Estuario Weekly Update
An estuarine greeting! This week, we highlight the activities and collaborations that continue to strengthen environmental education in the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE) watershed. From learning spaces with schools, to alliances for the restoration of coasts and bodies of water, we continue to join efforts for a healthier estuary.
Family Day
The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) invites you to the next Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve, on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the Jaime Benítez Park. We will have the following activities:
Sports activity at 2:00 p.m.
Educational talk: Come pez león! with Jannette Ramos, from Sea Grant Puerto Rico (valid for Contacto Verde) at 3:00 p.m.
Treasure Hunt: La vereda botánica y su conexión con el agua (valid for Contacto Verde) at 4:00 p.m.
Talk: Humedales y biodiversidad en la Reserva Natural Estuarina de la Laguna del Condado (valid for Contacto Verde) at 4:30 p.m.
Interpretive tour – Agua: recurso vital para la conexión de los sistemas estuarinos (valid for Contacto Verde) at 6:00 p.m.
See more information at: estuario.org/eventos.
Cine del Estuario
Cine del Estuario presents: Wonka; on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Jaime Benítez Park in the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve. The film will be screened in Spanish, with English subtitles. This feature is free of charge. Bring your blanket or chair!
Participate in the discussions on the infrastructure actions of the SJBEP CCMP Revision
After the recent round of reviews, it is appropriate to focus on the specific actions that will be included in the CCMP to address each of the five (5) goals set, starting with the first: Maintain and improve obsolete and poor gray and green infrastructure that negatively impacts the quality of water and sediments in the estuarine bed. Some topics we will be touching on will include sanitary water, stormwater, drainage and water exchange infrastructure, to mitigate erosion and sediment transport, port and vessel, transport and mobility, collaborative monitoring of water quality and analysis of impacts coming from areas outside the current study area.
We will hold two conversations to generate discussion and inspiration:
Community Conversation on Actions to Improve Infrastructure: For residents, neighbors, and friends of the region, on Monday, June 16, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in San Juan (TBD), with virtual space.
Scientific and Technical Conversation on Actions to Improve Infrastructure: For scientists, experts, and specialists of the SJBE system, on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in San Juan (TBD), with virtual space.
Sign up today, at estuario.org/eventos. You will receive your copy of the proposed actions draft on June 11, 2025, by email, to the address provided in your registration.
We greatly appreciate your support in sharing this information and ensuring that as many citizens, community members, scientists and experts as possible can actively participate in this revision.
Define with us the future of the waters of the metropolitan region of San Juan. See you there!
We are looking for volunteers for the recycling stations of the next Tito Matos Fest
The SJBEP invites you to volunteer at the recycling stations of the fourth edition of the Tito Matos Fest, at Taller Comunidad La Goyco, on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15, 2025, as part of the community campaign for correct handling of materials, Que no toque el piso ni llegue al agua.
The volunteer hours will count as field experience for the Microplastic Characterization and Reduction module of the Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists. Sign up here.
The project for the Economic Valuation of the Ecosystem Services of the SJBE is underway
The SJBEP is conducting an economic valuation of the ecosystem goods and services provided by the SJBE. The results of this economic assessment will serve as a tool to educate the public, government agency personnel, and elected officials about the importance of restoring and conserving the estuarine system.
On May 14, 15 and 16, three face-to-face working days were held, where the results of the geospatial analysis carried out by the consulting team, Metroeconómica, were presented and discussed. In addition, the methodology that will allow the monetary estimation of the biodiversity and recreational use of the estuary was addressed.
We greatly appreciate the welcome of Universidad del Sagrado Corazón during these three days, as well as the participation of experts, academics, municipalities, agencies, and communities that made these days very productive.
Talk on biodiversity in Capetillo
Last Thursday, May 22, the SJBEP, in collaboration with Huerto, Vivero y Bosque Urbano de Capetillo, offered an educational talk to students and other members of the community in celebration of the International Day of Biodiversity.
The activity addressed the connection between the riparian area of this urban space in Río Piedras and the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that surround it.
We thank Dr. Natalia Rodríguez for her valuable participation, as well as our educators, Coral Avilés and Eliezer Nieves, who enriched the conversation with their experience and commitment.
The interpretive tours and educational experiences will continue in the green spaces of the Urban Forest Network of the SJBE. You can find them in estuario.org/eventos.
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. See more information in estuario.org/ccc. Remember that we offer community and Contacto Verde hours, as applicable.
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Workshop on Characterization and Reduction of Microplastics; Thursday, June 12, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Field experience: coastal vegetation planting; Saturday, May 31, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses; Tuesday, June 10, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, June 14, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, June 14, at 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Weekly water quality monitoring
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, May 29, 2025. We have a GREEN flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the areas that exceeded the “Beach Action Value” water quality parameter for enterococci of 70 CFU/100 ML. Remember to avoid the water during rainfall events.
