The Coastal Program
Programa Costero
Credit: USFWS
The Coastal Program was recently instituted in 2005. The purpose is to conserve fish and wildlife and their habitats to support healthy coastal ecosystems.
The Coastal Program, working with partners, aims to support restoration, enhancement and conservation projects within Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands benefiting wildlife habitats in coastal areas. The program is incentive-based and non-regulatory.
What we do:
- identify high priority ecosystem restoration projects for "on-the-ground" improvements utilizing an ecosystem approach;
- provide technical and financial assistance to carry out coastal habitat restoration actions
- foster partnerships with other Federal, State, local and private organizations and individuals to achieve maximum effectiveness in restoration activities;
- Provide a catalyst for public outreach and environmental education to further awareness of the natural resources.
Some example milestone accomplishments of our program include:
- Mangrove and mud flat restoration in the Boquerón Commonwealth Forest through vehicle access control,
- Staghorn coral patch reef restoration in Culebra through a propagation and out-planting project,
- Invasive exotic plant removal on Mona Island to restore hawksbill sea turtle and Mona iguana nesting habitat,
- Rat eradication on Green and Ruth Cays in St. Croix to protect the St. Croix ground lizard.
For more information:
- Download the Caribbean’s Coastal Program fact sheets: Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
- Visit the Service’s National Coastal Program website.
- Contact beverly_yoshioka@fws.gov, Coordinator for the Coastal Program in the Caribbean.
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