Caribbean Humid Forests (15.6)

Ecosystems Resources

Reference landscapes, databases, and mapping tools for understanding subtropical ecosystems across the Puerto Rican archipelago, including land trust preserves, ecoregion boundary maps, and state natural heritage programs tracking rare biological communities.

Foundational Ecosystem Information

Guide to Ecological Systems of PR – A comprehensive guide to the ecosystems of the Puerto Rican archipelago, with extensive references and illustrations. A fundamental resource for the region.

Ecological Life Zones of PR – Classic classification system.

Caribbean Biology – A significant resource of biological and ecological references covering Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Regional Databases

TNC Caribbean 30x30 Dashboard – A regional spatial analysis tool designed to support conservation goals by 2030.

Reference Landscapes

Puerto Rico Natural Reserves – General information on the natural reserves of Puerto Rico covering most habitat types of the archipelago.

Natural Heritage

Wildlife Conservation – Puerto Rico’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy document by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER).

Caribbean Biodiversity – Library of the Caribbean Ecological Services Field Office of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Extensive reference list on wetlands, biota, and ecology of rivers and shorelines.

Extension & Land Management

NRCS Caribbean – Homepage of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Caribbean Area.  Important local resource for conservation and land management.

Species Resources

Guides and databases for identifying native and invasive species across the Puerto Rico region, including plant guides, endangered species resources, keystone species, and native plant databases.

Native & Invasive Species Identification

Forester’s Field Guide – A field guide to the trees and shrubs of Puerto Rico, by renowned dendrologist and forester Dr. Mark S. Ashton, Yale School of the Environment.

Flora de El Verde – Virtual Herbarium for the flora of the El Verde Field Station, representative of northeast Puerto Rico.

National Databases

USDA PLANTS Database (USA) - Federal database of plant names, classification, and distribution, widely used for confirming native plant identification.

Flora of PR and USVI  – Resources at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Wetland Plants – USACE Wetland Plant List for the Caribbean.

Invasive Species Resources

Caribbean Invasives – Information on invasive species across the Caribbean.

Common Weeds – Common weed guide for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Endangered Species

Threatened and Endangered Species – Protected species list under the jurisdiction of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Environmental Sensitivity Index Maps – Developed by NOAA to identify coastal resources that might be at risk under an oil spill scenario, these maps cover all of the Puerto Rican archipelago and identify the location sensitive/protected flora and fauna.  Data is available as PDFs or GIS layers.  These maps also include extensive tables with biological data for each species.

Keystone Species

Caribbean Pollinators – Publications by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

State Plant Guides

PLN Native Tree Guide – Native tree guide developed by the conservation organization Para La Naturaleza. Includes helpful information for appropriate use of each species.

Silvics of Trees of PR – Silvics of Native and Exotic Trees of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands, USDA Forest Service.

Urban Forestry Manual – Urban Forestry Manual for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.  Includes guidelines for the use of native and naturalized trees in the urban environment.  USDA Forest Service. In Spanish.

Native Shrubs – Guide to the native shrubs for conservation practices in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Forest Trees – Guide to native and naturalized forest trees for planting in Puerto Rico. USDA Forest Service, 1999.

Green Infrastructure Plants – Recommended species for green infrastructure in the Caribbean.

 

Indigenous Partners


Scientist & Researcher Partners

Universities, field stations, and research programs studying tropical ecology and restoration across the Puerto Rico region, including long-term research sites and university-affiliated centers.

Research Institutions & Field Stations

 

Federal Research Programs

IITF – Homepage of the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry. IITF is a major research organization headquartered in the Botanical Garden of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, San Juan, PR.

Luquillo LTER – Homepage of the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Program funded by the National Science Foundation. Links to an extensive set of publications on tropical ecology.

Universities & Field Stations

El Verde Field Station – Premier tropical ecology research station at El Yunque National Forest, operated by the Department of Environmental Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico.

Environmental Sciences UPR – The Department of Environmental Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras and its Faculty carry on a significant research program on many topics of interest to landscape architects, including urban ecology.

Natural Sciences Library – Homepage of the Natural Sciences Library at the University of Puerto Rico (Río Piedras) that includes many free online resources and references.

Independent Research Institutions

 

Specialists

Dr. Robert Mayer – Conservation and ecological restoration professional.


 

Community-based Organizations

Nonprofits and grassroots groups leading hands-on restoration, education, and stewardship across the Puerto Rico region, from urban ecosystem restoration to native plant training programs.

Local Stewardship & Advocacy

 

Restoration & Education Nonprofits

 

Advocacy Organizations

A.M.A.S. – Alianza para el Mercadeo de Plantas Nativas de Puerto Rico. A community-based organization dedicated to promoting the use of native plants in Puerto Rico.

Supply Chain

Nurseries, seed producers, and native plant suppliers serving the Puerto Rico region, along with restoration contractors and other habitat restoration partners.

Native Plant Sourcing & Restoration Services

 

Directories

 

Nurseries

PLN Nurseries – Information on the native tree nurseries run by Para La Naturaleza, a local conservation nonprofit.

Reforesta – A local small business dedicated to restoration services, among others. Reforesta also maintains a nursery of native and naturalized plants.

Seed Producers

 

Soil Amendments & Restoration Products

 

Restoration & Installation Services

Reforesta – A local small business dedicated to restoration and installation services, among others. Reforesta also maintains a nursery of native and naturalized plants.

Protectores de Cuencas – A local non-profit organization working to restore and protect watersheds across Puerto Rico.