Tommy Beaudreau (DOI) and Martha Williams (USFWS)
On April 4, Tommy Beaudreau, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) met at Castillo Cristobal in San Juan, where Conservation Opportunity (CO) was able to participate.
Also representing the community were agencies and entities such as the U.S. Environmental Conservation Agency, the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) and Conservación ConCiencia.
At the meeting, DOI and FWS were able to see how their programs were running on the island and receive feedback from the agencies and communities that benefit from them.
They wanted to know how they could continue to support Puerto Rico through their programs and be able to collaborate in helping endangered species and historical sites on the island.
Crystal Strong (HAF), Fabiola Torres (CO) and José “Quiquito” Meléndez (House of Representatives of PR)
CO had the opportunity to promote jobs, especially highlighting FWS's Directorate Resource Assistant Fellows Program (DFP). This 11-week program seeks juniors and seniors in undergraduate and graduate programs interested in careers in environmental conservation.
This year's program began in mid-May and ends in September, with the possibility of hiring students to the agency after the program.
“I felt heard, in conjunction with what we were talking about, in summary we applauded them for their good programs and we also had the opportunity to make suggestions on how they can help the community outside of the agencies but also serve as a consultation for other agencies that are within the island to implement what they do as well,” explained Fabiola Torres, Founder of Conservation Opportunity.
Representatives present at the meeting.
This visit by FWS and DOI was part of a series of visits made around the island with the purpose of reinforcing the assistance offered, making the voices of the communities heard, and making lands and water bodies more accessible, through the laws: Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and the Open Space Act.