is in the midst of a campaign to become 100% renewable and it recently took a step in that direction by winning a competition for a microgrid offered through the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) One of the smallest towns in Puerto Rico (p 5,430) and accustomed to daily power outages the mountain community competed against 12 municipalities for the solar plus storage microgrid the microgrid will sit in the town center and serve health care providers banks and other businesses in a town where 64.5% of people live below the federal poverty line Maricao more recently has suffered from population loss and a declining economy “Being able to produce our own energy provides greater resilience to any event that affects the fragile electrical power system we currently have With the coming cost increases and system instability the microgrid is the alternative to the present and future,” said Maricao’s mayor The microgrid comes to Maricao through the Puerto Rican Solar Business Accelerator not-for-profit community development and human services organization The University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez will provide engineering and technical services The project also will be supported by a local nonprofit which strives for sustainable economic development in Puerto Rico’s rural areas wants to make Maricao 100% renewable by 2027  by expanding the solar microgrid and promoting residential solar installation “This is a game changer for Maricao,” said Andrew Hermann executive director of the Monte Azul Foundation “The town will benefit significantly from a sustainable energy source It is a step in the right direction toward resilient energy and energy justice The microgrid will increase the reliability of energy The project will also reduce power outages and the cost of electricity for small business owners in town creating a positive ripple effect in the local economy of Maricao.”  Maricao is the second Puerto Rico community to be selected to develop a solar microgrid under the IREC program. The first is Castañer which lost power for six months after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017 and still suffers from unreliable electricity which will power essential services with 225 kW of solar PV and 500 kWh of storage emerged from a partnership between IREC and the Cooperativa Hidroeléctrica de Montaña Track news about microgrid development in Puerto Rico. Subscribe to the free Microgrid Knowledge Newsletter Elisa Wood is the editor and founder of EnergyChangemakers.com She is co-founder and former editor of Microgrid Knowledge Home » Gold & Blue Magazine » St Mary’s community aids Puerto Rico’s slow Hurricane Maria recovery Mary’s senior Mei-Ling Camacho Acevedo assembles a water filtration system in Maricao a mountainous area of Puerto Rico devastated by Hurricane Maria Hurricane Maria swept over Puerto Rico with nearly Category-5 force on Sept a mere two weeks after Hurricane Irma made a damaging pass over the U.S The strongest storm to hit the Caribbean island since 1932 Hurricane Maria did not just whip the island with rain and wind for more than 30 hours It destroyed vital infrastructure and catastrophically damaged electrical The St. Mary’s University community has dozens of students, staff and alumni who call Puerto Rico home, some of whom also have strong ties to a Marianist school there, Colegio San José And as they returned home before the Spring semester they discovered how slow the progress toward recovery had been in the months since Maria hit They heard heartbreaking tales from their loved ones of hardship they found ways to help however they could “Our education is focused on helping and giving back to people in the community not just getting a good education,” said Andrés Palacios a junior Exercise and Sport Science major and Biology minor visited home in December and joined a group that included St students and their families to help assemble 100 water filtration systems for those without drinkable water in a mountainous area of the island Mary’s and forget about the values when they leave,” Palacios said “They keep using those values for the rest of their lives.” Floodwaters overwhelm the neighborhood of Juana Matos in Cataño after Hurricane Maria inundated the island in September Many of the threads that form the fabric of a civil society in Puerto Rico have frayed because of the length of the recovery hundreds of thousands of people still did not have power the Army Corps of Engineers estimated power would not be fully restored until May — about eight months after the storm Badly damaged roadways and the lack of electricity for streetlights contributed to a multitude of collisions including one involving Palacios’ father businesses and courtrooms shuttered for months those who could get their hands on a generator were spending hundreds of dollars a month on fuel Mary’s University Trustee Brother Reinaldo Berrios who lives at the Marianist community at the all-boys Colegio San José and directs its financial aid program said the school relied on a generator for several weeks to remain open He added that repairs cost about $1 million He anticipated students attending Colegio San José will require more financial aid for tuition because of the economic impact of the storm but the school was unable to hold a planned scholarship fundraiser combined with a spate of sick days by thousands of police officers protesting overdue overtime pay may have contributed to an increase in crime on the island recounted a harrowing tale of her mother trying to get enough fuel to reach the airport to reunite with family in Tampa As her mother waited overnight at a closed gas station in hopes of buying fuel when it reopened the next morning Camacho Acevedo said a police officer intervened and stopped the holdup Residents in fragile health have suffered too Some struggled to keep diabetes medication refrigerated or receive chemotherapy for cancer Camacho Acevedo said her family had to bring her uncle to Houston for cancer treatment he could no longer obtain on the island while cleaning and repainting his mother’s home in Puerto Rico said he learned of a young man who had a medical condition requiring him to remain on a ventilator the generator powering the ventilator ran out of diesel and the man died “I was not expecting all of the deaths that people told me about that are not being related to the storm because these people were not blown away by the wind,” Matos-Auffant said “People I had said hi to a year ago had died because of all of these complications Mary’s Minister for Spiritual Development (from left); Rosalind Alderman Mary’s Vice Provost for Enrollment Management; and St Mary’s Trustee Brother Reinaldo Berrios Mary’s University Vice Provost for Enrollment Management; Matos-Auffant; and students from Puerto Rico gathered in the Contreras Student Lounge at St Mary’s for prayer and support since they were unable to communicate with their families on the island Alderman said the students wanted to help those back home They ultimately raised several thousand dollars by selling Puerto Rican dinners at Casa Maria and by other means which helped fund scholarships to Colegio San José students Mary’s is also planning to offer two new full-tuition scholarships next fall to graduates of Colegio San José “It’s not like these families are going to recover tomorrow This would guarantee that we could help someone on a bigger level,” Alderman said of the scholarships which will be awarded based on merit and financial need Alderman said the University also re-evaluated the financial aid packages of Puerto Rican students already enrolled creating greater financial aid resources for some Matos-Auffant said he is considering service trips that St Mary’s students could undertake to help Puerto Rico next academic year Mary’s students at home over Christmas break helped neglected communities in the mountainous interior Mary’s students David Pagán (from left), Mei-Ling Camacho Acevedo Paola Díaz Portela and Andrés Palacios meet over Christmas break inside Colegio San José In an effort Alderman orchestrated in December Matos-Auffant and others helped assemble rainwater filtration systems to provide drinkable water to remote communities in Maricao They also wrapped hundreds of toys for area children to enjoy a Three Kings Day celebration and set up a generator at a church “The community we went to was completely forgotten I opened my eyes to even more need,” Camacho Acevedo said “To help put together something that is going to help with everyday living it really was a step forward because we were getting our ‘hands dirty.’” Palacios added that while it will take months longer for Puerto Rico to return to some semblance of normality because I was doing something for a really underserved community that was being ignored by the local government.” is to make sure that we embrace the students here and their families,” said Alderman adding another part of the mission is to help students understand what has happened in Puerto Rico We’re part of what needs to be done in this crisis,” Alderman said Mary’s University in Spring 2018 as the Contreras Family Executive in Residence for Risk Management — a newly created position endowed by a $2 million gift from Tom (B.B.A ’89) Contreras to boost the Finance and Risk Management program at St has significantly impacted the future of St Mary’s University and the School of Law — twice the teaching of political science in Myanmar had been banned for five decades That is why South Texas Professor of Law and Fulbright Scholar Vincent R considers his stay in the country such a treat A $5 million donation establishes the Bennie W Bock II Center for Business and Transaction Law at the St Ben Hodge’s growth as an entrepreneur has roots in his family tree that has branched into his second year as a student in the Online MBA for Professionals program at the St Mary’s University Greehey School of Business Culture meets communication  by Jennifer R ’16)  Public relations strategist and author Melissa Vela-Williamson (B.A ’02) isn’t afraid of the curve balls a career in PR can throw at professionals — either those new to .. Subscribe Now Communities join forces to help a native bird flourish By Lindsey Liles February/March 2023 during the roar of Hurricane Maria in 2017 Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) project leader for the Puerto Rican parrot recovery program received a text from an employee: “Tell my kids I love them.” The staffer was one of two who had stayed—as someone always does during storms—with the captive parrots in El Yunque National Forest This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Its brilliant green feathers unfold into teal blue