Jeffrey J. Ellison
On August 6, the Conservation Opportunity (CO) team celebrated a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) after installing the initiative's signage #MiAndCleanAnvil at the Puente Roto in the El Yunque National Forest. The funds used to carry out this project were provided by donations from CO's Giving Tuesday initiative, Enjoy With Conscience, an initiative that aims to promote the protection of green areas around the island. From this, the Director of the Visitor Center and Recreation Planner, Jeffrey J. Ellison, shared some of the reasons for the initiative.
“Basically, we would like to use the initiative of #MiAndCleanAnvil to help visitors understand what we are doing, so we can raise awareness on how we assist in the conservation of the park and how we keep the place clean,” Ellison said.
Moreover, the installation of the sign marked the first time the initiative was placed in the hands of a collaborating organization, which was CO.
Norman Rutherford with a co-worker mixing cement for the sign installation.
“We are experimenting with the comanagement of #MandClean. The El Yunque model is in active change and we do not want it to be a hierarchical system controlled by the federal government. This invites any individual who wants to get involved in the management and conservation of the forest to have the opportunity to do it together with us. As if it were some kind of shared responsibility,” he said.
Likewise, El Yunque National Forest is supported by other non-profit organizations, which help with other essential services such as garbage cleanup, the visitor center, reforestation, among others.
To follow up, CO participated in the Water Quality Monitoring Day in the Mameyes River, where the sign was installed. Here the levels of phosphate, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, pH and turbidity of the water body were determined. The tests culminated with tolerable results, although the turbidity was more intense due to the drizzle that had occurred the day before, which is usual in El Yunque.
“We're still starting with these ideas, and I truly don't see an end point to our imagination. We can keep co-creating and co-managing until we shape it into a flagship and there's a lot of pride in that. It would be great if we could make the image of El Yunque awaken a magical and sacred essence within the minds of its visitors that will motivate them to take care of this space,” he said.
Ellison seeks to make it so that in the future, we can remove “my Anvil” from #MiCleanAnvil and replace it with something more local and personalized to each individual, such as “my clean puddle” or whatever you wish to care for.
On the other hand, the USFS seeks to change visitor behavior in order to eliminate or, at least, diminish some current problems, such as visitor pollution in the recreational areas of the national forest.
“We are dedicated to finding ways to improve our care of these protected lands. In addition, with our programs, we can educate people on how they can also help us conserve. We see El Yunque as a training ground for environmentally responsible recreational behavior. However, we are not telling them exactly what they have to do, but rather we provide opportunities for them to understand how their impact affects the place,” he added.
CO team verifying if the QR code on the sign is working
Thus, the USFS programs at El Yunque consist of interactive ways in which they can raise awareness for any visitor. Whether it's the visitor center, the Jr. programs, and the guides and signs with “simple and understandable” language that may lead to better waste management, the USFS team is looking to eliminate a lot of sapphacans in the area. But, interestingly, the USFS team is looking to eliminate a lot of trash cans in the area.
“We should clarify that we will not be eliminating all the trash cans at El Yunque, but there are numerous ways to look at the problem of waste management. The first thing we want to do with this is to remind any visitor that if you brought your garbage with you, you should take it with you, it is your responsibility,” he said.
Fabiola Torres with Marieliz Dieppa Rodríguez gathering cement at the base of the sign.
Currently, in the forest, there are 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) of containers on the roads, and, even if people are responsible and use these containers, employees still encounter some complications.
“There are situations where it is appropriate for us to help with waste management. But sites like Cascada La Mina are very deep in the forest. And there, we've had people dumping their waste in those very isolated saps. That will put the onus on the volunteers, the employees or the forest service to do that walk to be able to clean up that garbage. This is not efficient, especially with the possibility of insects and mice spreading through these places,” he included.
Ellison also explained how natural circumstances, such as rain, animals and wind, can cause that garbage to fall and be distributed to nearby rivers, possibly causing a “domino effect” type of contamination. Where other areas end up affected by a situation that was out of their jurisdiction.
On the other hand, the CO team gave thanks after the opportunity granted by the USFS.
“We are very grateful to El Yunque and our donors. We hope that we will continue to receive contacts for future collaborations and new installations in different spaces in Puerto Rico,” said CO Project Assistant Marieliz Dieppa Rodríguez.
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If you know of any places where CO can install these interpretive signs that promote the conservation of Puerto Rico's natural areas, please let us know at here.