Assessment on recreational uses and potential impacts to coastal resources in Puerto Rico

University of Puerto Rico

Río Piedras Campus

College of Natural Sciences

Department of Environmental Sciences

Assessment on recreational uses and potential impacts to coastal resources

in Puerto Rico

Wilmer O. Rivera & Keyla Soto Course: Coastal Environments Prof. Loretta Roberson, Ph.D.

October 25, 2012

Background

Puerto Rico has valuable coastal areas with high recreational activities.

Recreational activities can generate many impacts on coastal resources. (Cicin & Knecht, 1998; Defeo, 2009).

We need more information of the possible impacts that these activities can generate.

Is important to develop environmental

assessments in order to evaluated the possible impacts associated with this activities.

Distribution for regions of public beaches in Puerto Rico.

Inventory of public beaches - DRNA

Problem

What are the possible impacts associated with the recreational activities in various high value recreational beaches in Puerto Rico?

Goals & Objectives

Goals

Developing an effective assessment’s method in order to evaluate the possible impacts that can be generated on coastal resources.

Objectives

a. Identify areas in Puerto Rico where recreational activities are performed and describe the type of activity that takes place in these areas.

b. Determine potential impacts on coastal resources recreational product.

c. Establish effective management strategies to minimize the impact on based coastal resource assessment performed.

Program Dimensions & Pottencial Beneffits

Assesment

College students

(Natural & Social

Sciences

School & Comunnites

Experts- Integrative disciplines

Program Focus

Characterization of sampled area - Identify recreational type activities that are carried out in the coastal areas identified.

- Field visits a) Interviews and surveys

- Photos and audiovisual resources a) Business (kiosks, bars, restaurants) b) Personal c) Companies

- Monitor the development of recreational activities a) Count of maritime transport (Boats, Aquatic motor) b) Number of people using the beach in different periods

- Apply GIS methods and "remote sensing" to identify coastal areas in PR a) Characterization of marine ecosystems in the area. b) Identification of habitats and critical habitats. 1) Turtle nesting areas. 2) Seagrass meadow 3) Areas of coral 4) Mangrove Areas

Methodology – First year

Phase I- North Experimental & Control Zone

Marchiquita - Manatí

Cerro Gordo, Vega Alta x

Balneario de Carolina

Phase I- West Experimental & Control Zone

Moja Casabe- Cabo Rojo

Balneario de Boquerón

Playa de Crash Boat

Methodology – Second year

I. Health conditions of organisms in the areas studied and possible risks in the short and long term. A. Assessment of the impacts of recreational activities: 1. Degradation of habitats a) Scars on areas of coral and seagrass beds. b) Mortality in coral reef areas c) Alteration of nesting areas 2. Direct impacts to organisms- Ex. (Manatees) B. Water quality sampling in different periods (before and after) a) Microbiological analysis (total and fecal coliforms) b) Analysis of heavy metals and organic matter (ICP, FLAAS) c) pH and dissolved oxygen (sensors) d) Inadequate management of solid wastes e) Identify the most common solid waste in these areas f) Quantify the amount of solid waste per area II. Based on the information gathered by the assessment

Phase I-Budget

Cost Activity

14,000-Annual stipends to school teachers and college volunteers

Field works, coordination on school students and participation in workshops.

10,700-Initial orientations on college volunteers, summer internship and saturdays academies a. Logistic b. Speakers c. Food

Trainings focus on the programs goals, the importance of conservation and management in coastal resources, GIS applications and data collection in the field.

3,500-Specialist support GIS technician and qualitative statistic to help in the confection of descriptive maps and data analysis of the questionnaires and interviews.

7,000- Administrative secretary Work on documents and organization of official files of the program.

3,500-Materials and equipment

1st YEAR BUDGET= $38,700

Data collection in the field and didactic materials to the workshops.

Phase II-Budget Cost Activity

14,000-Annual stipends to school teachers and college volunteers

Field works, coordination on school students and participation in workshops.

10,700- Workshop to college volunteers, summer internship and field trip. a. Speakers b. Food

Trainings focus in the protocol about microbiology and chemistry parameters and data collection in the field.

3,500-Specialist support Quantitative statistic to help in the data analysis of the samples.

7,000- Administrative secretary Work on documents and organization of official files of the program.

4,000-Materials and equipment

2st YEAR BUDGET= $ 39,200

Data collection in the field and analysis of samples. Analytical instrumentation Total= 77,900 for two years

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