Estuario Weekly Update
An estuarine greeting! Below, we share the events, opportunities and initiatives scheduled in benefit of the waters, ecosystems and communities of the San Juan Bay Estuary.
Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve
On Saturday, July 13th, we celebrated our latest Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve. In the morning, we began with the San Juan Bay Estuary’s annual workshop for educators, with nine participants.
Although the rain did not allow us to carry out the scheduled cleanup in the Lagoon, we did hold, as a sports activity, a soccer game. Later, botanist Mario Garcia led about eight people on an interpretive walk, where they talked about the usefulness of the Reserve’s plants.
Finally, 38 people attended the screening of The Flash, at Cine del Estuario. We thank Héctor Sáez, from the Recreation and Sports office of the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan, for his collaboration and support. Until next time!
The adventures of the 3E Program students continue
On Wednesday, June 26, the internship students of the 3E Program (Examine + Explore + Expand) of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras visited the Piñones State Forest. There, they met the forest management officer, biologist Herminio Diaz, who guided them on the aspects of forest management, its challenges and opportunities.
Then, led by the education team and estuarine birders, Coral Avilés Santiago and Eliezer Nieves Rodríguez, they carried out a bird census as part of the Participatory Bird Census module of the Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists.
Among woodpeckers, gray kingbirds, brown pelicans, Great kiskadees and an osprey, they explored the forest, listened to its sounds and connected with its nature.
Siembra de vegetación costera
As part of the Coastal Resilience module of the Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists, 23 volunteers planted around 478 specimens of various species of coastal vegetation, in Shacks Beach, Isabela, on Saturday, July 13, 2024.
The planting was carried out in collaboration with Surfrider Foundation Puerto Rico. The activity had as an emphasis the restoration of the mangrove in the area, and the reinforcement of previous plantings.
#PlasticFreeJuly
Let’s celebrate a plastic-free July. Follow the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership’s advice on actions you can take to reduce your use of single-use plastics.
This week: Use reusable plates and food containers.
Learn more ways to reduce your plastic footprint, information about Law 51-2022—Law for the Prohibition of Single-Use Plastics in Puerto Rico; and the actions of the San Juan Bay Estuary for responsible waste management, in: estuario.org/desechos-acuaticos.
Citizen Scientists Certification
Below are the workshops and field experiences for the coming weeks. See more information in estuario.org/ccc.
Water Quality Monitoring Module:
Coastal Resilience Module:
Employment Opportunities
Supporting Community Collaboration Efforts – Federal Urban Water Program— The San Juan Bay Estuary is seeking qualified applicants to support community collaboration efforts by the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, which supports the implementation of the Martín Peña Channel Ecosystem Restoration Project.
Accountant—The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership, also known as Estuario, is seeking qualified applications for an Accountant to join our highly skilled team for projects receiving funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The ideal candidate performs a variety of tasks related to budget preparation and maintenance of grant budgets.
Estuary Resident Artists – Request for Proposal — The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership seeks to select artistic proposals that support the restoration work of the Juan Méndez Creek.
[Download your free copy] San Juan Bay Estuary: Research History and Opportunities
The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is pleased to share the recent publication, San Juan Bay Estuary: Research History and 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 adding to these observations, findings, and conclusions in potential future research.
To arrange for a free paperback pickup, contact us at 787-725-8165.
Media coverage
July 14, 2024. 45 mujeres que mueven el Caribe. Magacín. El Nuevo Día. pp.7,11,14.
Prepare for the 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 number information and instructions for preparing emergency backpacks.
Don’t get scared! Get prepared.
Weekly water quality monitoring
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, July 18, 2024. We have a RED flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the areas that exceeded the water quality standard for enterococci of 70CFU/100ML. The average value in the Lagoon meets the established standard, but due to rain events, we recommend avoiding the water.