during flight; a burst of red splashes above the beak; white-rimmed eyes punctuate the face It’s the only parrot native to Puerto Rico—a descendant of South American parrots that arrived in the Caribbean by luck or fate and made the island’s coasts and mountains their own Years of deforestation starting in the 1800s left the parrot only one suitable habitat: El Yunque rainforest protected because it provided the island with water but their numbers—once a million strong—by 1972 fell to thirteen FWS started a captive breeding program that year pulling from parrots in far-flung zoos and the pet trade pumping genetic diversity into the tiny flock That effort—a precarious matchmaking dance impeded further by the birds’ slow reproductive rates—took nearly thirty years to yield a release of parrots in El Yunque in 2000 more than two hundred birds flew in the wild between El Yunque and Río Abajo another site in the north-central part of the island with an aviary López-Flores advised her employees to go into the hurricane room—built to withstand a Category Five—with the captive parrots A week passed before she could reach El Yunque in the storm’s aftermath; the staffers had survived and so had the parrots the team desperately sprayed the birds with water and López-Flores herself scaled the twenty-five-foot-high enclosures draping cooling cloths over them until the parrots could return outdoors Then FWS staff discovered a still grimmer truth: The storm had stripped El Yunque bare “like a bomb had gone off,” López-Flores says As FWS’s habitat restoration programs coordinator for the Caribbean region he focuses on the land surrounding the three release sites; he and his team have recruited five hundred private landowners to manage their properties in parrot-friendly ways particularly by adding native trees—evolved to withstand pummeling storms—on livestock ranches and coffee farms so that eventually the sites will interconnect and the parrots can move between them with twenty-seven wild birds and four active nests And though Maria wiped out 40 percent of its parrots with twenty-three breeding pairs every year with nearly thirty more scheduled to be released there this January the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and nonprofits such as the World Parrot Trust—are committed to the species “We are recovering this bird as a country,” Llerandi-Román says “We Puerto Ricans have worked so hard to bring their numbers back up Lindsey Liles joined Garden & Gun in 2020 after completing a master’s in literature in Scotland and a Fulbright grant in Brazil The Arkansas native is G&G’s digital reporter and she especially enjoys putting her biology background to use by writing about wildlife and conservation With noses trained to find species by scent these dogs work alongside scientists to help protect rare plants and animals An Alabama odyssey helps fill in the blank spaces Ducks Unlimited and World Whiskey Society collaborate on a pair of bottles for waterfowl lovers The future of conservation in the South just got a little bit brighter—and not just for salamanders but they’re the craftsmanship of local crustaceans called lawn lobsters The drawls are receiving a lot of flak across the internet but a North Carolina linguist argues they’re actually pretty accurate monitors the release of the parrots using telemetry.San Juan, Puerto Rico – While some animals rest during the winter months Puerto Rican parrots are taking flight.   Fish and Wildlife Service released Puerto Rican parrots into the wild at the Maricao State Forest they released 32 parrots in three small groups Parrots were also released on El Yunque National Forest in two separate releases over the course of two weeks 31 parrots were released into the wild.  The release locations differ but share a common purpose – to help the endangered bird recover after the devastation of Hurricane Maria.  It is hard to overstate the impact that a category 4 storm had on the Puerto Rican parrot a species limited in range to Puerto Rico and the only native parrot in the United States prompted flooding across the island and snapped trees like pencils Its high winds also shredded leafy parrot habitat at El Yunque and elsewhere the parrots' home was decimated.   the national forest was home to 56 wild birds while others that survived the storm itself died from starvation or increased hawk predation because of Maria’s aftermath The storm also suspended the Service’s plans to enhance parrot populations on the island until now The agency had scheduled a 42-parrot release in Maricao but instead relocated the birds to the aviary at El Yunque The Service restarted its parrot-release program in December 2020 it has released 81 birds.  While the Service has the lead for the wild population at El Yunque National Forest and Maricao the Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources has the lead for the wild population at the Rio Abajo State Forest and they have also been very active releasing birds into the wild at that location since 2019.  “The Puerto Rican parrot is not only emblematic of the island’s beauty but also a symbol of resiliency,” said Leopoldo Miranda-Castro Regional Director of the South Atlantic-Gulf and Mississippi regions “Despite the devastation from Hurricane Irma and Maria working with our partners we have achieved this huge milestone and have this beautiful bird back on the road to recovery,” he added.  the Service estimates that Puerto Rico is home to about 250 wild parrots at Maricao These most recent releases highlight a 30-year partnership between the Service The Service and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources operate two aviaries and three populations in the wild with the important close assistance from the U.S The aviaries house close to 469 birds in captivity.  Image DetailsA Puerto Rican parrot released into the wild at the Maricao State Forest in 2022.Those breeding efforts have borne fruit; biologists say wild parrots are breeding in El Yunque and Rio Abajo From zero wild birds to a breeding population – proof that hard work pays off Introducing captive birds into the wild to establish new populations is helping the recovery of the Puerto Rican parrot.  For the first time in history the Puerto Rican public can see a wild parrot fly over El Portal.   Visitors and residents living near the two release areas should be alert to any parrots and report their sightings to the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources at 787-724-5700 the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Law Enforcement at 787- 244-0081 Callers also can reach Maricao city offices at 787-838-2290 or 939-269-0409 please provide information about the city and other details – where the parrot was observed how many were observed and if the bird(s) had an antenna or cylinder on its neck Do not interfere with the bird or try to capture it; that would violate state and federal laws that protect this species.   plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people Two weeks after category 5 Hurricane Irma hit Puerto Rico landslides and intense winds destroyed houses wiped out critical infrastructure and killed over 4,600 people There were days when my family and I hauled gallons of water from the river and washed our clothes with washing boards watching the night sky in complete darkness and talking for hours became evening activities the Puerto Rican people lifted our communities up cleared away the debris and delivered supplies to hard-hit areas I thought about how the hurricanes impacted the island’s endangered species such as the Puerto Rican parrot—one of the most critically endangered birds in the world with only about 180 in the wild before the hurricanes struck The parrot is dependent on El Yunque National Forest in eastern Puerto Rico—the only tropical rainforest in the U Though relatively small at about 29,000 acres El Yunque is one of the most biologically diverse forests providing a haven for a variety of flora and fauna including 13 species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act Puerto Rico’s ecosystems and species historically have been able to adapt to hurricanes that provide ecosystem benefits such as nutrient cycling hurricanes are now more intense and hit the island more frequently Higher rainfall and stronger winds knock down more trees and flood the rainforest’s delicate terrain their main food source (fruit) and forest canopy cover Long before Christopher Columbus triggered the colonization of Puerto Rico hurricanes were part of the Indigenous Taíno People’s lives In search of protection from the bad spirit of “Juracán” (hurricane) the Taínos rushed to the peaks of the Luquillo Mountains known to them as “Yuke.” As the storms passed the Taínos prayed to the good spirit “Yokahu” in the mountains that today make up part of El Yunque National Forest It now serves as a refuge for the island’s wildlife as it once did for the Taíno People When Columbus arrived at the beaches of what was then known as “Borikén” in 1493 around a million Puerto Rican parrots flew through the forested mountains of the island captured by the pet industry and forced to migrate to higher grounds The loss of over 90% of Puerto Rico’s forests first to agriculture and then to development struck the biggest blow to the species and forced its retreat to El Yunque—the only place the parrots survived for more than 70 years Yet the national rainforest provides less suitable habitat than lower elevation areas because temperatures are lower humidity is higher and the birds must compete with other species The Puerto Rican parrot has long battled adversity the population plummeted to 13 individuals Hurricanes have become a major compounding threat to the species that is hanging by a thread and reliant on a captive-breeding program to supplement the wild population Hurricane Maria wiped out El Yunque National Forest’s entire wild population of about 55 parrots forest managers ask how El Yunque Forest can continue to advance the species’ recovery especially in light of the forest’s suboptimal habitat and greater vulnerability to hurricanes than more westerly parts of Puerto Rico Scientists believe the national forest remains important for the parrot’s survival and three additional populations must be restored as added security in the face of threats like severe hurricanes the government reestablished a population in the Rio Abajo Forest on the western part of the island just before the 2017 hurricanes is obligated to help recover endangered species on its lands under the Endangered Species Act and the agency’s own regulations The Forest Service recently adopted a revised management plan to guide activities Though the plan was largely developed before