| Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas | |
| Alt Name: | Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve |
| Iucn Category: | V |
| Map: | Puerto Rico |
| Label: | Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas |
| Label Position: | right |
| Location: | Barrio Canas, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Nearest City: | Ponce |
| Area: | Total (Land): 698cda[1] Total (Marine): 3516cda[2] Las Salinas Lagoon only: 347898m2[3] |
| Designation: | 2008[4] |
| Governing Body: | Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources |
| Fauna and Flora at Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas | |
| Location: | Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Established: | 2008 |
| Named For: | Coastal geographical formation |
| Governing Body: | Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources |
| Website: | Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources |
Reserva Natural Punta Cucharas (Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve) is a nature reserve in Barrio Canas, Ponce, Puerto Rico.[5] It consists of both a land area component as well as an offshore marine area.[6] The land component has an area of 698cda[7] while the marine component has an expanse of 3516cda,[8] for a total area of 4214cda. The Reserve consists of mangrove ecosystems, coastal sand dunes, a saline lagoon known as Laguna Las Salinas, open water, and a century-old local community.[9] The lagoon occupies and area of 347898m2[10] Ecological protection is managed and enforced by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources.[11] Eight activities are allowed at the Reserve: scuba diving, boating, fishing, hiking, sun bathing, photography, bird watching and canoeing. Activities prohibited are: Camping, crabbing/trapping, horseback riding, water crafting, and hunting. Pets, ATVs, and fireplaces are also prohibited.[12]
In 2001, the Puerto Rico Ornithology Society started promoting the conservation of the Las Cucharas area and proposed it as an Important Area for the Conservation of Birds. Then, during 2003–2004, the United States Geological Survey, with the support of the Ponce Municipal Government, conducted a hydrology study of Laguna Las Salinas.[13] In June 2004, the Integrated Planning Area of the Natural Patrimony Division of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico (DRNA) issued a report on the natural value of the Punta Cucharas area.[14] In 2008, Amigos de La Laguna (Friends of the Lagoon), a local concerned citizens group, issued a press release showing the impact that construction of the Gasoducto del Norte was to have on the lagoon. In August 2008, the Legislature of Puerto Rico passed Law 227 designating the Punta Cucharas natural area as a nature reserve and creating the Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve using, among others, the June 2004 DRNA report.[15] On 9 August 2008, Punta Cucharas became a protected area under the law.[16] [17]
The area is located in the coastal and the subcoastal zones of the southern end of Barrio Canas. The area is bounded in the west by a tourist development, including a hotel, in the north by modern residential compounds, and in the south by the Caribbean Sea.[18] It includes all the land southeast of Road PR-2 in Barrio Canas and the marine component of Isla de Ratones and Isla Cardona. The Caribbean Sea Marine Extent component includes the waters south of points from Punta Cucharas in the west and Rio Matilde in the east, both in the Ponce mainland, and north of points from Isla de Ratones in the west and Isla Cardona in the east, both islands south of Ponce.[19] [20] Isla de Ratones and Isla Cardona are both included in the Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve.[21] [22]
It consists of a salt water lagoon known as Laguna Salinas (Salinas Lagoon) that measures 347,898 square meters, as well as forestland systems of mangroves and other coastal forests, and different types of estuary and marshy wetlands. It also includes extensive areas of sand dunes covered by herbaceous vegetation, part of which are gramineous plants.[23] The Reserve's total area is 698 cuerdas.[24] [25] The Salinas Lagoon has a mangrove that expands about 37 acres.[26]
The Municipality of Ponce recognized the ecological value of the Punta Cucharas natural area and included a Special Plan PL. E. 2, on La Matilde Area (the Area that includes the Punta Cuchara area) in its Territorial Plan (Integral Review effective on 23 December 2003), in its Ordination Regulations component. This Special Plan intended to facilitate a residential, tourist and commercial development, contingent on the protection of natural resources such as Laguna Salinas and the wetlands to the south of the area and the conversion of PR-2 to an expressway and the construction of parallel service roads. Among the objectives of the Municipality of Ponce development were the establishment of a protection zone for wetlands and the Laguna Salinas.[27]
