YEAR 2010 - CRP Project #5001C (Caribbean)
Project #5001C
Mangrove Restoration – Restoring Life
Cataño, Puerto Rico

Planting mangroves in Cataño, Puerto Rico
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Project name: |
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Mangrove Restoration – Restoring Life |
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Project number: |
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5001C |
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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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G Works Inc. & Corredor del Yaguazo |
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Project location: |
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Cataño, 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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$25,000 |
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Land Ownership: |
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Property of Municipal Government of Cataño, Puerto Rico |
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Lat/Long: |
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Las Cucharillas Marsh Area:
Lat. 18˚26’08.68” N or 18.4357444˚
Long. 66˚08’03.62” W or -66.134339˚
Península La Esperanza Bay Area:
Lat. 18˚27’19.53” N or 18.455425˚
Long. 66˚08’08.11” W or -66.1355861˚ |
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Types of Habitat: |
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Coastal & Herbaceous Wetland |
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Project leader: |
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William Freytes, Secretary
G Works Inc.
Marginal Street 177 A-13 Torremolinos
Guaynabo, PR 00969
www.gworksinc.org |
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Species Benefiting From Restoration:
48 species of finfish within 26 families, including:
• Mangrove Oyster (MO) Crassostrea rhizophorae
• Sport fish Diaperus Plumieri or Stripped Mojarra
• Centropomus undecimalis or Common Snook
• Phoeroides testinudeus or Checkered Puffer
• Gerres sinereus or Yellowfin Mojarra
• Marshes
• Mangroves
• Sea grass beds
• Coral reefs
• Manatee
Acres of Habitat To be Restored:
To restore one (1) lineal mile of coastal area at the
Península La Esperanza (PLE) - Cataño, by the San Juan Bay (SJB)
area; and the restoration of one and a half (1 ½) acres of
herbaceous wetland within Las Cucharillas Marsh (LCM).
Project Summary:
In order to assure a true solid success of this Project, GW
is prepared to, EDUCATE and TRAIN the Volunteers in the
proper handling and care of the systems. Through the proper
EDUCATION, the communities to be impacted will earn and
develop the sense of belonging of these eco-systems; so in
other words, these communities will be supporting the
protection and permanency of said efforts. Last, water
quality of the runoff waters coming from the wetland into the
bay will be improved. At the same time, nourishing the
development and recuperation of lost habitats within the
marsh and the estuary. By improving the ecosystem we are
tackling- illegal discharges with phosphate, nitrate,
potassium that reduce oxygen levels, oil and hydrocarbons
from runoff waters from HW PR5 and Municipal and Industrial
waste collector ARB.
Project Objectives:
- Provide wetland/marsh environmental education to the
Juana Matos/Cucharillas/Pt. Blanco and Bay View/Bahía
communities, by means of ten (10) meetings/presentations at
each of these communities, for a total of twenty (20)
meetings/presentations.
- Planting 1,800 RM trees for the restoration of
approximately 1 linear mile.
Community Involvement:
This project will restore the wetland in Juana Matos with
volunteers from three local organized community based NGOs 1)
Juana Matos, 2) Cucharillas and 3) Puente Blanco. Children
and community members to be trained on planting techniques,
restoration programs activities as well as trees and
ecosystems cycles. Youth actively participate in ecosystems
benefits trainings such as – CO2 sequestration, reforestation
process, etc. Providing twenty (20) meetings/conferences,
with several dates to assure attendance. The Educational
component is the vehicle to access the community members and
engage them to practice as volunteers. This component
assesses knowledge and change in attitudes, providing for
programs success. Community leaders, public schools teachers,
youth groups and community members are part of twenty three-
hours meetings (conducted on Saturdays, after school hours
and evenings). Ten meetings minimum, with Bay View, Bahía and
surrounding communities and fisheries (red mangroves) and ten
minimum with Juana Matos/ Cucharillas and Puente Blanco
Communities. Participants of said meetings will have the
opportunity to practice theory learned and become volunteers.
Children of the area conduct the plantings and monitoring as
part of their educational process.
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PROJECT PHOTOS
Click on photo to enlarge

Entrance to project site

Plant nursery

Project site map showing proposed mangrove plantings along shoreline

Site map showing proposed project area in yellow

Students at project site
Photos by project leader William Freytes
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PROJECT PARTNERS
NOAA Restoration Center
Gulf of Mexico Foundation
G Works Inc.
Corredor del Yaguazo
Puerto Rico Department of Natural & Environmental
Resources
Cataño Municipal Government
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Agricultural Extension Service University of PR
Environmental Protection Agency
US Coast Guard
Jan Juan Bay Estuary Program
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