hurricanes Irma and Maria direct the Forest Service to protect and improve the parrot’s nesting habitat establish buffer areas to prevent nest disturbance support the captive-breeding program and conduct annual monitoring of the forest’s parrot population the Forest Service has collaborated with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources since the 1970s to reintroduce captive parrots to the rainforest in hopes of restoring a viable population the story of the Puerto Rican parrot illustrates the vital importance of El Yunque National Forest to the survival of the species Despite the devastating impact of the 2017 hurricanes national forests across the United States and territories will likely be increasingly crucial to wildlife as safe havens from extreme wildfires flooding and drought as well as hurricanes exacerbated by climate change there are now about 200 Puerto Rican parrots in the wild Just as we rose back up from the worst hurricane season on the island and my hope is that one day I’m able to see this beautiful species flying above the island like it once did Gabriel Figueroa Torres was a federal lands program intern this summer To read this blog in Spanish, click here CONTACT US Terms of Use Privacy Policy Accessibility Statement Subscribe to BuzzFeed Daily NewsletterCaret DownThe Aftermath Of Hurricane Maria Is A Chance To See Puerto Rico ClearlyPuerto Ricans have always found the strength to come back after disaster But instead of rebuilding the system that ruined us by Aurora Levins MoralesBuzzFeed Contributor when I was home on a visit to Indiera Baja that he’d seen a pair of nesting Medio peso the first in the 10 years since Hurricane Georges tore the cordillera apart Don Luis knows this small piece of the planet like his own skin He told me that as a young man he helped build the road that snakes up the mountains from Yauco finding himself in a narrow valley full of birds he was so entranced that the whole morning slipped away as he watched them — striped tanagers and bullfinches tiny green balls of feathers that croak like toads The land and its life were slowly coming back I know the worst hit areas are in the southeast and along the coasts, but in the mountain town of Utuado, roads have caved in, and three elderly sisters died when the cement house they thought was the safest place to be collapsed for its houses perched on steep hillsides that could wash out from under them and for the fragility of an economy that’s been chewed apart by predators An aerial view of the damage caused by La Plata River in Toa Alta 24 following the passage of Hurricane Maria an impoverished coffee-growing community deep in the mountains those forests of shade-grown coffee that flourished under a canopy of native hardwoods and trees brought from all over the world: Caribbean capá blanco he was one of the children sent up those trunks to open the canopy and let in the sun when the coffee fruit was starting to ripen Weeds would grow quickly in the brighter light so just before the harvest there would be one great mowing pale green orchids to bring home to our gardens the sounds of birds were so much a part of the fabric of our lives that we barely heard them Our farm is a watershed with seven springs feeding streams that run all the way to the coast We can afford to protect those 20 acres and that water because we don’t have to plant it with bananas the government decided it would be more profitable to plant Brazilian varieties of sun-grown coffee Small farmers are dependent on government subsidies — for the costs of fertilizer and labor at harvest time — so policies are easy to enforce and the living ecosystems of the cafetales became barren rows of bushes Without the thick mat of roots holding it together silting the reservoirs and gouging furrows of erosion into the slopes when hurricane-driven rain has saturated the entire island “The rich ruin the poor,” my mother used to say “and the poor ruin the land.” Struggling to eke a living from the land our neighbors cut down trees to plant a few more rows of cash crops; they eye the thick forest we can afford to leave alone Don Lencho Perez was a neighbor and friend who had helped build the house we lived in I would follow him around as he cleared underbrush with the swing of his machete and sit with him when he stopped for his coffee and bread then there’s a dirt road going down to the spring We store our memories in the landscape: the curve where Don Paco used to have a bakery and our mother would send us to wait for pan de agua fresh from the oven where all the kids made whistles from its tubular orange blooms a Puerto Rican doctoral candidate and colleague in Ann Arbor the streets have no names.” He said that street signs blown from their places wander That people go searching for the memories they made at certain street corners trying to find themselves among broken branches and roofless buildings carrying cell phones that don’t connect to anything and are drenched with everything that is gone.” The island’s bees are frantically searching for missing flowers the nectar-filled blossoms having blown far out to sea We’re taught how to make sugar syrup to leave out in little bowls — two parts sugar to one part water Hurricane Hugo devastated Puerto Rico’s island municipality of Vieques I was packing to fly there and write about its impact when the Loma Prieta earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area where I live so that I flew from one wreckage to another I hadn’t known until then that wind could take bites out of concrete I stood amid acres of bare foundations with only the bolted down bases of toilets still in place the ruins of these anonymous houses indistinguishable from each other and because I came from collapsed freeways and broken bridges the Caribbean national forest located in a mountain range sacred to my Taíno ancestors I saw giant mahogany trees twisted into splintered corkscrews a terrain burnt as brown as New England in November Every Puerto Rican schoolchild of my generation learned Rafael Hernandez’s 1929 song “Lamento Borincano” (“Puerto Rican Mourning”) about a rural farmer heading hopefully to market and returning empty-handed because no one Now, while the bees search in vain for flowers, Puerto Rico faces a catastrophic loss of crops the farmer of the “Lamento” would have nothing to sell and acres of coconut palms are now a wreckage of wind-burnt leaves and splintered wood overpriced because of Jones Act trade restrictions We never had more than a couple of weeks’ worth of reserves leaving us always teetering on the edge of famine Hurricanes have always been a part of Caribbean life but human acts have helped unleash and amplify the particular ecological destruction of this storm from treating fossil fuels as if they were both endless and harmless to the widespread destruction of the world’s carbon-anchoring It isn’t simply a natural disaster: Climate scientists have long predicted that warming seas would bring more frequent and deadlier storms Cutting down forests makes mudslides inevitable Over a century of extraction and neglect has torn at our social root systems and left us just as vulnerable as our trees primarily created by overconsumption in wealthy countries of the global north — and felt hardest among the poor countries of the tropics — makes the super-hurricanes ripping through the Caribbean acts of climate violence A man rides his bicycle through a damaged road in Toa Alta I haven’t been able to reach Don Luis or his family Indiera Baja and the other highland barrios of Maricao have been completely cut off since the hurricane I’ve seen a picture of a church with holes in its walls A single desperate text plea from nearby Carrizales: We have no food I don’t know how many of the trees I knew are gone which roads are buried in mud and broken branches I’m worried about elders without their heart medicine diabetics whose insulin has gone bad in the heat But among the photographs of flooded streets and shattered houses there are pictures of hope and defiance flickering videos of neighbors jamming in the dark scraping sound from the carved gourds called güiros and singing improvised verses about roofs that flew away laughing as they join in on a chorus about how everything is good not as aid but in reparation — not help to rebuild a colonial society but support to regenerate our way to sovereignty In the Afro-Indigenous traditions of my people the Taíno and Yoruba goddesses of storms also bring opportunities They clear away the old and make room for the new tied to a coffee economy that is dangerously dependent on disappearing cool mountain climates unable to finance a transition to more stable crops about the growing movement of agroecologists who want to reverse our dependency on US food imports imagining a new future springing from this uprooting We can plant windbreaks of flexible bamboo to shelter our fruit trees We can plant new food forests in the highlands intercropped with trees that provide nourishment We can seed the roadsides with nectar-bearing flowers for the bees and repossess golf courses for gardens of medicinal herbs We are a people and a land adapted to surviving hurricanes We know that the broken makes way for the new and at the eye of each storm there is a circle of calm EL YUNQUE, Puerto Rico — Biologists are trying to save the last of the endangered Puerto Rican parrots after more than half the population of the bright green birds with turquoise-tipped wings disappeared when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and destroyed their habitat and food sources. In the tropical forest of El Yunque, only two of the 56 wild birds that once lived there survived the Category 4 storm that pummeled the U.S. territory in September 2017. Meanwhile, only 4 of 31 wild birds in a forest in the western town of Maricao survived, along with 75 out of 134 wild parrots living in the Rio Abajo forest in the central mountains of Puerto Rico, scientists said. And while several dozen new parrots have been born in captivity and in the wild since Maria, the species is still in danger, according to scientists. "We have a lot of work to do," said Gustavo Olivieri, parrot recovery program coordinator for Puerto Rico's Department of Natural Resources. Federal and local scientists will meet next month to debate how best to revive a species that numbered more than 1 million in the 1800s but dwindled to 13 birds during the 1970s after decades of forest clearing. The U.S. and Puerto Rican governments launched a program in 1972 that eventually led to the creation of three breeding centers. Just weeks before Maria hit, scientists reported 56 wild birds at El Yunque, the highest since the program was launched. But the