The Action Program of the Territorial Ordinance Plan (1993) Judicial Ruling known as Ruling JAC 93–0485 in "Municipality of Ponce vs. Government of Puerto Rico", a.k.a., Ponce en Marcha was a $615,000 yet-to-be-built project in the Hacienda La Matilde area programmed to be finished during the 1996-97 of the Government of Puerto Rico fiscal year. However, "recognizing the great ecological value of the Punta Cucharas ecosystem, the Territorial Ordinance Plan of the Municipality of Ponce sought to protect the Punta Cucharas area, identifying it as a "high interest" ecotourism area.[28]
The shoreline habitat consists of exposed mangroves, mixed sand and gravel beaches, and fine grained sandy beaches. The Reserve wildlife consists of wading birds and shore birds.[29]
The Reserve has 148 flora species, 56 bird species (including both resident or migratory species), five mammal species, nine reptile species, five amphibians, and six fish species.[30]
Critically endangered plant species include Cordia rupicola and Leptocereus quadricostatus (sebucan); Endangered is Guaiacum officinale (guaiac tree) and vulnerable is the Maytenus ponceana.[31] Some of the 147 plant species found at the Punta Cucharas Reserve are listed below.[32]
| No. | Species | Family | Common Name (Spanish) | Common Name (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | sábila | aloe vera | ||
| 2 | aroma | sweet acacia | ||
| 3 | rabo de gato | devil's horsewhip | ||
| 4 | cayur | corkwood | ||
| 5 | bellísima | coral vine | ||
| 6 | caña de castilla | Spanish cane | ||
| 7 | mangle negro | black mangrove | ||
| 8 | yerba de sal | saltwort | ||
| 9 | mata pavo | tarvine | ||
| 10 | ucar | bullet tree | ||
| 11 | almácigo | copperwood | ||
| 12 | mato de playa | gray nicker | ||
| 13 | algodón de seda | king's crown | ||
| 14 | barbasco | cinnamon bark | ||
| 15 | haba de playa | beach bean | ||
| 16 | palinguan | -- | ||
| 17 | té del país | goatweed | ||
| 18 | fideillo | lovevine | ||
| 19 | bejuco de caro | sorrelvine | ||
| 20 | volantín | spiderflower | ||
| 21 | uvilla | pigeonplum | ||
| 22 | uva de playa | seagrape | ||
| 23 | mabí | soldierwood | ||
| 24 | cohítre | dayflower | ||
| 25 | mangle blanco | buttomwood | ||
| 26 | higüera | calabash | ||
| 27 | yerba Bermuda | Bermuda grass | ||
| 28 | yerba egipcia | Egyptian crowfoot grass | ||
| 29 | flamboyán | poinciana | ||
| 30 | desmanto | wild tantan | ||
| 31 | pangola | digitgrass | ||
| 32 | yerba dulce | yard-grass | ||
| 33 | cariaquillo santa maría | devil weed | ||
| 34 | esqueleto | naked lady | ||
| 35 | jagüey | banyantree | ||
| 36 | junquito | forked fimbry | ||
| 37 | privet | ink-bush | ||
| 38 | maguey | cabuyo | ||
| 39 | algodón | cotton | ||
| 40 | guayacan | guaiacwood | ||
| 41 | guácima | bay cedar | ||
| 42 | yaití | crabwood | ||
| 43 | cotorrera de playa | seaside heliotrope | ||
| 44 | yerba torcida | black speargrass | ||
| 45 | manzanillo | manchineel tree | ||
| 46 | bejuco de playa | beach morning glory | ||
| 47 | túa-túa | bellyache bush | ||
| 48 | bariaco | leadwood | ||
| 49 | mangle blanco | white mangrove | ||
| 50 | cariaquillo | buttonsage | ||
| 51 | zarzilla | white leadtree | ||
| 52 | uña de gato | cat's claw creeper | ||
| 53 | quenepa | genip | ||
| 54 | papayo | poisonwood | ||
| 55 | cactus saltarín* | roving pricklypear | ||
| 56 | palo de rayo | Parkinsonia aculeata | ||
| 57 | flor de pasión | passionflower | ||
| 58 | matojo de arena | bahiagrass | ||
| 59 | yerba | crimson fountaingrass | ||
| 60 | palma de datil | date plam | ||
| 61 | sebucan | dildo cactus | ||
| 62 | corcho | birdcatcher tree | ||
| 63 | guamá americano | -- | ||
| 64 | meladillo | doctorbush | ||
| 65 | verdolaga | pigweed | ||
| 66 | bayahonda | mesquite | ||
| 67 | tintillo | white indigoberry | ||
| 68 | mangle rojo | red mangrove | ||
| 69 | carmín | pigeonberry | ||
| 70 | palma real | Puerto Rican royal palm | ||
| 71 | yerba de zanja | ditch-grass | ||
| 72 | frijolillo | jumby-bean | ||
| 73 | papagayo | riverhemp | ||
| 74 | verdolaga rosada | shoreline purslane | ||
| 75 | trompillo | silverleaf nightshade | ||
| 76 | matojo de burro | seashore dropseed | ||
| 77 | roble blanco | white cedar | ||
| 78 | lengua de vaca | pink baby's-breath | ||
| 79 | tamarindo | tamarind | ||
| 80 | emajagüilla | Portia tree | ||
| 81 | pirigallo | small ballmoss | ||
| 82 | yerba de guinea | Guinea grass | ||
| 83 | yerba socialista | little ironweed | ||
Fifty-six bird species have been identified in the Reserve. Five of them are endemic species.[33] A partial catalog of the bird species found in the Reserve includes Charrancito (Sternula antillarum), a key IBA water foul species that breeds in the area. Endemic species are: Zumbador Verde (Anthracothorax viridis), (Chlorostilbon maugaeus), San Pedrito (Todus mexicanus), Carpintero (Melanerpes portoricensis), Juí (Myiarchus antillarum), Bienteveo (Vireo latimeri), Reinita Mariposera (Dendroica adelaidae), Comeñame (Loxigilla portoricensis), and Reina Mora (Spindalis portoricensis). Mariquita ("Agelaius xanthomus") flies into the area but does not reside there. Other bird species are: Zumbador Dorado (Anthracothorax dominicus), Zumbador Pechiazul (Eulampis holosericeus), Zorzal Pardo (Margarops fuscatus) and Jilguero (Euphonia musica).[34]
There are 56 species identified of which six are endemic, 44 are resident, five are migratory and one is introduced.[35] The following table lists a sampling of them.
