Estuario Weekly Update
An estuarine greeting! Below, we share the opportunities for collaboration, training, and events scheduled in Benefit of the ecosystems and communities of the San Juan Bay estuary.
National Estuaries Week
National Estuaries Week is just around the corner! From Saturday, September 21st to Saturday, September 28th, we will be celebrating the environmental, economic, and social importance of our estuarine ecosystem.
We have multiple activities scheduled, where you will learn about the biological diversity of the region, actions to strengthen it against climate change and how to evaluate and improve the quality of its waters. Sign up today! – estuario.org/eventos
Saturday, 21
International Coastal Cleanup at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve (8am-12pm)
Sunday, 22
Field Experience: Participatory bird census at the Jardín Botánico de la UPR, Río Piedras (7-10am)
Monday, 23
Field Experience: Water Quality Monitoring at Las Curías and Río Piedras (9am-12pm)
Introductory Workshop: Coastal Resilience [via zoom] (5-6pm)
Illicit Discharges Workshop – Protect Our Waters: Identification and Reporting of Illicit Discharges [via Zoom] (7-8pm)
Tuesday, 24
Field Experience: Planting of coastal vegetation in the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve (8-11am)
Field Experience: Water Quality Monitoring in San Juan Bay (9-12pm)
Thematic Workshop: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses [by Zoom] (5-6pm)
Workshop: Documenting the Biodiversity of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve [via Zoom] (7-8pm)
Wednesday, 25
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses in the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve (8-11am)
Field Experience: Water Quality Monitoring in Laguna San José/Torrecilla (9-12pm)
Workshop: Getting to know the aquatic life of the Condado Lagoon [via Zoom] (7-8pm)
Thursday, 26
Field Experience: Bacteriological monitoring of water quality in the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve (9am-12pm)
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs in the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve (8-11am)
Thematic Workshop: Coastal Restoration of Dunes and Mangroves [by Zoom] (5-6pm)
Workshop: Common Trees of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve [by Zoom] (7-8pm)
Friday, 27
Field Experience: Characterization and reduction of microplastics in Laguna San José/Torrecilla (9-11am)
Workshop: Birds of the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve [via Zoom] (7-8pm)
Saturday, 28
Events can count toward Contacto Verde hours or community service, as applicable. See more details, at estuario.org/eventos.
Estuario Summit 2024
The Estuario Summit 2024 seeks to promote the integration and collaboration of our diversity of experts and stakeholders—strengthening SJBE restoration and conservation efforts.
Results of research work on issues of water quality, biodiversity, microbiology and governance will be presented, which will result in La Condición del Estuario, a document that describes different ecological and social aspects of the watershed.
The Estuario Summit 2024 will take place on Monday, December 2, Wednesday, December 3, and Thursday, December 4, 2024, from 8:30am-5:00pm, at the theater of the Colegio de Ingenieros y Agrimensores de Puerto Rico in Hato Rey.
Your participation will be key to promoting the next SJBE restoration and conservation efforts. Sign up today, HERE.
Family Day in the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve
On Saturday, September 7, 2024, Caribbean Manatee Conservation Day in Puerto Rico, we held our most recent Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve. We were accompanied by several Girl Scout troops, who developed and supported activities for the day. We started at 2:00 p.m., with a treasure hunt at the Reserve.
At 4 p.m., the Yabriel Pagán and Mariellie Pérez, from the Centro de Conservación de Manatíes, provided us with an educational talk, entitled El manatí del gran Caribe: tesoro de la Laguna del Condado. At 5:00 p.m., the Girl Scout, Jomaris Ramos López, gave the talk: Manglares en peligro: un llamado a la conservación. Later, the audience was delighted with a reading of the book, Carlitos el cobito quiere escuchar el mar; by its writer, Gabriela Joglar Burrowes.
At the end of the night, it was not possible to hold the screening of Cine del Estuario. The next showing will be on Saturday, October 5.
We are immensely grateful to the Centro de Conservación de Manatíes and to Yabriel and Mariellie, for sharing their knowledge, to Jomaris Ramos López, the Girl Scouts of Troop 311 and to the leader Evelmarie López, for their collaboration, to the writer Gabriela Joglar Burrowes, for a beautiful reading, and to María Meléndez, from Pizzeria 188 and the Municipality of San Juan, for their continued support. Until next time!
Celebrating the shorebirds of the estuary
Yellow-crowned night herons, spotted sandpipers, least sandpipers and a lesser yellowlegs were sighted last Friday, September 6, at the global celebration and monitoring of shorebirds in the Blasina Channel, between Carolina and Loíza.
The SJBEP, in collaboration with the Carolina Children’s Museum, carried out a census of waterbirds, helping to document the presence of birds in this region and evidencing the health of this ecosystem.
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the upcoming scheduled events. See more events at: estuario.org/ccc.
Water Quality Monitoring Module:
Field Experience; on Thursday, September 19, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon, with Rebeca Rivera, monitoring coordinator
Coastal Resilience Module:
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; on Sunday, September 15, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon, with Daritzel Cintrón, marine biologist
Introductory Workshop; on Thursday, September 19, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. via Zoom, with Andreína Alexatos
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; on Sunday, September 29, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon, with Daritzel Cintrón
Employment Opportunity
Stakeholder and Engagement Coordinator— The Stakeholder and Engagement Coordinator supports Estuario’s role as a regional convener, catalyst, and facilitator to restore and maintain clean waters that support thriving ecosystems, healthy communities, and a vibrant ecosystem in the San Juan Bay Estuary and its urbanized watershed.
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 paperback pickup, please contact us at 787-725-8165.
Prepare for this 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 conducted Thursday, September 12, 2024. We have a GREEN flag for the Condado Lagoon. One station exceedd the water quality parameter for enterococci of 70CFU/100ML—we recommend avoiding this area. Remember to avoid the water after rain events.
