Bringing a 16-year fight for increased conservation efforts across northern Puerto Rico’s coastal coral reefs to a triumphant conclusion, local communities are celebrating the creation of a new and vital Marine Protected Area (MPA) they have called Jardines Submarinos de Vega Baja y Manati.

Marking a small but mighty ‘victory for the people’, the newly-established marine protected area will encompass 202.7 square kilometres of coastal coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass habitats which – while it may appear at the lower end of the scale compared to other MPA development plans announced in the last week – will play a vital role in the conservation of the some 14 endangered species the area is home to.

Alongside its local population of Greater Caribbean manatee, the area hosts vibrant small-scale fisheries and local ecotourism industries. It’s the hope among the local communities that these newly adopted efforts to co-manage the Jardines area as an MPA will allow its waters to remain a source for food and income for local families for generations to come.

“This is a victory for the people,” said Ricardo Laureano, a leading member of Vegabajeños Impulsando Desarrollo Ambiental Sustentable (VIDAS). “These ecosystems nourish us and sustain our quality of life. It took 16 years of hard work, starting in 2007, to get here.”

Over that time, VIDAS has played a fundamental role in rallying neighbours and engaging local and national leaders to highlight the “critical need” to protect the reserve. A group spearheaded by VIDAS, the conservation movement for Jardines encompassed players from Puerto Rico Sea Grant, Sociedad de Ambiente Marino, Surfrider Puerto Rico, and Para la Naturaleza, while receiving support from international partners like WCS.

The creation of the Jardines MPA will represent a critical point of connectivity within the greater Caribbean. Since 2018, WCS has been working the Caribbean Biological Corridor to advance and scale up marine conservation in the region. 

More than all else, however, the success of the campaign has been laid at the feet of the numerous actors within the local, grassroots community.

“WCS is honoured to provide technical support that helps locally-led efforts like this one reach the national level, contributing to the successful designation of the Jardines MPA,” said Pamela Castillo, WCS Marine 30×30 director.

“We celebrate our partnership with the Caribbean Biological Corridor in advancing science-based, effective, and inclusive marine conservation, which brings us closer to the coalition of community groups in Puerto Rico, led by VIDAS.”

The next step for local grassroots communities now will be to develop a co-management plan for the MPA.

“Our dream is for Jardines to be co-managed by the people who know it best – the local communities,” said Mariela Declet-Perez, leader of Descendants United for Nature, Adaptation, and Sustainability. “We aim to create co-management agreements that balance sustainable resource use, conservation, research, and eco-tourism.

‘This will take time, but we are committed to supporting VIDAS and our local partners to ensure long-term success.”

As the coalition looks ahead, securing funding and scientific support for designing a participatory management process is crucial, as well as creating the right legal framework, co-management agreements with locals, and setting out a recurring budget. This will all be essential to securing the project’s longevity.

It’s why local leaders view Jardines as a lifelong commitment and they hope their success inspires others to take action, too.

“To other coastal communities around the world, our message is clear: never stop fighting for your ecosystems.”

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