San Juan Ecological Corridor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Juan Ecological Corridor |
|
|---|---|
Location of constituents of the CESJ within the municipality of San Juan.
|
|
| Location | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Nearest city | Río Piedras |
| Area | 971 acres (3.93 km2) |
| Established | 2003 |
| Governing body | Commonwealth of Puerto Rico |
The San Juan Ecological Corridor (in Spanish, Corredor Ecológico de San Juan, or CESJ for short) is a special project in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was created by a law on August 28, 2003, to protect a natural pathway for plants and animals. This pathway helps different natural areas connect, allowing wildlife to move safely and plants to spread.
What is the San Juan Ecological Corridor?
The San Juan Ecological Corridor covers about 971 acres (which is about 1,000 cuerdas, a local measurement). It includes many secondary forests, which are forests that have grown back after being cut down. It also has protected natural areas and green spaces.
You can find parts of the corridor in different areas (called barrios or districts) of San Juan. These include El Cinco, Cupey, Río Piedras (Pueblo), and Sabana Llana Sur. The corridor also includes the University of Puerto Rico Botanical Garden and its research station.
The land here has different features. You can see karst hills, which are hills made of limestone that has been shaped by water. There are also highlands, valleys, and flat plains. The elevation, or height above sea level, ranges from about 32 feet (10 meters) to 377 feet (115 meters).
This ecological corridor is very important. It helps protect the Piedras River and its watershed. A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a specific river or body of water. The corridor also protects the drainage systems that flow into the San Juan Estuary. An estuary is where a river meets the sea, and it's a vital habitat for many plants and animals.
Special Places Inside the Corridor
Several protected areas are part of the San Juan Ecological Corridor. These places help keep the natural environment safe and healthy:
- Cupey Arboretum
- Doña Inés Mendoza Urban Forest
- Los Capuchinos Forest
- New Millennium State Forest
- Old Piedras River Aqueduct
- University of Puerto Rico Botanical Garden
See also
In Spanish: Corredor ecológico de San Juan para niños
- Protected areas of Puerto Rico