population decline is now especially worrisome because the parrots that vanished from El Yunque were some of the last remaining wild ones, said Marisel Lopez, who oversees the parrot recovery program at El Yunque for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. "It was devastating. After so many years of having worked on this project...," she stopped talking and sighed. The Puerto Rican Amazon is Puerto Rico's only remaining native parrot and is one of roughly 30 species of Amazon parrots found in the Americas. The red-foreheaded birds grow to nearly a foot in length, are known for their secrecy and usually mate for life, reproducing once a year. More than 460 birds remain captive at the breeding centers in El Yunque and Rio Abajo forests, but scientists have not released any of them since Hurricane Maria. A third breeding center in a forest in the western rural town of Maricao has not operated since the storm. Scientists are now trying to determine the best way to prepare the parrots for release since there are such few birds in the wild they can interact with, and whether Puerto Rico's damaged forests can sustain them. One proposal scientists will consider is whether to capture some of the remaining wild parrots in the Rio Abajo forest and place them in the same cage as birds that will be released to the wild, so they can learn to emulate their social behavior to ensure their survival, said Jafet Velez, a wildlife biologist with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Scientists are tentatively planning to release 20 birds next year in Rio Abajo. Another proposal is to release more parrots in Maricao, which was not as heavily damaged by Maria. "Our priority now is not reproduction...it's to start releasing them," Lopez said, adding that breeding centers can hold only so many parrots. But first, scientists need to make sure the forests can offer food and safe shelter. Scientists also are now collecting new data on the number of predators at El Yunque, including el guaraguao, a red-tailed hawk that hunts Puerto Rico parrots. Without a canopy and proper camouflage, wild parrots have become an easy target. Ilse said local and federal scientists plan to help the forest recover through planting. By the end of November, they expect to have a map detailing the most damaged areas in El Yunque and a list of tree species they can plant that are more resistant to hurricanes. "People keep asking us, 'How long is it going to take?'" Ilse said. "The damage is more extensive than (hurricanes) Hugo and Georges...It's been a complete change to the ecosystem." Print Reporting from Maricao Puerto Rico — It’s been more than four months since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico packing winds that flattened thousands of homes killed scores of people and severely damaged the island’s infrastructure Though criticized for what some island residents said was a slow the Federal Emergency Management Agency has distributed mass quantities of food water and other basic supplies that have contributed to helping many residents try to restore their lives But concerns have emerged recently about whether FEMA will soon end or scale back its aid to Puerto Rico at a time when many residents continue to live without electricity and struggle to obtain food and water Federal officials said Tuesday that the agency had no intention of abandoning Puerto Rico and that food and water would continue to be distributed but only to communities that have “an identified need” for such goods as they await the full return of normal services from local supermarkets “It’s part of the natural transition from the immediate response to the longer-term recovery effort as power and water continues to be restored,” said William Booher Booher said it was crucial for the government to find the balance between providing commodities in large quantities across the island and supporting the restoration of the local economy that sells the commodities “We’re not cutting off aid to Puerto Rico,” he said we will continue to work with the government of Puerto Rico and the local municipalities to support those needs.” Booher said FEMA supplies would be provided through volunteer agencies and other private The agency has provisions including more than 46 million liters of water 2 million ready-to-eat meals and 2 million snack packs available for distribution in Puerto Rico if needed “A reduced reliance on FEMA for food and water is a key indicator of recovery progress,” the agency said in a statement FEMA collaborated with the island’s government to establish nine staging areas for distributing supplies such as food and water to Puerto Rico’s 78 mayors Since the storm made landfall in Puerto Rico on Sept FEMA has distributed more than 65 million liters of bottled water costing more than $361 million and at least 58 million meals and snacks worth $1.6 billion The agency has also pointed to key infrastructure improvements as a sign that Puerto Rico was getting back on track electricity has been restored to 65.4% of the island which FEMA describes as “a temporary covering of blue plastic sheeting to help reduce further damage to property until permanent repairs can be made,” have been installed More than $259 million has been provided in financial assistance to cover the cost of repairing and rebuilding homes and renting accommodation said in a statement that “over the past few months conditions in most areas have improved and many economic indicators are showing that recovery is underway.” The official death toll as a result of Hurricane Maria was put at 64 but an analysis by academic researchers found the figure could be more than 1,000 Puerto Rico’s governor ordered authorities to review all deaths Many residents still struggle to find clean water Medical care remains scarce as many hospitals limp toward becoming fully operational The destruction of schools left thousands of students without computers Many storm survivors who lost everything they owned are having difficulty navigating the process to apply for assistance and file claims with FEMA was at his parents’ home in the mountainous town of Maricao on Tuesday trying to make sure his father and mother had as much food Rebeca and Nelson rely on their children to take them more than an hour away to the nearest supermarkets in Lares The task has become even more treacherous since Hurricane Maria battered roads and power lines the couple tried living with Nelson Rosado Jr. but they could not adapt to the cold or being away from home They had relied on sources including FEMA for food and water and hope that the agency will help them again “They should continue bringing provisions,” the younger Rosado said about FEMA who lives on the border between the towns of Las Marias and Maricao said many families rely on a FEMA distribution center in Las Marias for food and potable water the 36-year-old nurse said he has gone to the center to pick up provisions such as bottles of water and snacks He has not had electricity at his home since the hurricane hit as some neighborhoods depend on electricity to power their water pumps Jucino Morales stood in front of his home waiting for the crews responsible for restoring power in his neighborhood to make it to his street He had learned from a passerby that the workers were near and he did not want to miss them “Things must come back to normal at some point,” said Morales Another driver stopped to say hello and asked whether Morales had his electricity back Times staff writer Simmons reported from Los Angeles and special correspondent Galarza from Maricao ann.simmons@latimes.com Follow Simmons @AMSimmons1 on Twitter World & Nation World & Nation Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Sara Prado looking over the hillside of coffee plantations chocolate and sweet treats are on the minds of many This is very timely for graduate student Sara Prado’s research involving chocolate and coffee a PhD Candidate on the Department of Applied Ecology is finishing up her PhD in Zoology under the co-advisement of Jaime Collazo and Rebecca Irwin Sara started her university career at McGill University where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Sara then moved to Raleigh for her Masters of Science in Entomology from NC State Ever since she graduated with her Masters in 2012 “I started working there because there was very little interest from local scientists to study native bees on the island I was brought on to work on a 1-year long project funded by NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) and conducted pollinator and pollinator-plant surveys in agricultural fields in the southeast of the island but that’s when I really started developing my passion for working with growers and pollinators  There’s just something so satisfying about being able to communicate directly with those who can benefit most from your work.” but this time surveying them in coffee plantations “This was part of a large-scale project funded by the P.R Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) who was interested in increasing the amount of protected land on the island from 8% to 15% along with three other graduate students in Jaime’s lab but birds and amphibians for the others).” After working as a Research Assistant for a year Sara was given the chance to turn this project into a PhD project Sara started looking at the effects of two different farm types (specialized shade plantations and sun coffee plantations) on pollination services Sara’s work in Puerto Rico is important because “very little work has been conducted in specialized shade plantations (most are in traditional or rustic shade) there’s no study of the effects of these farm types on floral traits  It’s important to know how the flowers are changing in response to agricultural practices and how this can in turn affect pollinator attraction to the flowers Sara has been able to start working some in Peru which she hopes to continue when she graduates I went to Peru to collect some preliminary data for an NSF (National Science Foundation) postdoctoral research fellowship grant that I applied for I’d conduct similar work to that of my PhD but study how plant domestication and agricultural practices are affecting floral traits pollinator behavior and pollination services in cacao Peru is the second largest exporter and producer of fine quality cacao in the world  Cacao cultivation is continuing to grow around the country but little to no research has been done on cacao pollination – a crucial ecological process for cacao production  Since there are native varieties of cacao in the country Peru provides an excellent opportunity to study pollinator-cacao interactions within their native range.” Although Sara recently started work in Peru her passion for Peru goes back further in time Sara would volunteer over the summers at Ecolodges in Madre de Dios “That’s when I really developed a passion for entomology (I fell in love with ants!) and the tropics I knew I’d want to study insects tropical regions.”  