Estuario Weekly Update
Greetings! Below, we share opportunities for collaboration, volunteering and training, through initiatives and programmed actions in benefit of the ecosystems and communities of the San Juan Bay Estuary.
Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve
On Saturday, July 13, 2024, don’t miss our next Family Day, at the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve. We will have the following activities:
[2:00 p.m.] Ground cleanup at the Lagoon (with community service hours)
[4:00 p.m.] Sports activity for the whole family
[5:00 p.m.] Educational Talk: Mangroves in Danger, A Call for Conservation; with Girl Scout Jomaris A. Ramos of Troop 400 (with Green Contact hours)
[6:00 p.m.] Ethnobotanical Walk: Utility of the Plants of the Condado Lagoon (with Green Contact hours)
To close the event, Cine del Estuario presents: The Flash, at 7:00 p.m. The film will be screened in Spanish, with English subtitles. As always, this feature is free of charge. Bring your blanket or chair!
See more information at: estuario.org/eventos.
More adventures with the 3E Program interns
On Tuesday, June 18, students from the 3E Program (Examina + Explora + Expande) at the Rio Piedras campus of the University of Puerto Rico, participated in an activity to monitor and characterize microplastics in the Piedras River.
The activity was carried out as part of the participatory research experiences of the 3E Program and to expose the students to San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership protocols.
Cristina Ramírez, Aquatic Waste Manager, oversaw the activity, with the support of Coral Avilés and Eliezer Nieves.
Then, on Wednesday, June 19, the students visited the San Patricio State Forest. There, they were greeted by the forest management officer, Planner Mia Sued. After a pleasant dialogue, the students carried out a biodiversity monitoring of the forest, as part of the participatory science activities of their internship.
They conducted a bird census under the mentorship of Coral Avilés and Eliezer Nieves, from the estuarine education team.
They also documented two reptiles endemic to Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rican Racer and the Puerto Rican Boa.
A week earlier, on Wednesday, June 12, the students joined arborist, Andreína Alexatos, and youth engagement coordinator, Agnes Pagán, to a planting monitoring at the Condado Lagoon. The interns studied the progress of the coastal vegetation previously planted in the area and received a short talk on the importance of green infrastructure to prevent erosion in coastal regions.
Workshops on proper oil handling
Last Thursday, June 27, we offered a workshop on proper handling of oils to 19 students of the summer camp of the Georgina Baquero School in Canóvanas. This excellent group of children showed great interest and commitment to conserving our natural resources. Thanks to the recycling coordinator of the Municipality of Canóvanas, Fid Marie Martínez, who invited us.
We also held a workshop on proper oil handling in the Municipality of Loíza. The workshop was held at the Gregorio “Goyín” Lanza Cirino Community Center, in Parcelas Suarez.
Thanks to the students of the education and awareness internship in resource and waste management with the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership, who provided both workshops.
Microplastics characterization field trip
On Friday, June 28th, we conducted the Microplastics Characterization and Reduction module’s most recent field trip for the Estuario Citizen Scientists Certification, through the San Juan Bay.
We thank Camila Kuan, Juan Rosa, Andrea Vázquez and Paul Lanctin, who accompanied us to characterize and count around 102 microplastics recovered from the Margarita and San Antonio canals.
We acknowledge Juan Rosa and Andrea Vázquez, who, after attending this field trip, completed their certification. Congratulations!
#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 cutlery and/or straws.
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 Partnership for responsible waste management, in: estuario.org/desechos-acuaticos.
Citizen Scientists Certification
Remember that this July we begin a new certification cycle, with introductory workshops to all thematic modules. Below are the events scheduled for the coming weeks:
Water Quality Monitoring Module:
Participatory Bird Census Module:
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module:
Coastal Resilience Module:
See more information at estuario.org/ccc.
Employment Opportunities
Supporting Community Collaboration Efforts – Federal Urban Water Program— The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is seeking qualified applicants to support community collaboration efforts by the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, who supports the implementation of the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project.
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. 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.
Media Coverage
Alonso Daboub Bullón. June 30, 2024. Siembran mangles contra la erosión. Ambiente Hoy. El Nuevo Día. p.38.
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 be scared! Get prepared.
Weekly Water Quality Monitoring
Evaluation carried out on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. We have a GREEN flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the areas that exceeded the water quality parameter for enterococci of 70CFU/100ML. Remember to avoid the water after rain events.
