News Release
USDA Awards New Partnership Project in the Río Grande de Arecibo Watershed to Help Mitigate Climate Change, Protect Natural Resources
Contact:
Luis Cruz-Arroyo, Director
787-281-4836 / 787-405-7368
San Juan, PR, April 30, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $330 million nationwide in 85 locally driven, public-private partnerships to address climate change, improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability, including one new project in Puerto Rico. Projects are awarded through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
“The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is public-private partnerships working at their best,” said Luis Cruz-Arroyo, NRCS Caribbean Area State Conservationist. “This new project will harness the power of partnerships to help bring about solutions to natural resource concerns while supporting our efforts to combat the climate crisis.”
In the Caribbean Area, Para la Naturaleza (PLN) was awarded over $2.5 million for the Río Grande de Arecibo Restoration Initiative. PLN will partner with NRCS and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) to conduct restoration activities in the Rio Grande de Arecibo watershed to restore and enhance habitat for six listed species, including the Sirajo goby (Sycidium spp.), the Puerto Rican crested toad (Peltophryne lemur) and the tiny Coqui llanero (Eleutherodactylus juanariveroi) frog. The forest restoration efforts, targeted to private forest and agricultural lands, will also help reduce sediment and pollutant runoff and promote the establishment of agroforestry systems in the watershed.
“I am very proud about the strong partnership between the NRCS, FWS, Para La Naturaleza and the private landowners and volunteers in Puerto Rico that will make this project a success,” said Leopoldo Miranda-Castro, FWS Regional Director in Atlanta, GA. “This partnership will enhance habitats for many species and will also enhance the ecosystems on the lands of the Taínos for future generations of the people of Puerto Rico,” Miranda-Castro added.
The Río Grande de Arecibo (RGA) watershed lies in the heart of Puerto Rico's karst region and has great value for its aquatic and terrestrial resources that provide water for human uses, groundwater and surface reservoirs, forested areas, ecological corridors between private and public lands, aquatic connectivity and support traditional fisheries. The watershed is composed of a complex interconnected wetland system providing the primary corridor between terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine and marine ecosystems. At a landscape level, the RGA watershed harbors essential habitat for fish and wildlife species, including several State and Federal Trust species.
The identified conservation actions will be implemented at a regional landscape-level to promote ecosystem functionality.
- Objective 1: Restore and promote the sustainable use of natural resources on a watershed scale within agricultural lands and nonindustrial private forestlands, including wetlands and riparian habitats, located in the targeted region. Target metric: reforestation of 50,000 native trees including trust-listed species.
- Objective 2: Develop and promote conservation practices implementation to mitigate resource concerns, along with the recovery, and enhance of the resources within agricultural lands and nonindustrial private forestlands to establish new populations of targeted species, protect and minimize impacts to targeted species and their habitats, reduce sediment and pollutant runoff, establish agroforestry systems, establish transitional biological corridors, and control and eradicate invasive exotic plants and animals. Target metric: conservation efforts for 6 listed species:
- Objective 3: Engage local farmers and communities in species and habitat recovery through volunteer monitoring activities that can help educate on short- and long-term conservation goals. Target metric: engagement of 35 farmers.
Resource Concerns:
- Soil: Bank erosion from streams, shorelines, or water conveyance channels; Soil organism habitat loss or degradation.
- Water: Nutrients transported to ground and surface waters; Pesticides transported to ground and surface waters; Sediment transported to surface waters; and Elevated water temperature.
- Plants & Animals: Plant structure and composition; Terrestrial habitat for wildlife and invertebrates; Aquatic habitat for fish and other organisms.
About RCPP
Through RCPP, conservation partners work in collaboration with NRCS to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners throughout the nation to implement systems that conserve water and soil resources, improve the health of wildlife habitats and increase climate resilience.
RCPP partners offer value-added contributions to amplify the impact of RCPP funding. These projects offer impactful and measurable outcomes. Throughout its history, RCPP has leveraged partner contributions of more than $1 for every $1 invested by USDA, resulting in nearly $3 billion collectively invested in natural resource conservation on private lands. The Department anticipates the investments made today will generate at least $440 million in additional conservation funds by communities and other partners.
There are currently 336 active RCPP projects that have engaged more than 2,000 partners. See the interactive map of awarded RCPP projects here. For more information about RCPP projects nationwide, visit the national RCPP website. For details about RCPP in the Caribbean Area, visit www.pr.nrcs.usda.gov.
Due to the current COVID19 emergency, all USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone or virtual appointment only and field work continues with appropriate social distancing protocols. While program delivery staff continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone, and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with NRCS, Farm Service Agency, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule an appointment. More information can be found at https://farmers.gov/coronavirus.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
Release No.: 2021-15
