Guaynabo – The silence that is only interrupted by the singing of birds, the sun that makes the green of the mountains brighter and the fresh breeze of the Puerto Rican winter make it difficult to remember that the La Marquesa Forest Park It is in the heart of the metropolitan area.
The lush forest is a green lung that runs 630 cords in the Sonadora neighborhood of Guaynabo and, starting February 9, it will once again be a space to reconnect with nature, learn about its biodiversity and educate yourself about its conservation.
The administrator of La Marquesa, Marilyn Maldonado Urbinaurged people to visit the park in comfortable clothing to reach the top of the observation tower, from where, he highlighted, people will have “access to a view of the entire metropolitan area and, even more specifically, to first-class oxygen.” .
The person in charge of the park two decades ago – who described it as a “green skirt” of mountains interconnected by six trails – spoke with The New Day from one of the 18 cable car cabins, where you can appreciate the thick foliage dotted with colorful flowers and the song of endemic birds, such as the San Pedro.
“We invite everyone to come, give themselves the opportunity to sit in any of the areas and put their hearing sense to work, to work and hear as many of the songs of birds, which are the true owners of this forest”he exhorted.
The cable car will be one of the methods of transportation that visitors can use to tour the park, for the first time since it was closed in 2017 due to the damage caused by the Hurricane Maria.
The restoration represented an investment of $2.6 million in federal recovery funds and $1.5 million in ordinary funds from the Municipality of Guaynabo, which were used to repair attractions such as the aviarythe butterfly garden, the gazebos and the sidewalks with their respective rest areas.
The mayor Edward O’Neill Rosa explained that, beyond the economic boost that La Marquesa can bring to the southern area of Guaynabo, the rehabilitation should be seen as a step in environmental conservation in the municipality, which was the initial reason why the land was purchased from 12 families. and it became a park.
“We cannot simply see the economic part, we have to see beyond, the environmental part, (it is) a lung. There is a lot of construction in the north (of Guaynabo). In the south, I want it to remain as a lung. “That was the purpose for which this park was made, and I want to preserve that part.”held.
O’Neill Rosa reported that the municipal administration is also taking steps to acquire the Hogar del Niño farm, to make a “green lung” to the north of the town. With this, he said, he seeks to intersperse the cement with a “green, recreational area, something that does not impact the environment.”
Meanwhile, Maldonado Urbina aspires for La Marquesa to be an example of a space that combines conservation, tourism and environmental education, in a sustainable way.
“We want La Marquesa to be a city movement, an island movement, that excites us to do things as best as possible and in the most responsible way, which certainly is not always the easiest way, but it is the most responsible way. and, at the end of the day, the sense of satisfaction it gives to all of us who are here is much greater,” he said.
Close contact with birds
Apart from a recreational park, La Marquesa is a sanctuary for 128 birds of 25 different species that reproduce and inhabit the aviary.
The birds lived, for seven years, in an area that later became an activity room. Last September, they returned to their homewhich was the part most affected by María. The purchase, installation and sewing of the aviary mesh was also one of the main reasons for the delay in the reopening of the park.
“These months in which they (birds) have been free, it has been a process of adaptation not only at a nutritional level, of personalized care for each of them, but also socially. (Get used to that), when people arrive, we greet them, but we do not invade personal spaces. So we are at that stage. Whoever comes to our aviary will have a very close encounter with our birds”, assured Maldonado Urbina.
The birds are friendly, noisy, curious and outgoing. In fact, The New Day witnessed the unique moment when a male peacock showed his elegant plumage in search of mating with a female who was walking along the platform where visitors can tour the aviary.
1/16 | What attractions will the renovated La Marquesa Forest Park have? A peacock shows its plumage in search of mating, in the La Marquesa aviary. – Ramon “Tonito” Zayas
Outside the aviary, there are also multiple endemic species of birds that roam the extensive grounds and, for them, fruit trees have been planted to feed them.
“We have a large population of San Pedro, which is always one of our darlings, for being a small emerald green bird, with its red beak that distinguishes it. Sometimes, we think it’s a little flying leaf and, suddenly, no, when we look, it’s our Saint Peter coming out to say hello.”said Maldonado Urbina.
Innovation gives new life
Now, the park will have new attractions, including a restaurant – soon to open – and an activity room with space for 200 people.
Likewise, the mayor indicated that a second phase of La Marquesa is already underway, which will include cabins so that visitors can stay in the forest.
“Everything will be under the administration of the Municipality, obviously, when we do a second phase, that is what I am looking for, to make some cabins. When I go to make those cabins, it is likely that someone will come to manage them”said O’Neill Rose.
This second phase will enter a design stage, and then move on to construction and eventual opening, so there is still no estimate of when it would be available to the public.
People will be able to visit La Marquesa, starting February 9. The hours will be from Wednesday to Sunday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The entrance fee is $8 for children and $13 per adult.