By Gabriel Espasas | President, PHA Forest Board
During the first months of 2026, the Pterocarpus Forest has advanced the development of a structured environmental education program centered on expert-led learning experiences. This work responds directly to the need identified in this project: providing visitors with deeper access to scientific knowledge about one of Puerto Rico’s rarest ecosystems.
Educational Field Seminar Series
While the Forest has long welcomed visitors along its elevated boardwalk (paseo elevado), the organization is now developing a more formal educational framework that brings specialists directly into the field to periodically guide interpretation of biodiversity, ecology, and conservation. The objective is to transform what would have been a simple visit to the Forest into a meaningful learning experience grounded in science.
A key milestone has been the development of the conceptual framework for a new Educational Field Seminar Series, which combines classroom-style instruction with guided field observation in the Forest. This framework, hinted at in our 2025 GivingTuesday campaign, was formally presented to the Board of Directors as part of the implementation planning process at its upcoming quarterly meeting.
Identifying Scientific Leaders as Educational Seminar Facilitators
An important related step has been the identification of ten (10) potential seminar leaders representing a broad range of scientific disciplines relevant to the Forest’s ecosystem such as biodiversity, plant ecology, fungi, herpetology, and wetland conservation. These individuals include university faculty, conservation professionals, and experienced citizen scientists who can provide specialized instruction. This multidisciplinary approach reflects the reality that the Pterocarpus Forest is a complex ecological system supporting over 375 species.
Strengthening On-site Educational and Interpretive Resources
In parallel with program development, the Forest continues to strengthen its digital and self-guided educational tools. Over the past four months, the organization has completed the replacement of worn, weather-beaten interpretative signage. More than 30 new 6” x 12” laminated, acrylic interpretive signs have been mounted along the elevated boardwalk and along the pond. These upgrades represent an important investment in the long-term quality and reliability of environmental education at the Forest.
Expanding Access to Online Educational Resources
The Forest continues to use digital communication platforms as an extension of its environmental education mission. Regular publication of educational content on Facebook (with 7,708 followers) and Instagram (with 4,051 followers) ensures that accurate, engaging information about the Forest’s biodiversity and conservation work reaches audiences far beyond those who can visit in person. This sustained effort includes a minimum of 12 publications monthly and 8 interactive stories highlighting species, ecological processes, and conservation challenges.
Commitment to Transparency and Responsible Stewardship
The Pterocarpus Forest has recently been awarded the Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition for nonprofit accountability and openness, from Candid, the leading authority on nonprofit transparency in the United States. This distinction reflects the organization’s commitment to providing donors and partners with clear information about its programs, finances, and measurable results. Achieving the Platinum level places the Forest among a select group of nonprofit organizations that demonstrate exemplary transparency and responsible stewardship of charitable resources.
Looking Ahead
In the coming months, the Forest will continue advancing the implementation of its educational initiatives. Priorities include:
At the same time, while unrelated specifically to the project which is the subject of this report, a word is due about infrastructure. Repairs have been made to the visitors’ center (the gazebo), and needed maintenance is underway along the Forest boardwalk. Bids for dredging the pond prior to installing new aeration systems are also being sought. Finally, new bids are being sought for the repair of the 40’ observation tower—but to be honest, the skyrocketing cost of construction materials and a shortage of qualified, available contractors able to deliver within our budget are delaying progress.
As these educational and infrastructure initiatives move from planning to implementation, the Forest continues to strengthen its role as a place where science, conservation, and public learning come together. The work underway today—both in educational programming and in maintaining the facilities that support safe public access—is laying the groundwork for a more structured and enduring environmental education program that will continue to grow as new partnerships, new knowledge, and new visitors come to the Forest.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
