YEAR 2008 - CRP Project #3002C (Caribbean)
Project #3002C
Restoration of Mangrove Tidal Channels in the
Piñones State Forest and Natural Preserve
Municipality of Loíza, Puerto Rico

Map showing study sites in relation to Piñones State Forest |
Project name: |
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Restoration of Mangrove Tidal Channels in the Piñones State Forest & Natural Preserve |
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Project number: |
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3002C |
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Project status: |
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In Progress |
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Grant Administrator: |
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Gulf of Mexico Foundation (for NOAA) |
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Grantee: |
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Puerto Rico DNER |
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Project location: |
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Municipality of Loíza, Puerto Rico |
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Grant period: |
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Jan 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2020 |
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Grant amount: |
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$24,000 |
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Land Ownership: |
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Public |
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Lat/Long: |
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18.43 dd, -65.96 dd |
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Types of Habitat: |
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Mangroves, tidal channels and coastal lagoons |
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Project leader: |
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Doreen Parés Jordán
Forest Manager
Piñones State Forest and Natural Reserve
PO BOX 366147
San Juan PR 00936
http://drna.gobierno.pr |
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Species Benefiting From Restoration:
• Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans)
• White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)
• Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)
• Button Mangrove (Conocarpus erectus)
• Striped Mojarra (Diapterus plumieri)
• Flagfin Mojarra (Eucinostomus melanopterus)
• Bigmouth Sleeper (Gobiomurus dormitator)
• Silver Mullet, White Mullet (Mugil curema),
• Liza (Mugil liza)
• Fantail Mullet (Mugil trichodon)
• Reef Croaker (Odontoscion dentex)
• Barbu (Polydactylus virginicus)
• Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus apodus)
• Longjaw (Strongylura timucu)
• Bay Whiff (Citharichtnys spilopterus)
• Horse-eye Jack (Caranx latus)
• Swordspine Snook (Centropomus ensiferus)
• Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis)
• Tilapia (Tilapia melanopleura)
• Mozambique Tilapia (Tilapia mossambica)
• Ladyfish (Elops saurus)
• Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus)
• Atlantic Anchoveta (Cetengraulis edentulus)
Acres of Habitat To be Restored:
Approximately 8 acres
Project Summary:
The Piñones State Forest is the largest mangrove forest that
remains in Puerto Rico and is part of the San Juan Bay
Estuary (SJBE). It is administered by the Puerto Rico
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER)
Forest Management Division. The Forest has a variety of
important ecosystems such as mangroves, salt marshes,
channels and coastal lagoons. It supports a rich biological
diversity. The two main lagoons are Torrecillas Lagoon and
Piñones Lagoon. Piñones Lagoon has an area of 103 ha, with a
mean depth of 0.8m, a maximum depth of 1.3m and an
approximate volume of 0.8x106 m3. It has no direct
communication with the sea and receives the intrusion of
fresh and/or brackish water from the mangrove to the east and
the Torrecillas Lagoon through the Piñones channel. This
lagoon is the only one close to the San Juan Metropolitan
area that has not been dredged. The human activities in this
lagoon, including recreation, are minimal.
The restoration of mangrove tidal channels will benefit the
health of the Piñones Lagoon and the overall health of the
estuary and the fish and wildlife that depend on it. The
Piñones channel is approximately 650m long, 4m wide and
approximately 1.5 m in depth. This channel has become
obstructed by fallen trees related to hurricane damage in the
past. A smaller unnamed channel in the western edge of the
lagoon has suffered sedimentation and restricts the flow of
water to the northern part of the lagoon. This smaller
channel is less than 100m in length.
This restoration responds to needs identified in the Piñones
State Forest Master Plan, the San Juan Bay Estuary
Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan and has also been
requested by people that live in neighboring communities. The
community is willing to participate in this effort in a
volunteer capacity. This project will consist of the removal
of debris obstructions and pruning of overlying mangrove
branches where needed in the Piñones Channel and the removal
of accumulated sediment (less than 200m3 or 260yd3) in the
smaller unnamed channel. This effort will be through
low-impact methods, and no heavy machinery will be used.
Project Objectives:
The objective of this project is to restore mangrove-coastal
lagoon habitat by the restoration and maintenance of mangrove
channels in the Piñones State Forest. This will improve water
quality in the Piñones Lagoon with the benefit to the San
Juan Bay Estuary System, mangrove ecosystem, fish and
wildlife, and recreation activities.
Community Involvement:
- Orient the community about the importance
and value of the mangroves
- Conduct visits and workshops for teachers and students of the only
elementary school in Piñones
- Integrate leaders and people of the community in
volunteer work.
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