Restore impacted protected forest in Puerto Rico

Protectores de Cuencas Inc., is using donated funds to cover costs related to the maintenance of over 13 acres of reforested areas inside the Guanica State Forest in Puerto Rico. This natural protected area has being subject of habitat degradation do to wildland fires, coastal erosion and the resent impacts of major hurricanes in 2017. Maintenance include daily irrigation to reforested areas (over 13 acres) with water trucks, weeding and eradication of invasive grasses in over 25 acres and to continue reforestation in impacted areas not restored yet (approximately 12 acres).

This report covers the period from August to October 2020. This funds have covered the costs of 306 labor hours, 7 workers, 1 water truck and 2 pickup trucks for the maintenance of 4 reforestation sites inside the Guanica State Forest with emphasis in coastal areas prone to erosion and wildland fires like: La Jungla beach, PR-333, Jaboncillo beach and Manglillo beach. Part of the funds are being use for the purchased of materials (soil, fertilizer, compost, etc) for a community reforestation planned for January 2021.

The attached images are the working shedule by month showing irrigation, weeding and reforestation days for this reporting period.The months of September and October 2020 reported an increase in precipitation due to the rainy season and irrigation was reduced. Weeding at the PR-333 reforestation site is planned once the rainy season end on November or December 2020. A community reforestation activity is under coordination for January 2021. Equipment and materials are in the process of purchase and vegetative material to be planted is already propagated and ready for the reforestation on site.