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Description:
Title:
Restoration and implementation efforts in Culebra
Author(s):
Sturm, Paul
Ríos, Roberto Viqueira
United States, National Marine Fisheries Service
United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Coral Reef Conservation Program (U.S.)
Ridges to Reefs
Protectores de Cuencas
Corporate Name:
United States, National Marine Fisheries Service
United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Coral Reef Conservation Program (U.S.)
Ridges to Reefs
Protectores de Cuencas
Dates of Publication:
2014
Abstract:
Culebra is a small island off the northeast coast of Puerto Rico. It is home to 1,900 residents and is 11.6 square miles in area including the small adjacent uninhabited islands of Culebrita, Cayo Norte and Luis Peña. Culebra is a destination for tourism due to its beautiful white sandy beaches, beautiful vistas, coral reefs and marine life reachable from shore. Culebra is home to some of the healthiest coral reefs in Puerto Rico, as well as a significant population of resident and breeding sea turtles. Even today many of the reefs remain in good condition, bolstered by coral farming and restoration efforts. Despite this, impacts to the reefs and marine resources are becoming more pronounced due to increasing global and local stressors. As a result, Culebra is one of the top priorities for coral reef protection and coastal management in Puerto Rico and is a main driver for the watershed planning process (DRNA, 2013) (NOAA, 2009). In previous studies by Ramos, Hernandez and Amador, unpaved roads have been identified as the major source of sediment transport to nearshore reefs in Culebra, PR as well as other locations in St. John, USVI. As a result the goal of our project is to directly reduce sediment loads by implementing erosion and sediment transport BMPs on high priority unpaved roads and bare soils within Culebra. This report summarizes our efforts under a NOAA Task Order in 2012-2013 to stabilize bare soils and pollution sources in Culebra.
Keywords:
Coral reef conservation
Soil conservation
Soil stabilization
Watershed management
Watershed restoration
Wetland planting
Place Keywords:
Puerto Rico
Culebra Island
Local Corporate Name:
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service)
CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System)
Type of Resource:
Professional Paper
Note:
Culebra is a small island off the northeast coast of Puerto Rico. It is home to 1,900 residents and is 11.6 square miles in area including the small adjacent uninhabited islands of Culebrita, Cayo Norte and Luis Peña. Culebra is a destination for tourism due to its beautiful white sandy beaches, beautiful vistas, coral reefs and marine life reachable from shore. Culebra is home to some of the healthiest coral reefs in Puerto Rico, as well as a significant population of resident and breeding sea turtles. Even today many of the reefs remain in good condition, bolstered by coral farming and restoration efforts. Despite this, impacts to the reefs and marine resources are becoming more pronounced due to increasing global and local stressors. As a result, Culebra is one of the top priorities for coral reef protection and coastal management in Puerto Rico and is a main driver for the watershed planning process (DRNA, 2013) (NOAA, 2009). In previous studies by Ramos, Hernandez and Amador, unpaved roads have been identified as the major source of sediment transport to nearshore reefs in Culebra, PR as well as other locations in St. John, USVI. As a result the goal of our project is to directly reduce sediment loads by implementing erosion and sediment transport BMPs on high priority unpaved roads and bare soils within Culebra. This report summarizes our efforts under a NOAA Task Order in 2012-2013 to stabilize bare soils and pollution sources in Culebra.
2014
Project no. 411
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service)
CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System)
Library
Public Domain
1858
URL:
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