Sara also has family ties to the area and I think working in Peru allows me to learn more about where I’m from When asked to reflect on how international work has changed her viewpoint on her research and education efforts Sara mentioned that “Working internationally gives you a greater appreciation of the amount of resources and knowledge we have available to us here in the U.S and Canada.”  Sara made note of the farmers’ attitudes in Peru “The few farmers I interacted with in Peru were extremely grateful to have someone visit their farm to study their plants and provide them with information  Reading a scientific publication isn’t exactly a farmer’s priority so being able to convey important information to them in layman’s terms is much appreciated by them.”  All of the Latin Americans Sara crossed paths with have been extremely accommodating and cooperative things are a bit more difficult to get going when you’re not there in person and sometimes you don’t have all the resources you need available to you so you also have to learn to think on your feet and not get discouraged when things don’t go exactly as planned.” At the end of our interview with Sara we asked her what kind of advice she would give to students who are interested in pursuing research opportunities abroad Things are not going to be the same as what you know here that’s part of the beauty of working abroad while others are a lot easier or more pleasant  It’s also an extremely rewarding experience     Nothing beats being in the middle or a rainforest – it feel like home.” The next couple of months will be very busy for Sara as she plans to defend her PhD in May After that she will be working on some final reports for her work in Puerto Rico and then will hopefully start a Postdoc in Peru in January We look forward to seeing all you accomplish in your career “The globe is now a village,” Monjero said “What we do in Kenya can complement what’s happening here in North Carolina Sharing ideas across borders will help us address local issues before they become global problems.” Read more about Dr In a move to expand its global reach and foster international collaboration CALS is solidifying a partnership with Embrapa Brazil's leading agricultural research institution A recent trip to Brazil by CALS faculty and leadership has set the stage for a promising collaboration that could revolutionize agricultural research and innovation across both institutions NC State is an equal opportunity institution. Email CALS IT Support Complete your personal information for a more tailored experience for the best life sciences journalism in the industry When Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico 150-mph winds that lasted for 15 hours or the 25 inches of rain that inundated the region When the winds eased and it was safe to go outside what I saw was utter destruction: shattered houses tangles of fallen trees and electrical lines characterized by the greenery of its mountains There was absolutely no communication with other parts of Puerto Rico or the outside world My 75-year-old hospital is in the small town of Castañer whose 30,000 residents live nestled in the mountains of west-central Puerto Rico The hospital also serves the small towns of Adjuntas Nearly 2 feet of water flooded the first floor which the staff kept bailing out from the clinics The only other major damage was to the hospital’s wastewater treatment plant Castañer General Hospital had electricity throughout the storm and afterward — just days before Maria hit a new electric generator had been installed under the emergency room The hospital also had a steady supply of drinking water from its certified well we were able to care for the patients who were in the hospital when Maria struck as well as immediately provide care to patients as they began to arrive afterward with injuries sustained from the hurricane and from working to clear homes and open roads People with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease began to trickle into the hospital so they could connect the machines that help them breathe more easily to electrical outlets in our clinic waiting area We provided oxygen tanks for oxygen-dependent patients We made the facility available for other patients who needed electricity a 55-year-old woman who suffered kidney failure would have died in the days after the storm had she not been able to reach the health center and its generator But we were able to provide her with lifesaving dialysis every day began to run out because there was no way to place orders or to get them delivered — we remained totally isolated from the rest of the shattered country giving local patients 10 days’ worth of medications while those who came from a distance got a month’s supply One patient in critical condition needed to be transferred to a tertiary health center in Ponce for specialized care that Castañer General Hospital isn’t equipped to provide Blocked and eroded roads and the inability to communicate with the hospital made this a terrifying challenge drove his four-wheel-drive Jeep ahead of the ambulance Community members who accompanied him used rods to lift downed wires blocking the road making it possible for the ambulance to pass What was typically a little more than a 45-minute journey took over two hours we didn’t know for sure if the tertiary hospital in Ponce would be open for business We also weren’t sure if it would accept the patient without prior notice For another patient who needed to be transferred to Ponce we used the police radio network to “call ahead.” We asked our local police station to transmit the information to their colleagues in the next town The message was then passed from town to town until it arrived at the police station in Ponce a police officer personally took our request for a patient transfer to the tertiary hospital Through this type of antiquated but effective referral system we discovered that two of the four hospitals in Ponce were not working at capacity and could not accept the patient One of two hospitals still operating agreed to accept the patient Our staff members were busy outside the hospital as well as inside of it They joined community members to start clearing roads and damaged homes and businesses and other tools contributed by the community A major problem we needed to solve was getting diesel fuel to keep the generators running at the hospital and one of its outlying clinics in Adjuntas We weren’t alone — long lines of desperate people waited at gas stations for diesel The only supermarket in Lares closed for lack of this fuel so the community had no place to buy groceries We were forced to shut down our hospital’s kitchen for 10 days Everyone got involved in the search for diesel — the chief operating officer We finally connected with a diesel transporter who had a 500-gallon truck that could reach Castañer This got us diesel for the hospital as well as for the supermarket and the bakeries of Castañer so they could stay open Volunteers from the hospital traveled to outlying town such as Indiera of Maricao and Rio Pietro to treat patients who had been cut off from health care by roads damaged by landslides and blocked by debris Our team often worked in buildings lit with lanterns Many of the people in our community are agriculture workers and working to clear the mess that Maria left behind They are also trying to recover from the hurricane They have limited or no electricity or drinking water People can’t buy food or anything else unless they have cash because without electricity the machines that process credit or debit card transactions aren’t working It is easy to develop post-traumatic stress, anxiety, or depression when seeing lost crops and devastated homes, and living with no money, no food, and little help. That’s why my colleagues and I are now focusing on mental health issues Our mental health team began that work five days after the hurricane and giving workshops to hospital employees During our struggle to stay open and recover from the hurricane including the Federal Emergency Management Agency an agency that is part of the Puerto Rico Police landed on the hospital heliport with five boxes of medication and about six boxes of food — enough to feed maybe 40 people — to be handed out to the community Also on the helicopter were the governor’s secretary and the director of the Puerto Rico Office of Management and Budget We informed them of the hospital’s precarious situation which has been a close collaborator with Castañer General Hospital on a number of projects to improve our community’s health by mid-October — a month after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico — FEMA I don’t know what the future will bring for Castañer General Hospital and the communities it serves I am proud of how my colleagues and the local citizens have pulled together and largely pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps And I am dismayed at the paltry response from municipal The hospital continues operating every day around the clock and we are slowly recovering almost entirely on our own The community is proud of its hospital — and for that we keep working is the chief medical officer of Castañer General Hospital a health center in rural west-central Puerto Rico To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page Reporting from the frontiers of health and medicine wipes a tear while answering questions for a field research survey by Mercy Corps staffers Alexa Swift (center) and Jill Morehead Mercy Corps staffers are going door to door to find out: What would people buy "I don't have enough for the kids," she says lives at the bottom of a hill on the outskirts of Maricao Hurricane Maria tore the roof off her prefab house and now she is living with her husband and two kids at her father-in-law's house next door There's a plastic receptacle that looks like a giant blue trash bin on the roof for collecting rainwater There still isn't running water or power in the area — like much of the island They live on the income from her husband's part-time job and the $412 they receive in monthly food assistance from the Puerto Rican government I can handle the difficult times," she says This damaged road in Maricao forces drivers to slow down almost one month after Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico has handed out emergency cash to Syrian refugees in Greece and families affected by war and violence in Mosul it