Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico

1970

• 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a public leader in environmental conservation and historic preservation in the islands of Puerto Rico​
• 50-year trajectory

Operational Model

• Ecology
• History
• Education
• Volunteers
• Agroecology
• Communities

Our Habitat

• Main island
• 5 satellite islands
• 4 islets
• 588 cays
• 2.2 million acres
• 799 miles of coastline
• 25 ecosystem types
• Insular Caribbean Biodiversity Hotspot
• Over 10,000 species identified

1975

Hacienda La Esperanza, Manatí

• A historical 2,220 acre sugar cane plantation located near the karstic zone
• Contains alluvial plains, beaches, herbaceous wetlands, an estuary and mangroves

1975

Cabezas de San Juan, Fajardo

• A 316 acre natural protected area containing mangroves, coral reefs, a subtropical dry forest, sandy and rocky coasts
• It also has the Laguna Grande bioluminescent lagoon, one of the three bioluminescent lagoons within Puerto Rico

1985

Hacienda Buena Vista, Ponce

• An 82 acre subtropical rain forest with a river called Canas, that was previously a cacao, plantain and citrus fruit hacienda in the 20th century

1991

Casa Ramon Power y Giralt

• 0.12 acres
• Birthplace of Ramón Power y Giralt, the first Puerto Rican delegate to the Courts of Cádiz in Spain

Antiguo Acueducto del río Piedras

• First aqueduct of San Juan
• Located in Río Piedras Botanical Garden
• Linked to both the landscape and ecology of the Piedras river
• National Register of Historic Places since 2007
• In process of restoration

A collaboration with the Municipality of San Juan, JorgeRigau Arquitectos and Aldayjover: arquitectura y paisaje

Inspiring Stewards of Nature

Educational Offerings

• 32 years of environmental education

2018-2021

• 43 nature and history tours
• 22 workshops

2008 - 2020

Volunteer Participation

• 33,390 unique volunteers
• 205,935 participations
• 594,048 hours donated
• $7.5 million estimated value of volunteer time

2008 - 2018

Citizen Science

• Includes: CC-HLE, Corals, DUNAS, Map of Life, Champion Trees, Archaeology, bird counts, coastal studies, etc.
• 13,476 volunteers
• 130,015 participations
• 256,795 hours donated
• $3 million estimated value of volunteer time

Reforestation

• 5 tree nurseries

2018 - May 31, 2021

• 284,242 trees produced
• 105,778 trees planted
• 18 biocomisos (school tree nurseries)
• 9 botanical gardens (in INE schools)

Growing Food Sustainability

Agroecology

• Grants: 132 farmers, $492,000
• Funds raised for agroecological projects: $763,479
• Training and workshops: 33 workshops
• Demonstration gardens: 5
• Community gardens: 5
• Land leased to farmers: 1,581 acres (15 farmers / 28 locations)

Communities

• Supporting resilient community development
• Over 97,500 individuals impacted
• An average of 46% of the population living below the poverty line
• Lowest average household annual income $9,122 (Pellejas)
• 33 community centers
• Retrofitted with solar energy systems, as well as water harvesting and purification systems
• Capacity building

School Programs

• Environmental projects at INE schools throughout the islands of PR
• Existing projects in 6 schools
• 4 school gardens and
• 2 butterfly gardens
• 14 additional school projects in 2022

Casa Knowlton, Cerro Feliz Natural Protected Area

• 47 protected acres
• Sustainable alignment with surrounding ecology and integrated biodiversity

Community Garden Projects

• A collaborative project with Mujeres de Islas
• 3 satellite gardens at residences of women participating in the Siembra en SEVA project
• Educational programming on plant health and maintenance

Leaders in Conservation of Culebra

• A collaborative project with La Fundación de Culebra
• 12 participants between the ages of 12-17 years from the Ecological School and Abbie School
• Longterm community involvement and nature stewardship objective

Supporting Community Resiliency

3 community centers

• La Fundación de Culebra Museo
• El Polvorín
• Mujeres de Islas

Flamenco Beach Botanical Coastal Forest

• International distinction, ranked one of the top beaches in the world
• Collaboration proposal with the Municipality of Culebra

Strengthening Coastal Communities

• Vegetation survey and assessment plan by Vaccarino Associates

Enhancing Social Resilience

• Reinforcing the natural systems of its coastal forest, dunes, and hydrology
• Strengthening protection from future coastal climate events and natural hazards

Restoring Cultural Heritage: The Culebrita Lighthouse

• Usufruct contract with the Municipality of Culebra signed on January 27, 2015 with a 20 year term, extendable by 10 years

A Stunning Ecological Treasure

• Subtropical dry forest
• 4 marine turtle species
• Sandy and rocky beaches
• 100 flora species
• Native and endemic species
• 80 migratory and endemic birds
• 1,200 acres of coral reefs

Puerto Rico’s Easternmost Gem

• The Culebrita Lighthouse is located in the easternmost point of the Puerto Rican archipelago
• Built by the Spanish Crown between 1882 and 1886
• E-shaped floor plan

• One of the oldest lighthouses in the Caribbean (1886)
• The only Spanish era building remaining in the Culebra jurisdiction

The project received the 2018 Honor Award in Unbuilt Design by ToroArquitectos from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), San Juan Chapter

Floor Plan

• Visitor Center, Reception and Exhibition Areas
• Community and Educational Programming Areas
• Investigative and Field Work Stations
• Lodging Areas for Educational and Investigative Collaborations

Landscape Site Plan

Vaccarino Associates

• ToroArquitectos in collaboration with Vaccarino Associates for landscape architecture
• Careful and specific selection of vegetative species introduction

Planting Plan

Native Plant List

Citizen Science

• Map of Life Program
• Scientific research
• Data collection
• Monitoring protocols self-guided interpretative signaling and exhibitions
• Tour programming + environmental interpretation
• Learning opportunities
• Field station

Community Initiatives

• Volunteer events
• Outdoor classrooms
• Gathering areas for community events

Ecotourism

• Historical and architectural tourism
• A unique destination
• Birdwatching
• Sea turtle monitoring
• Recreation
• Surfing and paddleboarding
• Snorkeling and kayaking
• Boating and sailing
• Botanical research
• Camping
• Hiking

• Design and permits for pier
• Securing of financing through Tax Credits and CDBG funding
• Begin construction

Reconstruction of the Culebrita Pier

Design and permit phase:

• Protectores de Cuencas, Inc. In collaboration with Tetra Tech