Promote Learning about a Unique Forest Ecosystem

We're happy to share with you our progress to date on our new initiatives for 2023, starting with the new Forest inventory and catalogue.  As you may recall, as of November 2022 Growing Learning about a rare Tropical Ecosystem (Forest Growing Learning Project) has become the new project of the Friends of the Pterocarpus Forest. Our focus is the first inventory in over a decade of the Pterocarpus Forest’s flora, fauna and fungi -- and on securing financial support with which to carry out the project. 

The new "Forest Catalogue" will update and expand upon the Conservation Easement Report carried out by the Fideicomiso de Conservación in December 2010.

We are excited to announce that the Forest has reached an agreement with Dr. Ivelisse Irizarry, an Assistant Professor of the Natural Sciences Department, Interamerican University, to conduct the scientific research phase of the catalogue project. Dr. Irizarry, a true friend of the Forest, has been visiting the forest for several years with various groups of students to do projects and inventories. Right now, she has 5 students working with Palmas Forest data.

As a result of these efforts, they have begun generating a list of unique species detected and confirmed in the Forest, having identified 167 species in the Bosque including plants, animals, fungi and two protists to date! For years we’ve touted that the Forest is home to only 96 species of flora and fauna!

Initial steps have also been taken to implement another important initiative approved by the Forest, the first-ever “A Night at the Forest”. This educational nighttime tour of the Forest will provide a chance to discover another, darker and enchanting face of the woodland swamp. Dr. Irizarry, Development Consultant Roberto Soto and content creator Nanushka Santiago recently visited the Forest, during a full moon, and confirmed that the tour could be a dynamic, fun, educational experience. Plans for an inaugural night tour are being developed.

A major initiative to sustain and enhance appreciation for the Pterocarpus ecosystem, the extension of the current ¾ mile elevated boardwalk to new areas within the Forest is in the developmental stages, under the leadership of Forest Board Secretary, and PHA Executive Director, José Quiñones. We hope to update you on this exciting possibility in our next report.

Finally, we’ve raised $3,000 of the estimated $12,500 cost of the inventory project, enough to start the scientific research component. Thank you for making the start of this initiative possible! We hope you will visit the Forest soon, physically or virtually, and remember why this unique ecosystem has earned your support in the past and, hopefully, in the future.