San Patricio State Forest
18°24′33″N 66°05′35″W / 18.40922°N 66.09307°W
San Patricio State Forest Spanish: Bosque Estatal de San Patricio Bosque Urbano de San Patricio | |
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Geography | |
Location | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Elevation | 164 feet (50 m) |
Area | 70 cuerdas (68 acres) |
Administration | |
Governing body | Puerto Rico DRNA |
Website | www |
Ecology | |
Ecosystem(s) | Second-growth Subtropical Moist Zone forest |
WWF Classification | Puerto Rican moist forests |
San Patricio State Forest (
History
The site of the forest was first developed for
Geology
There are three kinds of
Ecology
Flora
The forest is home to about 70 species of trees, all of which are of secondary growth. Some of the most common trees are flamboyant (Delonix regia), pink trumpet tree or Puerto Rican oak (Tabebuia heterophyll) and the invasive African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata). Due to its secondary origin, most of the plant species in the forest are of exotic origin, although the species found in higher areas such as in the mogote are native to Puerto Rico. Some endangered or threatened native species have been introduced to the forest for the purpose of their conservation; some of these species are the elegant goetzea or matabuey (Goetzea elegans) and the Puerto Rican manac (Calyptronoma rivalis), both of which have successfully adapted to the forest.[1]
Fauna
The forest is good for birdwatching[5] as it is home to at least 33 bird species, 9 of which are endemic to Puerto Rico: the Puerto Rican bullfinch (Loxigilla portoricencis), the Puerto Rican screech owl (Otus nudipe), the Puerto Rican woodpecker (Melanerpes portoricencis), the Puerto Rican oriole (Icterus portoricensis), the Puerto Rican flycatcher (Myiarchus antillarum), the Puerto Rican spindalis (Spindalis portoricencis), the Adelaide's warbler (Setophaga adelaidae), the Puerto Rican vireo (Vireo latimeri) and the green mango hummingbird (Anthracothorax viridis).
Three species of coqui occur in the forest: the common coqui (Electherodactylus coqui), the whistling coqui (Electherodactylus cochranae) and the red-eyed coqui or churi (Eleutherodactylus antillensis). Other amphibian species commonly found in the forest are the white-lipped frog (Leptodactylus albilabris) and the cane toad (Rhinella marina). Reptiles such as the Puerto Rican racer (Borikenophis portoricensis), the Puerto Rican ground lizard (Pholidoscelis exsul), the crested anole (Anolis cristatellus) and the Puerto Rican anole (Anolis pulchellus). The Puerto Rican boa, which is endangered and endemic to the island, can also be found in the forest.
Recreation
The forest has infrastructure for visitors with an information center, parking, handicap access, bathrooms, gazebos for picnics, a plant nursery[6] and various interpretative trails with information about the forest's wildlife. It is a good place for birdwatching[5] and educational tours about the various scientific research projects that are conducted in the area. Biking is allowed in the forest.[1] The forest also hosts occasional educational and environmental events.[7] It is open to visitors by appointment only (787-268-5353, 787-707-0730) from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends.[8] There is no admission fee.[9]
See also
- List of state forests in Puerto Rico
- Nuevo Milenio State Forest
- Puerto Rico Northern Karst
References
- ^ a b c d e f "El Bosque de San Patricio". DRNA. 2015-06-12. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
- ^ Bosque San Patricio. "Fotos de la historia del bosque 1937-1999". www.bosquesanpatricio.org. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
- ^ "Ciudadanos Pro Bosque San Patricio: "Somos"". www.bosquesanpatricio.org. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
- ^ "Restaurado el Bosque Estatal de San Patricio". Ey Boricua (in Spanish). 2021-04-23. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
- ^ a b "Observación de Aves en el Bosque San Patricio". www.bosquesanpatricio.org. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
- ^ "Bosque Estatal San Patricio – Estuario" (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2021-10-09.
- ^ "Bienvenidos al Bosque San Patricio". www.bosquesanpatricio.org. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
- ^ "Horario del Bosque San Patricio". www.bosquesanpatricio.org. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
- ^ "Bosque Urbano de San Patricio: A Little Forest in the City". www.puertoricodaytrips.com. Retrieved 2021-10-09.