Update March, 2012: The SJBEP continues sponsoring low-impact recreational activities in selected areas of the SJBE. Activities range from boat and kayak rides in the Condado Lagoon, to our bimonthly screenings of our Estuary Films project. Also, in April, 2011, the SJBE hosted an educational bicycle tour from Jaime Benítez Park in the Condado Lagoon to the San Juan Bay in Old San Juan.

So far the SJBEP has revised Cantera’s ecotouristic project , which includes a boardwalk, a restaurant, a pier, boat rides, a tower of observation and an educational exhibit designed by the SJBEP. We have discussed the project with the community leaders of Cantera and its residents, and with the United States’ Corp of Engineers.

Moreover, the SJBEP has assisted San Juan’s Municipality in the transformation of the Adolfo Dones Park from a recreational park to an eco-touristic one. Not only did we visit the construction site, we also examined and commented the Environmental Assessment (DIA) document.

This particular initiative, which will include an observation tower and a pier, has been assigned $40,000 by our program to be added to the $250,000 invested by the San Juan Municipality. The park is still under construction.

Also, the SJBEP’s Executive Director and its Cientific Advissor revised and commented the Environmental Assessment Document for the “Frente porturario de Guaynabo” (Guaynabo’s Waterfront Harbor) project in the municipality of Guaynabo. The project includes an aquarium, a board walk and a restaurant.

In addition, the SJBEP collaborated with the development of the Centro de Educación de Humedales (Center the Education of Wetlands) in the community of Juana Matos, Cataño. The Center receives more than 4,000 visitors every month.

In 2008 the SJBEP collaborated with the Deparment of Natural and Environmental Resourses and the Company of National Parks in the creation of a boat ramp in Isla de Cabras, in the Western Axis of the San Juan Bay Estuary.

We received a proposal for the development of various docks by the “Piñones se integra” Corporation and “Los laguneros” Cooperative, both in Loíza.

The legislator Nuno López approved a grant for the development of a restaurant and a recreational area in the Cooperative in Cantera.

The SJBEP collaborated in the design of the Jaime Benitez Park, by the Condado Lagoon, in order to include more green areas. In total we managed to incorporate a small urban forest of 1.5 acres as part of the park’s design.

Update January 2010:   Puerto Rico's National Parks Company inaugurated in 2008 Jaime Benitez Park at the Laguna de Condado with a 6.5MM dollars investment.   This park is an alternative for low-impact recreation for the community and visitors. A small business  of paddleboats rent was created and the SJBE is developing a public service campaign using sunshades in the paddleboats to increase awareness about the estuary's values and the need for conservation.

In the Municipality of Loiza the SJBE collaborated providing new Kayaks for the Corporacion Piñones se Integra COPI a community based organization.  The kayaks allow SJBE to promote low-impact and nature-oriented activities in Laguna Torrecillas.  

During 2008 2009 the San Juan  Government has begun the development of the Adolfo Dones' Ecotourism Park in collaboration with the SJBE.

Update March, 2012: We have a database of over 1,200 volunteers who participate in all of our activities around the SJBE’s watershed. 

Through community meetings and citizen requests, the SJBEP has managed to identify the following areas ideal for our monitoring and restoration projects: the Cucharillas marsh, La Esperanza Park, La Esperanza Islet, Bay View Waterfront in Cataño, Isla de Cabras, the Condado Lagoon, Capetillo, Piñones, the San José Lagoon, among others.

Currently the SJBEP has an ongoing Water Quality Monitoring Program, coordinated by Ernesto Olivares, which runs, partly, on voluntary effort. Also we have identified a series of initiatives that depend mainly on voluntary effort such as:

• The SJBEP’s annual cleanup activity in La Esperanza Islet
• Our dune restoration project in the Piñones area
• Our Water Quality Monitoring Program all along the SJBE watershed
• Mangrove restoration project
• The SJBEP’s reforestation campaign targeting native species such as Cobana Negra
• Rainwater systems’ targeting campaign
• World’s Water Quality Monitoring Day

Our Water Quality Monitoring Program is a top priority for the SJBEP, since almost no other entity in Puerto Rico monitors water quality parameters as thoroughly as we do.  It is worth noting that ours is the only program within the National Estuary Programs that provides official data to the Government. 

Since 2008 up to date, the SJBEP has carried out 4 or 5 cleanup activities every year, including our annual clean-up activity in La Esperanza Islet. Over the past 4 years more than 6,000 citizens have collaborated in our clean-up, planting, and water monitoring activities. The SJBEP has continued carrying out planting events in places such as Las Cucharillas Marsh, Islet and Park of La Esperanza, the Caimito Chiclana riparian area, Piñone’s State Forest and dune area. In 2009 we carried out a reforestation campaign targeting Cobana Negra, one of the Island’s endemic species. The SJBEP carried out a public service campaign that consisted of labeling rainwater systems. Also we took part in the World’s Water Quality Monitoring Day. In addition the SJBEP collaborated in the International Coastal Clean-Up. We provided volunteers with trash bags, gloves and other materials for the clean up.

In each of the SJBEP’s public service campaigns we promote our volunteering program. Furthermore, every one of our educational exhibits refers to the SJBEP’s web page, where visitors can inscribe themselves in our volunteer database.

It is worth noting that during the couple last years we have witnessed an increase in volunteers due to the reinforcing of our presence in educational fairs, environmental initiatives and school conferences, offered by different members of our staff.

