Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
portant nesting area in the US for the endangered leatherback turtle, and habitat for
threatened species including the West Indian manatee and the Puerto Rican boa. Al-
though it was saved from hotel development a few years ago by a nature reserve des-
ignation, this protection was rescinded in 2009, opening up the possibility that this
3000-acre area could be opened up to new development.
Current Environmental Issues
For bird-watchers heading to Puerto Rico or the Caribbean,
A Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
by Her-
bert Raffaele is a must-have. It will help you spy lots of hard-to-find birds in the dense forests of nature reserves.
Population growth & urbanization
Population growth and rapid urbanization have long
posed the greatest threats to the island's environment. And though Puerto Rico's population
density was approaching that of Singapore, significant education about family planning
and more cautious urban planning has developed in recent years. The current birthrate is
quickly approaching zero population growth.
Deforestation&soilerosion
Clear-cut logging operations ended in the 20th century, leav-
ing untold acres of rich mountain topsoil plugging the mouths of rivers and streams. In the
1920s and '30s, conservationists and the US colonial government set aside and reforested
an extensive network of wilderness reserves, mostly in karst country and the Cordillera
Central. Today these reserves are mature forests and cover nearly the entire central part of
the island - about one-third of Puerto Rico's landmass. Still, clearing hillside land for hous-
ing subdivisions in places such as Guaynabo and Trujillo Alto, both suburbs of San Juan,
is a major issue.
Waterissues
Many streams, rivers and estuaries on the coastal plain have been polluted by
agricultural runoff, industry and inadequate sewer systems. Environmental groups lobbying
for the cleanup of these cesspools have made little headway. Visitors should not be temp-
ted to swim in rivers, streams or estuaries near the coast (including Bahía de San Juan). If
possible, avoid shellfish from these areas.
In 2005, the well-known American environmental organization Sierra Club (
www.sierraclub.org
) welcomed a group of mem-
bers from Puerto Rico as its 64th chapter.