has come to do the same for survivors of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico the group is feeling out what $100 can do for 2,800 hard-hit families across the island It could cost billions of dollars for Puerto Rico to recover and rebuild — so a little over $300,000 from one aid organization doesn't sound like a huge investment Electricity is on one day and suddenly out the next Many people haven't had a steady paycheck in weeks or received government aid on the front porch of the Maricao farmhouse they live in They told Mercy Corps they would purchase rice and beans if given $100 The extra money could make a significant dent for a family of four or five The idea is to let people decide what they need a tarp for the roof or diesel fuel for their generator Cash helps give people back dignity and choice for determining their most basic needs "Just a little something to address immediate needs," says Jill Morehead the head of Mercy Corps' relief efforts on the island "Cash helps give people back dignity and choice for determining their most basic needs in addition to supporting local markets and small businesses." That's one of the main reasons cash distribution is a growing trend in disaster settings Mercy Corps has implemented cash programs in 31 countries But this is the first time the group is trying it out in Puerto Rico Mercy Corps staffers Jill Morehead (left) and Alexa Swift walk up a hill in Lares as part of their field research on Puerto Rico's supply needs has had for a long time," says Amanda Glassman a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development "But what makes this really interesting is that it's an NGO giving out the cash in lieu of the government." it has already distributed 290 MasterCard prepaid debit cards Funding comes from private and individual donors Now, the group is focusing on giving out another round of money in two municipalities in the west of the island: Las Marias and Maricao. It worked with Long Term Recovery Group a local organization that operates in this region of Puerto Rico to identify the most vulnerable communities Many residents are still waiting for money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Homes in the Seburuquillo neighborhood of Lares remain heavily damaged nearly one month after Hurricane Maria no officials from FEMA or the Puerto Rican government have come to his home to offer emergency relief is the first time outsiders have come to his home "There's 1,000 people in this barrio," says Beniquez two daughters and two young grandchildren in a low-income neighborhood deep within the sunken hills of Lares His house is at the dead end of a long and winding road he went down to the community center in Lares to see whether he could get any help "One group gave me one bottle of water and the choice of one pear or one apple," he says But it was for cleaning and washing – not to drink Beniquez's biggest problem right now is "not the food the local grocery stores in Lares and San Sebastian where people from Las Marias and Maricao shop but there are so many people living without power most have been buying precooked meats like ham and canned Vienna sausages What they don't have — but residents desperately need — is enough water and ice People from all over western Puerto Rico shop at Mr a local supermarket on the main road in Lares Store manager Jose Mendez says the water and ice shipments have been arriving irregularly — sometimes not even the full amount and customers are allowed to buy one bottle of water and one bag of ice per person Special can only take cash payments at the moment Because the storm has disrupted telecommunications Mendez can't get the computers at the cash registers online Shoppers find empty frozen meat shelves in a Mr It also means people can't use their tarjeta de la familia It's a monthly stipend of money that the Puerto Rican government gives low-income families to purchase groceries A family of two gets about $200 a month; a family of four he leaves his shopping cart right where it is — even though it's full of groceries — and walks straight out the door It pains him to have to return to his family empty-handed Special validates what she has seen and heard in her surveys Because of the problems with the registers in Lares and San Sebastian Mercy Corps will have to give this round of money to people in actual cash The group previously distributed MasterCards but the supermarkets in those areas had more reliable payment systems Morehead also saw that people continued to have difficulty accessing clean drinking water The shortage of water has made people desperate people are siphoning water dripping from a main that has been damaged by severe mudslides after the storm They told Morehead that they were just using it for cleaning and cooking Mercy Corps has added water filters to its upcoming aid delivery It will also provide solar lanterns with USB ports Many people have been using their cars to charge up their cellphones then driving 30 minutes out of town to find a signal The group hopes to deliver the aid package at the end of the month But if workers make it back to Beniquez's home He and his family are leaving Puerto Rico next week driven by something Beniquez saw and said he will never forget talks about his planned move to Florida caused by Hurricane Maria's destruction One of his granddaughters was lifting an empty plastic bottle to her mouth Over and over again she was trying to drink Beniquez had run out of water and had nothing to give her "That's when I knew it was time for us to go." Beniquez's granddaugther Kamila Rubi Rios Beniquez Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker USA — It all began with an abandoned farm in the hills and a passion to revitalize and promote Puerto Rico’s coffee industry Brandon Ivan Pena and Sam Sepulveda took a leap of faith and purchased a defunct coffee plantation in the mountain region of Maricao Fueled by a mission to provide employment opportunities practice agricultural sustainability and follow higher than fairtrade standards the farm was rebranded as “Hacienda Iluminada.” So began the 787 Coffee brand which now manages 14 coffee shops in Puerto Rico and New York City Hacienda Iluminda’s farmers all hail from Maricao (located in the western part of the island) and surrounding communities and Pena and Sepulveda’s business model promotes gender equality within the industry Responding to the poor representation of women in the coffee business they hired a female roaster and women make up 75 percent of the 787 Coffee leadership you can caffeinate at the conveniently located 787 Coffee shops in Santurce or Isla Verde (plans to open a new location on the Hacienda Iluminada plantation are in the works for 2022) Their coffee’s distinct flavor profile – rich with dark chocolate citrus and butter notes – garnered the coffee-maker the first place Best Coffee–People’s Choice Award at Puerto Rico’s Coffee and Chocolate Expo in 2021 787 Coffee and the caffeinated humans around the famous coffee brand celebrates the opening of their first 15 coffee shops in NYC and in Puerto Rico © Copyright 2025 | Editoriale Comunicaffè P.IVA 05752870963 | tel the objective of Comunicaffe International has been to provide an updated punctual and essential information service to operators in the sector cocoa and tea supply chains in order to develop critical thinking and debate Comunicaffe International is also a daily newsletter sent to 38.000 professionals in Italy and more than 85.000 worldwide Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight 150 new jobs to be added to the baseline of 670 existing employees secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its Spanish acronym) announced the expansion of the company Fenwal International a global operation that is dedicated to the technology of separation of blood to support transfusion medicine and cell therapies The company seeks to transfer and consolidate operations at the San Germán plant for the manufacture of sterile product bags The operation will include the manufacture of bags the assembly of accessories and the filling of saline solution and anticoagulants Fenwal estimates a full investment of about $34 million This investment will create a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical operation for manufacturing blood collection units and solutions located in its own building acquired from PRIDCO in San Germán is dedicated to the manufacture of medical devices for the collection it leases a property to PRIDCO located in Maricao where it locates part of the manufacturing operations "We are extremely pleased to be a core part of Fenwal's consolidation in Puerto Rico to promote and strengthen the medical equipment manufacturing sector which positively impacts the economy of our Island and fosters the creation of jobs in the western area," Cidre said Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) pointed out that “Puerto Rico has the business climate to promote economic development and thanks to the commitment of companies like Fenwal we see how other companies recognize the high value of settling on the island.” DDEC granted incentives from the Special Fund for Economic Development for the creation of 150 new regular jobs based on 670 existing jobs in all the facilities that Fenwal currently operates New jobs must be created in a period that does not exceed 1 year from the date of commencement of operations “We are consolidating our operations in Puerto Rico due to the high level of skills commitment and quality of work of the Puerto Rican workforce We hope to continue supporting the economic development of Puerto Rico with the consolidation of our company on the Island and the recruitment of more Puerto Rican employees,” said Eric Santiago Justiniano Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Photo by Edgar Freytes | Centro de Periodismo Investigativo Photographer Edgar Freytes arrived at the Mirador Villalba-Orocovis which zigzags through the mountains of Puerto Rico from end to end But a sign attached to the gate brought him down: “Closed until further notice Do not enter.” The place enjoys a privileged view of the Central Mountain Range “Sometimes you make long trips just to find out that these places are closed They leave us with nothing and force us to go to other places where we must pay This is outdoors and you don’t have to pay,” he said It says it is a “strategically located park overlooking the south-central mountain range perfect for a picnic or visiting one of the local businesses along the route.” A minute’s walk away the Villa Oro Restaurant put up a “For Sale” sign over the business entrance says that the closure of the vantage point has caused a drop in visitors one of