Also, we have strengthened our volunteer database through a series of monitoring and restoration activities such as the World’s Water Monitoring Day, the implementation of the Estuary Guardian’s (over 600 students have participated in its program since its inception in 2008), our collaborative agreements and internships with local Universities like the University of Puerto Rico and Sagrado Corazón, among others.   

In 2008, and later in 2011, the SJBEP conducted a profile of our volunteers.

Training: Volunteers participating in our restoration initiatives continue to receive hands-on training on appropriate planting procedures, not only for mangrove but also for the native trees restoration initiatives. The protocols of the International Cleanup Organization are applied in all of our cleanup activities. Specialized training for monitoring is provided to the leaders and teachers of the Estuary’s Guardian program and to volunteers of our monthly water quality monitoring activities, including the World’s Water Monitoring Day, and internships in the area of water monitoring and environmental education. Our program has exchanged its knowledge of restoration with communities such as Corredor del Yaguazo in Juana Matos, and Capetillo’s Urban Forest and Orchard (Huerto, vivero, y bosque urbano de Capetillo). Also, our bird census training is performed every year for volunteers.

In 2006, the SJBEP created the Corps of Volunteers; an Ad hoc committee that allows interested individuals to participate as volunteers in specific environmental activities in an organized manner.  Up to this point, the SJBEP counts on more than 500 volunteers.

Update March, 2012: The SJBEP continues identifying and posting temporary and permanent interpretative signs in strategic sites along the SJBE watershed.  Through meetings held with the communities of the Estuary, the SJBEP has managed to identify several locations of the Estuary that are visually exposed and frequently visited by the public. These sites include the Cucharillas Marsh in Cataño, the Montehiedra Ave. in Caimito, the San Juan Bay area, the new Puente Dos Hermanos, some locations in Santurce, the Condado Lagoon, and the Baldorioty Ave. in San Juan.

Several educational exhibits have been designed and customized for different areas of the SJBE. Following is a list that encompasses all of the major exhibits developed by the SJBEP:

• Mangrove exhibit (Jaime Benitez Park)
• Artificial reef exhibit (Condado Lagoon)
• Estuary’s general information exhibit (Ecoturistic Park in San Juan)
• Coral reef and other species exhibit (Baldorioty de Castro Ave.)
• Estuarine species exhibit (yet to be installed in Martí Coll Lineal Park)
• SJBE’s watershed exhibit (Caimito)
• SJBEP’s tax refund campaign mesh ()
• No- fishing signs (Condado Lagoon)
• Estuarine educational exhibit (Cucharillas’ marsh walking trail)
• Estuarine zone identification labels (Caribe Hilton)
• Estuary’s general information (Dos Hermanos new bridge)
• Manatee exhibition (San Juan’s Nautical Club)
• Estuary’s general information (Aqua Expreso facilities in Old San Juan’s Harbor)

Every single one of the educational exhibits described in PI 2.2 has been installed, except the one in Dos Hermanos Bridge, Martí Coll and the Aqua Expreso.

Some of our educational exhibits including those in Jaime Benitez Park, San Juan’s Eco-Touristic Park, Condado Beach, Cucharilla’s marsh, and Martí Coll Lineal Park have been used by our outreach coordinator in guided tours and talks.  The mesh on our tax return campaign was complemented by a public service campaign in the local media (January 2011).  Televised and newspaper media has covered the SJBEP’s educational exhibits at its press conferences.

Update January 2010:  The SJBEP installed educational displays in the following areas during 2007-2009: Paseo Lineal Enrique Marti Coll (general information on SJBE); Adolfo Dones Park (guanhumi Cardisoma species); Jaime Benitez Condado Lagoon Park (on the red mangrove planting project), linear walking area at the Baldorioty de Castro Avenue (on fish and corals); and the sandy beach of the Condado Lagoon near Conrad Codado Plaza Hotel (sidewalk coral reefs).

The educational exhibit area at the Marti Coll (beside Acuaexpreso) in under National Parks Company administration and is deteriorating rapidly. Urgent maintenance is needed.

Previous update:  The SJBEP has been responsible for the posting educational signs in visible areas along the SJBE watershed.

Update March, 2012: The SJBEP has produced a broad collection of educational material including Corredor del Yaguazo’s coloring book, a State of the Estuary Report, presentations targeting our water quality campaigns. We also commissioned the film “Estuary’s Guardians”, and a DVD explaining how to plant mangroves and one on the Program’s artificial reef initiative. Also we refurbished our Internet page.

- State of the Estuary Report

- Generated 7 editions of News Letters (Wetlands, Estuary's watershed, bird, among others)

- A series of educational sleeves in full color

- A "Who we are? brochue presenting the SJBE and our Program

- An SJBEP Coloring Book

- Arrecifes Pro-ciudad Colring Book

- We published an important study on the Cardisoma gunuhmi in the "Tropical Estuaries"Journal.

- Educational module for kids from 4 to 6 years of age presenting the SJBE, in coordination with the University of Sagrado Corazón.

This is one of the most important actions in the CCMP.  The SJBEP handles education and outreach efforts on a daily basis.  All the members of the Program?s Staff participate in this effort, which has proven to be very useful for students and general community members.  Although the SJBEP has good and effective educational materials, we are engaged in the development of additional materials and strategies to better educate the general public.