Estuario Weekly Update
Estuarine greetings! This week, the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) invites you to add your voice and action to the protection of our waters. Discover tools for documenting restoration and conservation projects, participate in workshops and field experiences, and continue to reduce your reliance on single-use plastics. See more information below.
Document your habitat restoration and conservation project
Each year, the SJBEP documents habitat restoration and conservation efforts implemented by different sectors within the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE) watershed. Thus, we can recognize the progress made in the restoration and conservation of our habitats and gather valuable information to support public investment in the region.
If your community, organization, or agency has implemented a habitat restoration or conservation project (planting, cleaning, or other) head over to: estuario.org/proyectos-habitat to document and recognize it, by Tuesday, August 26, 2025.
Workshop for Interpreters, Educators, and Community Leaders
The SJBEP invites all teachers, non-formal educators, interpreter guides, and community leaders to the workshop, Green Infrastructure: Benefits for Water in the City; on Saturday, August 23, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Huerto, Vivero y Bosque Urbano de Capetillo.
As part of the workshop, we will present concepts, benefits and public policy on urban green spaces and we will take a guided tour of the Capetillo urban forest. Register today, at: estuario.org/eventos.
Recycling Pop-up in Piñones
Dispose of your recyclables correctly! Take advantage of LimPiaR’s Recycling Pop-up, on Saturday, August 16, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Miguel Fuentes Pinet Park in Loíza.
Visit our information table, where you will learn how to properly handle used vegetable oil and your options to prevent it from affecting water infrastructure and natural resources.
Don’t forget to bring your rinsed recyclables. #1, #2 and #5 plastics, aluminum and brass cans and corrugated cardboard (non-gloss) will be accepted. We thank LimPiaR for the invitation and follow-up to this event. This collaboration is part of the community campaign: Deja una huella limpia en Piñones.
Un verano sin plástico
Summer doesn’t end in Puerto Rico! The SJBEP invites you to continue reducing, replacing and eliminating single-use plastics, through the campaign: A summer without plastic.
Through this effort, we continue to educate about Act 51-2022: Law to prohibit the sale and use of single-use plastics.
Remember that the plastic materials that are prohibited in this legislation are: 1) plates, 2) glasses, 3) cups, 4) cutlery, 5) single-use plastic straws and 6) “to go” takeaway food containers.
Enjoy your Island with reusable utensils.
Banco Popular Interns Join Mangrove Restoration
As part of the Coastal Resilience module of the Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists, 17 participants of Banco Popular’s internship program carried out a day of training and fieldwork with the SJBEP.
The experience included a workshop on the ecological function of dunes and mangroves, maintenance work in TAU Center’s Vivero Estuario nursery, transplantation of green buttonwood, black mangrove and beach bean, and the collection of seeds and sea grape plants in Playa Piñones.
They also cleaned up the area and processed red mangrove propagules for future plantings. We thank these volunteers for their community action and in protecting our coasts, and Robmarie Erazo Molina for her leadership.
Employment/contract opportunities
Below are the available places. See all the posts, in estuario.org/empleos.
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. See more information in estuario.org/ccc. These activities count toward community and Contacto Verde hours.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Field Experience: Bacteriological Monitoring; Thursday, Aug. 21, at 9:30 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling; Monday, August 25, at 8:30 a.m. at Las Curías Lake and the Piedras River
Field experience: Physical-chemical sampling; Tuesday, August 26, at 9:00 a.m. at San Juan Bay
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Field experience; Friday, August 22, at 9:00 a.m. (location to be announced)
Coastal Resilience Module
Workshop: Ecological restoration of dunes and mangroves; Thursday, August 21, at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom
Field experience: Planting Coastal Vegetation; Saturday, August 23, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, August 23, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, August 23, at 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Coastal Vegetation Assessment; Friday, August 29, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Prepare for Hurricane Season
Get ready for this hurricane season. Download the Estuario Community Hurricane Preparedness Guide and follow its recommendations. The strength and resilience of your community starts at home.
Also visit the Estuario Virtual Community Hub, where you’ll find vital information such as relevant emergency numbers and instructions for preparing emergency backpacks.
Don’t get scared! Get prepared.
Weekly water quality monitoring
Thanks to the volunteers who supported the bacteriological monitoring on Thursday, August 14, 2025, as part of the Water Quality Monitoring module of the Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists. Here are the results.
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, August 14, 2025. We have a GREEN flag for Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the areas whose stations exceeded the water quality parameter “Beach Action Value” for enterococci of 70 CFU/100 ML. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