the factors that has forced her business to throw in the towel The Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI in Spanish) found that the route is lifeless In addition to the closure of the Mirador Villalba-Orocovis These are the three most important viewpoints of the Panoramic Route The fresh air taken in by those who visit by car or on foot the dips in the bodies of water that run near the highways the silence accompanied by the song of the birds are all coupled with the serious deterioration of the public infrastructure along the route The main parties responsible for maintaining the spaces are the Highways and Transportation Authority (ACT the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) and municipalities such as Aibonito and Villalba To carry out the public policy of preserving and developing the Panoramic Route, the ACT commissioned a new Management Plan in 2016 the ACT’s Executive Director Edwin González admitted includes seven interpretive regions and the development of new observation points but on the strategic development of the Panoramic Route surroundings It’s  about the entire offer that extends up to a mile on each side of the Route “The main challenge is the funds; there are no funds,” González confirmed to the CPI The agency has just begun the planning and design process for this new stage of the Panoramic Route and is hiring experts and managers to implement the plan These contracts will be paid with the agency’s own funds but there are still additional allocations for repairs or construction of projects in addition to the natural disasters and earthquakes that have affected the agency’s projects his office is understaffed: it has only three out of 18 people This is a consequence of the ACT’s incentivized retirement windows during the administrations of former governors Luis Fortuño Alejandro García Padilla and Ricardo Rosselló who sought to reduce the government workforce there is the slow reconstruction process post-Hurricane María There is at least $3.6 million for seven projects to be funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for permanent work recreational centers and forests located along the Panoramic Route which the DRNA and the municipalities of Aibonito and Villalba administer organizer of the Caminata Panorámica Arquitecto Gabriel Ferrer It was founded by the defunct Fondo de mejoramiento a nonprofit entity that promoted human development Cintrón speaks with the knowledge of someone who has been walking this route for 37 years This year (2023) was the first time when walking parts of the route were canceled due to the poor condition of the road infrastructure The deep craters in the pavement symbolize an abandoned geography In different sections there are no guardrails some cement fences completely block the way According to a survey carried out to prepare the new Management Plan 88% of those interviewed said the Routes’ biggest deficiency is the poor conditions of the road A company called CSA carried out the survey randomly interviewing 35 people who were in town squares chinchorros (rustic bars and restaurants) and museums during field visits to the Panoramic Route and its surroundings If the main tourist offer in Puerto Rico is the beaches It’s the island’s longest green infrastructure corridor Brushed with agricultural sceneries and the everyday life of inland towns It runs through the areas of the highest peaks such as Cerro Punta (4,390 feet above sea level) Monte Jayuya (4,301 feet) and Cerro Maravilla (3,973 feet) “One can appreciate all of Puerto Rico’s beauty,” said Vivian Estrella who was participating in the Panoramic Walk for the first time as a warm-up to do the Camino de Santiago later in Spain visitors may stop at restaurants and small eateries was delighted with the “cordiality of the people” who waved to her as she walked “We ate limbers (local popsicles) and bread pudding and had lemonade from a lady who made a lot in a bowl,” Bernier said but to bring economic activity that results in a source of income for mountain residents have higher levels of poverty than the rest of Puerto Rico The 165 miles of the Panoramic Route can be completed in three or four days by car with enough time to stop at the main points of interest Whoever wants to walk it in a single shot can take about 14 days as the Fondo de mejoramiento did in its beginnings to travel with the sun behind you instead of facing it the coastal part of the route begins at Playa Lucía The island of Vieques is visible in the distance and Punta Tuna Beach appears with its lighthouse In Maunabo there’s a road circuit that reconnects with Yabucoa The agricultural plains that were once dedicated to sugarcane can be appreciated from above the serious problem of the lack of signs is revealed it’s hard to tell where the Route continues The driver is easily disoriented along some 40 roads in 21 municipalities that it spans which has not yet been made public and which the CPI obtained through a request for information confirms these observations: “the inconsistency in the traffic signs identifying the Route confuses rather than informs travelers.” And you cannot trust the mobile phone’s GPS because there are mountainous areas where the signal is lost It is a good idea to carry a printed road map the attentive driver or walker will orient themselves thanks to white dots painted on the asphalt at some intersections a signaling service implemented by the Fondo de mejoramiento PR-15 offers in summer the spectacle of hundreds of blooming oaks in a 254-acre farm that belongs to the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico and leading to the beginning of the panoramic segment from Aibonito to Maricao Discover Puerto Rico also promotes the Mirador de la Piedra Degetau But visitors come to find that a wooden pallet blocks access to the observation tower stairs were transferred to the municipality in 2010 through a lease agreement The administration subleased it in 2015 to La Piedra Degetau LLC and then Hurricane María caused damage to the tower The municipality told the CPI that it was not up to the private company to repair it Aibonito subleased the recreational area to a new company The allocation of $354,287 in FEMA funds to rebuild the facility came in February 2020 The town decided to close access to the tower because the structure was affected and estimated damage to the entire area at $500,000 “Only access to the Tower was closed at the end of 2021 The rest of the Mirador facilities continue to be open and functional,” according to statements sent by the Municipality of Aibonito except for the area where the pizzeria is located the recreation center gives the impression of neglect and the entrance was used as a storeroom for the restaurant Three years after the FEMA funds allocation the reconstruction of the Mirador de la Piedra Degetau is still in the design phase It alleges that it is putting together a “master plan” to improve it and turn it into a “larger scale” tourism project Some cars drive into one of the parking spaces of the closed Mirador Villalba-Orocovis because the dilapidated gate is off its rail The facility was built with funds from the federal and local governments and inaugurated in 2002 Now it is operated by the Municipality of Villalba because the hurricane caused damage to the structure Although FEMA obligated $121,375 three years ago The Villalba administration told the CPI that it is waiting for other funds from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company to do the work with municipal brigades which has made construction materials more expensive it is normal to find the main gate and the tourist information office closed from Monday to Friday The DRNA has a co-management agreement with nonprofit organization Amigos del Bosque Toro Negro said she does not have volunteers to keep the facilities open during the week The DRNA is the agency in charge of protecting and making  Puerto Rican forests available to the public The local tourist finds it difficult to know the schedule The Natural Resources (DRNA) page is unreliable You call and it goes to an answering machine and no one answers the phone,” said José “Pepe” Collazo who coordinates a group called the Alegres Caminantes made up mainly of retirees who enjoy “first-hand the beauties of Puerto Rico.” He considers himself a “son of the Panorámica” since he has been walking it since the 80s the DRNA received FEMA funding obligations amounting to $1,823,167 to restore areas in Toro Negro Monte Guilarte and the Monte del Estado Vacation Center It was not until April 2023 that the Capital Improvements Program Management (CIPM) was hired for $6.1 million to coordinate the agency’s reconstruction projects with FEMA funds Pesquera said he is qualifying 27 firms to create designs and job instructions The agency did not respond to the question of when it expects to complete the reconstruction work nor why it went almost two years without taking any steps for that.  Only partial work has been done in the Monte Guilarte State Forest in which wooden walls and a galvanized roof were replaced in the cabins and the campfire site according to the Central Office of Recovery In addition to these natural parks and recreational spaces there are DRNA facilities in the vicinity of the Panoramic Route which are also on the reconstruction schedule FEMA allocated $6 million in February to rehabilitate the Vivero de Peces de Maricao on the border that divides Ponce and Jayuya it is the place where the Police ambushed and killed young pro-independence activists Carlos Soto Arriví and Arnaldo Darío Rosado in 1978 the DTOP built the namesake vantage point to the South of PR-143 as one of the founding projects of the Panoramic Route the island of Caja de Muertos and even the windmills that generate electricity on the agricultural plains on the coast of Santa Isabel installed a wooden bench to enjoy the view He then began to meet people there who felt depressed after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and decided to start a mental health movement in connection with nature and created a public art project on the walls of the abandoned bathroom One day they found that someone had covered his artwork with paint and that the wood and toilets he had brought to install there were missing González said the DRNA’s legal division explained to him that an agency employee was responsible and asked the volunteers to start again with a clean slate.” They became discouraged and abandoned community work the traveler finds that the grass has taken over the land The management plan indicates that the facilities are in a “dilapidated condition.” The ACT said the local Department of Agriculture owns the facility Some of the most