Culebra

Building Resilience through Engineering with Nature

Funded by: Municipality of Culebra

Period of Performance: 2022-2023

Summary: Full project title "Building Resilience through Engineering with Nature: A Green Infrastructure and habitat restoration project in Dátiles Coastal Subwatershed". The project team will use the Engineering with Nature approach to restore, expand, and create habitats to reduce flood risk and dynamically adapt to sea level rise, while reducing stressors on coastal and marine systems.This will include practices such as dirt road stabilization, creation of a permeable parking, reforestation with native species, etc. 

Build Coastal Communities Resilience in Culebra

Funded by: Municipality of Culebra

Period of Performance: 2022-2022

Summary: Full project title is "Engineering with Nature along PR-250 to Build Coastal Communities Resilience in Culebra". PDC implemented on-land coastal interventions to address threats to PR-250. These interventions included road regrading, erosion control practices, and reforestation using native vegetation. 

Building Coastal Resilience through Engineering with Nature

Funded by: PR-DNER

Period of Performance: 2023

Summary: Building Coastal Resilience through Engineering with Nature, Sea Level Rise and Wave Related Risk Phase I. 

Using Habitat Restoration, Expansion and Creation to Protect and Adapt Critical Infrastructure

Funded by: NFWF

Period of Performance: 2020-2022

Summary: A comprehensive site assessment of road PR-250 was completed to propose effective actions to reduce impact on this coastal zone. Final design included innovative coral reef restoration and proven mangrove planting practices to act as a natural barrier along PR-250. 

Evaluating Success of Land-based Pollution Management for Coral Habitat

Funded by: NFWF

Period of Performance: 2021-2023

Summary: PDC will monitor nearshore water quality for coral reef and seagrass habitat, and will develop a cost-effective, sustainable and target-based water quality management program that can be used in other regions of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. 

Building Coastal Communities Resilience in Culebra Island

Funded by: NFWF

Period of Performance: 2022-2023

Summary: The project team will include Tetra Tech as partners for the creation of a final design and plans for proposed hybrid protection and sea level rise adaptation interventions in a segment of critical roadway PR-250 in the Culebra Municipality, Puerto Rico. 

Priority Actions in Culebra to Restore Critical Reef Habitat

Funded by: NOAA / Community-based Restoration Program Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Grants

Period of Performance: 2016-2023

Summary: Full project title is " Implementation of NOAA"s Habitat Blueprint -Focus Area Priority Actions in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico to Restore Coral Reefs Critical Habitat". Project outcomes included: 1) Reduce impacts from 11 miles of unpaved roads in Culebra; 2) Reduction in runoff and sediment transport to coral reefs in Culebra Island; 3) Increase community/children awareness regarding LBSPs and coral conservation; 4) Improve water quality for essential fish habitats; 5) Build capacity of the Municipality of Culebra staff in BMP installation; and 6) Promote dirt road and BMP standards among local stakeholders. These projects will continue  to implement the Culebra Community Action Plan for Water Quality and Coral Reefs by stabilizing 6 to 7 additional miles of dirt roads in Culebra and will continue monitoring the effectiveness of Best Management Practices in collaboration with Dr. Ramos-Scharrón. Additionally, the project will build upon ongoing efforts to complete the stabilization of 3-4 additional miles of dirt roads and address runoff from bare soil areas to reduce impacts to the marine environment of Culebra, specifically in Puerto del Manglar, Manzanillo, Mosquito, Culebra and/or Fulladosa subwatersheds.

Culebra Monitoring

Funded by: Horsley Witten Group / NOAA

Period of Performance: 2021-2023

Summary: Includes projects of "Reducing LBSP Threats on Culebra Island" and "Culebra Ridge to Reef Monitoring and Evaluation Coordination". 

Rehabilitation of Berthing Facilities at Culebrita, Puerto Rico

Funded by: Para la Naturaleza

Period of Performance: 2021-2022

Summary: PDC will stabilize and prepare the main access road to the Culebra Lighthouse to be used by management and visitors. 

Water quality assessment of the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge's coastal lagoons

Funded by: USFWS

Period of Performance: 2018-2022

Summary: PDC will carry out water quality assessment in Flamenco and Soni Lagoons within the Culebra NWR, through one year of water quality monitoring.

Establishment of the endangered Leptocereus grantianus population and habitat enhancement at Culebrita Island

Funded by: USFWS

Period of Performance: 2019-2023

Summary: PDC will establish at least two new self-sustainable populations of the endangered L. grantianus and enhance habitat for wildlife by planting native species in Culebrita Island, located in the municipality of Culebra, Puerto Rico. 

Projects in Culebra Northeast Ecological Corridor

Funded by: Horsley Witten Group / NOAA, NOAA through the Habitat Blueprint - Coastal and Marine Habitat Focus Areas Cooperative Agreements

Period of Performance: 2017-2024

Summary: Projects include "Reducing LBSP threats in PR's Habitat Focus Area: Completing LBSP management priorities in Culebra and enhancing LBSP management in NE reserves" and "Expanding Efforts on Building Resiliency in the Puerto Rico Northeast Reserves by Addressing Land-based Sources of Pollution (LBSPs) and Restoring Coral Reef Habitat". PDC will improve the prognosis for the sustained health of the coral reefs and seagrass beds of Culebra and the Northeast Marine Corridor through the stabilization of dirt roads, outplanting of coral colonies protection of coastal mangrove line, etc.

Projects in Northeast Ecological Corridor

Funded by: USDA-FS, USFWS

Period of Performance: 2021-2026

Summary: "Forest Fire Prevention in Fire Prone Landscapes in Puerto Rico Phase II - Implement prevention and restoration efforts in fire-prone areas within the Northeast Ecological Corridor and create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan" and "Coastal and Wetland Restoration in two priority areas of the Northeast Ecological Corridor Nature Reserve, Puerto Rico (Phase I)" - PDC will restore critical wetland areas by removing invasive species and reforesting approximately 6,000 native trees to increase the ecological balance and functionality of the ecosystem and continue the recovery efforts for the threatened Stahlia monosperma by the establishment of two new self-sustainable populations.