Citizens of the Karst celebrates 30 years protecting the extensive limestone region of Puerto Rico

The inevitable passage of time and the incessant threats against natural resources have not broken the perseverance of Citizens of the Karst (CDK), which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary with ambitious goals set, including the future opening of a world-class educational and research center.

“Perhaps, the greatest achievement of Citizens of the Karst is having brought to the public spotlight the importance of the karst in Puerto Rico“, and not the importance for its mere importance, but for what it contains, for the vital heritage for this country,” he highlighted. Abel Vale Nievespresident of the organization that protects the natural and cultural wealth of the Puerto Rican karst.

This “stock” not only includes the water that hundreds of thousands of people drink, but also the wells on which the livestock industry depends. It also includes the deep wells of high-quality water used by pharmaceutical companies, and the home of flora and fauna with immeasurable value.

“If we are going to see, the resources contained in the Karst provide work for people and help agriculture, in addition to providing the daily water that we need”he added.

Researchers doing field work at the Mata de Plátano Field Station. (Supplied)

CDK was born in 1994, as a result of the concern caused in a group of people by the extension of the PR-10 highway through a section of the Rio Abajo State Forestbetween Arecibo and Attached. At that moment, they realized that there was no entity that defended karst as a vital natural system.

“From there, the idea of ​​organizing ourselves arose,” recalled Vale Nieves, in an interview with The New Day. “The Karst Citizens group was formed as an entity to, first, research about karst, number two, educate about karst and, number three, conserve the karst. Why in that order? Because, in order to educate on any topic, you have to investigate, you have to have the knowledge to be able to provide the correct information and, obviously, the action of education involves the conservation of the objective, which in this case is the karst.”

The karst covers approximately 244,285 hectares, which represents 27.5% of the surface of Puerto Rico. It is located in a continuous strip from gouache until Loiza in the north, discontinuously from Juana Diaz until Red Cape in the southwest, dispersed throughout the central mountainous region, on the island municipality of Vieques and on the island of Mona, Monito and Caja de Muertos.

In the limestone rock region, there are mogotes, sinkholes, caves and underground rivers. A 1999 investigation found that the northern limestone zone contained more tree species than the El Yunque National Forestexemplified Vale Nieves. In these areas, species such as the concho toad, the Puerto Rican parrot and the plains coquí also live, all three in danger of extinction.

For Vale Nieves, CDK “has done a lot, but it is not enough.” Along these lines, he pointed out that the main threat facing karst – also called karst and karst – is the decision making on the part of agencies such as the Planning Board and the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources which – he understands – violate the Puerto Rican karst region.

“Why do we continue to grant permits in areas where they should not be granted? That is what we have to question ourselves. Who does the government work for? “Is it really working for the majority of the population of Puerto Rico?” questioned the founder of the organization.

Perhaps, the greatest achievement of Citizens of the Karst is having brought to the public spotlight the importance of the karst in Puerto Rico.

Abel Vale Nieves

Among the achievements of CDK, Vale Nieves mentioned that 232,000 acres of land were declared as specially protected karst in the Plan and Regulation of the Carso Special Planning Areawhich came into force in 2014 and was later incorporated into the Puerto Rico Land Use Plan.

For its part, Michael Babiloniavice president of the organization, highlighted the contribution of the Mata de Plátano Field Station, located in the Mata de Plátano Natural Reserve, seven kilometers from the center of Arecibo. The space has 22 beds for students – local and abroad – and researchers interested in studying karst ecosystems.

“Part of having these research centers is so that our scientists, here in Puerto Rico, can go and do these investigations themselves.. I believe that we are a key to achieving this, but, to achieve it, we have to make our investment of time, money and sacrifices,” he shared.

The old FD Roosevelt school, in Arecibo, will be the headquarters of the Karst Institute of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
The old FD Roosevelt school, in Arecibo, will be the headquarters of the Karst Institute of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. (Supplied)

To the projects underway, CDK adds among its priorities to complete the construction of the Karst Institute of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean (IKPReC), which will have a Research Center for natural and social sciences, and a Museum of Natural History.

“For us, (the IKPReC) is very important, because it is a means of educating with both historical and current information about the situation we have, but apart from being something of educational importance, for Arecibo it would mean attracting people to the urban center. (…) The Museum of Natural History would be an attraction that would bring people from all over Puerto Rico and people from abroad who are interested in these topics,” said Vale Nieves.

The IKPReC will occupy the building that was the FD Roosevelt school, in Arecibo, which closed in 2006 and was abandoned for 10 years, until the organization acquired it in 2016. Turning it into a “world-class” space, as Babilonia hopes, will cost $20 million..

“I think (as an organization) we can do a lot. Something that we have achieved is to create that type of awareness through education, but I think that, in our country, we have to, in some way, understand that we have a social responsibility to protect the environment for the benefit of all,” said Babilonia.

Plan and Regulation of the Carso Special Planning Area

Puerto Rico Land Use Plan.