popular attractions are along the border of San Germán and Maricao such as the famous Monte del Estado Vacation Center There are 22 cabins each with the capacity to accommodate up to six people At least that’s how it was in better times Today the paint on the gazebos is peeling; the swimming pools are closed and empty the sink in one of the bathrooms did not work and in another It’s a massive test of patience for the tourist who tries to visit since no one answers the telephone numbers the DRNA publishes to make reservations one of the best camping areas in Puerto Rico visitors climb 44 steps to the Torre de Piedra observatory and are rewarded by the 360-degree view that the Puerto Rican hawk You can see  the North coast of the island the Caribbean waters in the South and the contours of the southwest coast The Torre de Piedra is within the Maricao Forest a protected area of almost 11,000 acres of land We must give it its value,” said Teresita Cintrón the organizer of the group Caminata Panorámica Arquitecto Gabriel Ferrer her group had to call the DRNA and put pressure on the government to address the crisis of the forest fires since fires had occurred in the area while they were visiting She has been meeting European and American scholars for years who come to study the flora and fauna which she considers a recognition of the value of the area created the public policy to develop the Panoramic Route to offer an ecological and social balance in the face of industrial development on the coasts “This route will also be an excellent opportunity for our youth to learn about and study the flora history and orography of our Island…,” according to the Act’s introductory statement “It will serve to promote tourism for regular people who wish to enjoy the typical Puerto Rican atmosphere at a moderate price; to this end and all the necessary enjoyment and recreation facilities will be built.” Comments to [email protected] Necesitamos tu apoyo para seguir haciendo y ampliando nuestro trabajo Muy triste como el centro de la Isla ha ido perdiendo espacios que podrían ser una fuente indirecta de recursos económicos para la región Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" El CPI reconoce que el requisito fundamental para una verdadera democracia es que la ciudadanía esté bien informada y que existan entidades independientes con la capacidad de fiscalizar los poderes que accionan en la sociedad Si tiene una solicitud de investigación, queja, aclaración, 'orejita', prueba, inquietud, u observación sobre alguna información publicada por el Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, escriba al correo electrónico [email protected] Los donativos que recibe el Centro de Periodismo Investigativo están exentos de contribuciones en Puerto Rico y Estados Unidos Sample new flavors in this foodie paradise African and Spanish – and a melange of ingredients from the New World and the Old World resulting in one of the most diverse and exciting culinary scenes in the Caribbean Boricuas (Puerto Ricans) celebrate Puerto Rican food culture via the best food festivals across the island that honor everything from pineapples and crabs to indigenous heritage and superstar chefs Visit one of these amazing food festivals to get a real taste of Puerto Rico January Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián Unofficially marking the end of the winter festivities this much-anticipated foodie event takes over Old San Juan in general and Calle San Sebastián in particular The best places to eat in Puerto Rico throw open their doors stages pop up in the plazas and the streets rock to the beat of live bomba and salsa in – while revelers chow down on mofongo (mashed and fried plantains with garlic and fried pork skin) quesitas (cheese-filled pastries) and alcapurrias (deep-fried green banana fritters stuffed with seafood) They’re all exemplary ambassadors of Puerto Rican street food San Sebastián Street Festival invites travelers from all over the world | © Maria S February Festival del Acabe del Café The smell of roasting beans – an olfactory announcement of festivities– will greet you even before you reach the mountain town of Maricao as you make your way along the switchbacks of the scenic Ruta Panorámica through the often foggy greenery this festival is dedicated to the superlative beans grown on small-scale coffee plantations on the town’s outskirts Coffee-making demonstrations and tastings take place against the backdrop of craggy peaks and the greenery of Puerto Rico’s largest state forest If you’re a rum fan, check out one of the world’s largest annual rum festivals. Book into one of the best hotels in San Juan and make your way to Pier 6 in Old San Juan to partake in masterclasses tastings of over a dozen local rum brands – think Bacardi Palo Viejo and Ron Llave – and the sampling of classic Puerto Rican dishes from restaurant-sponsored stalls Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy The full repertoire of Puerto Rican food just isn’t complete without the island’s national cocktail: the Piña Colada Stay in Ponce – less than an hour’s drive from La Parguera – a small mangrove-fringed community on the island’s south coast where the annual pineapple fest takes place over the first weekend in June – served in hollowed-out pineapples – and load up on pineapple-themed souvenirs If you happen to see someone in a crab costume scuttling along the Guánica malecón (waterfront promenade) on the second weekend in June that’s only because they’re the mascot of the annual crab festival Take part in this epic consumption of stewed crab deep-fried crab croquettes and roasted crab served in the shell – before dancing to live salsa tunes late into the night Some people share the crab dishes with loved ones but we’re guessing you’ll be too shellfish to share It’s impossible to imagine Puerto Rican food culture without the humble plantain celebrate Corozal’s legacy as the main plantain producer in Puerto Rico by sampling the banana’s big cousin in its many incarnations: pastelón plantain lasagne green plantain tostones mashed with garlic jibarito (plantain and steak sandwich) and guineos en escabeche (pickled green plantains) There’s music and dancing afterward – if you’re still able to move More than 60% of Puerto Ricans can trace their ancestry to the Taíno people – the original inhabitants of the island Jayuya celebrates the region’s indigenous heritage through traditional games but you may sample Puerto Rican dishes rooted in the centuries-old Taíno tradition – such as barbacoa fish cooked over a fire pit fritters made from the endemic yautía tuber and pickled cassava they’ll invite you over to spend Christmas Eve with them and feed you some of the best food in Puerto Rico – such as lechon suckling pig steamed in banana leaves and arroz con dulce (rice pudding with coconut milk and spices) Wash it all down with a bounty of coquito – a coconut-based eggnog See & Do The 39 Most Beautiful Destinations in Puerto Rico See & Do 7 Fun Things To See and Do in La Parguera See & Do The World's 10 Most Unusual Museums You Should Visit See & Do 17 Incredible Places to Visit If Money Were No Object Guides & Tips How to Celebrate Christmas In Puerto Rico See & Do Top Things To See and Do in Rio Grande See & Do The Most Beautiful Lighthouses in Puerto Rico See & Do The Top 7 Things to Do and See in Isla Verde See & Do Top 10 Things To See and Do In Isabela History Here's Why The Coquí Frog is the Symbol of Puerto Rico Books The Best Books by William Faulkner You Should Read See & Do Top Things to See and Do in Arecibo US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd. All Rights Reserved. To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum Cosigned ByTrookoGenius Annotation3 contributorsThe song was made by Lin-Manuel Miranda in order to raise funds to help Puerto Rico The island was devastated in September 2017 by hurricane Maria leaving the entire island without power and in shortage of food and medicine Miranda’s family is from the island and has been working since the hurricane struck to help out the people in Puerto Rico The song lists all the towns in Puerto Rico Of course, this isn’t the first time Lin has talked about hurricanes in his work. A song from his smash-musical Hamilton is called “Hurricane” which he sings in the cast recording as Alexander Hamilton +481ShareQ&AFind answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning Genius Answer4 contributors“Almost Like Praying” is available on iTunes and Google Play Music for $1.29 It is also available for streaming on Spotify and Apple Music 100% of the proceeds go to the Hispanic Federation which is working directly with the people of Puerto Rico to get them the relief they need +11How did he get all of these artists together on one song?Verified CommentaryLin-Manuel MirandaGenius Answer2 contributorsI began by reaching out to the people I know and I have been lucky enough to work with I never worked with Marc but I had his number And I knew Ednita Nazario and Rita Moreno of course And then I went on Twitter and worked friends of friends for the people I didn’t know I caused a minor uproar when I tweeted Camila Cabello directly and all her fans freaked out because they’re awesome and that’s what they do I reached out to Pedro Capo and Tommy Torres via DM on Twitter There were a couple of people I reached out to that were just so busy with relief efforts that were just so busy with relief efforts that they weren’t able to participate in our very tight timeline they had been literally flying to and from Puerto Rico in chartered planes So we just couldn’t get them in the studio but they were very supportive “Where are you?” And we worked out a schedule +34What was the inspiration for naming all 78 towns in Puerto Rico?Verified CommentaryLin-Manuel MirandaGenius Answer2 contributorsI was like every other Puerto Rican who has family on the island We had a terrible few days of silence where we just didn’t hear from anyone there So our Facebook feeds and our Twitter feeds became this roll call of towns as anyone seen my Uncle in Hatillo?’"So I thought that’s something we can all unite behind as a lyric.” No matter who you are or where you come from One of my favorite bits of feedback about the song has been, “I can’t believe J-Lo sang my town. I can’t believe Juan Luis Guerra sang my town.” There’s a lovely tradition of roll call songs. Marc Anthony and Gente De Zona had a great one with “La Gozadera” where they call out lots of different countries But we’ve never done it as specific as the actual towns in Puerto Rico so it’s sort of a more granular version of the tradition of shouting out all the different countries which is a great thing in pop music that happens all the time