrapes, blacktorch, and palm tree. The students were led by the professor, Yamila Meléndez Rivera.
Certification for citizen scientists
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. See more information at estuario.org/ccc.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling of water; Monday, April 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the Piedras River
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Physical-chemical sampling; Monday, April 28, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling of water; Tuesday, April 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at San Juan Bay
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling of water; on Wednesday, April 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Laguna San José
Participatory Bird Census Module
Participatory Bird Census Workshop; Thursday, May 8, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom
Field experience: Participatory bird census; Saturday, May 10, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the Piñones State Forest
Coastal Resilience Module
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, April 26, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, April 26, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Weekly water quality monitoring
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, April 24, 2025. We have a GREEN flag for the County Lagoon. All stations were below the “Beach Action Value” water quality parameter of 70 CFU/100 ML. Remember to avoid water during rain events. Have a good weekend.