| No. | Family | Species | Common Name (Spanish) | Common Name (English) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | martín pescador | belted kingfisher | Migratory | ||
| 2 | pato quijada colorada | white-cheeked pintail | Resident | ||
| 3 | pato zarcel | blue-winged teal | Migratory | ||
| 4 | garza real | great egret | Resident | ||
| 5 | garzón cenizo | great blue heron | Resident | ||
| 6 | garza ganadera | cattle egret | Resident | ||
| 7 | garza azul | little blue heron | Resident | ||
| 8 | garza blanca | snowy egret | Resident | ||
| 9 | garza pechiblanca | tricolored heron | Resident | ||
| 10 | yaboa común | yellow-crowned night heron | Resident | ||
| 11 | aura tiñosa | turkey vulture | Resident | ||
| 12 | playero acollarado | semipalmated plover | Resident | ||
| 13 | playerito marítimo | Wilson's plover | Resident | ||
| 14 | playero cabezón | grey plover | Resident | ||
| 15 | reinita común | bananaquit | Resident | ||
| 16 | rolita | common ground dove | Resident | ||
| 17 | tórtola aliblanca | white-winged dove | Resident | ||
| 18 | judío | smooth-billed ani | Resident | ||
| 19 | reinita mariposera | Adelaide's warbler | Resident | ||
| 20 | canario de mangle | American yellow warbler | Resident | ||
| 21 | reinita tigre | Cape May warbler | Migratory | ||
| 22 | comeñame | Puerto Rican bullfinch | |||
| 23 | pizpita de mangle | northern waterthrush | Migratory | ||
| 24 | gorrión negro | black-faced grassquit | Resident | ||
| 25 | guaraguao | red-tailed hawk | Resident | ||
| 26 | halcón peregrino | peregrine falcon | Migratory | ||
| 27 | falcón común | American kestrel | Resident | ||
| 28 | tijereta de mar | magnificent frigatebird | Resident | ||
| 29 | calandria | Hispaniolan oriole | Resident | ||
| 30 | turpial | Venezuelan troupial | Introduced | ||
| 31 | tordo lustroso | shiny cowbird | Resident | ||
| 32 | chango | Greater Antillean grackle | Resident | ||
| 33 | gaviota gallega | laughing gull | Resident | ||
| 34 | ruiseñor | northern mockingbird | Resident | ||
| 35 | zorzal de patas coloradas | red-legged thrush | Resident | ||
| 36 | águila de mar | osprey | Resident | ||
| 37 | pelicano pardo | brown pelican | Resident | ||
| 38 | viuda | black-necked stilt | Resident | ||
| 39 | playero coleador | spotted sandpiper | Resident | ||
| 40 | playero Turco | ruddy turnstone | Resident | ||
| 41 | playero patilargo | stilt sandpiper | Resident | ||
| 42 | playerito occidental | western sandpiper | Resident | ||
| 43 | playero manchado | pectoral sandpiper | Migratory | ||
| 44 | playero menudo | least sandpiper | Resident | ||
| 45 | playerito gracioso | semipalmated sandpiper | Resident | ||
| 46 | playero aliblanco | willet | Resident | ||
| 47 | chorlo pico corto | short-billed dowitcher | Resident | ||
| 48 | playero guineilla menor | lesser yellowlegs | Resident | ||
| 49 | playero solitario | solitary sandpiper | Resident | ||
| 50 | reina mora | Puerto Rican spindalis | Endemic | ||
| 51 | San Pedrito | Puerto Rican tody | Endemic | ||
| 52 | juí de Puerto Rico | Puerto Rican flycatcher | Endemic | ||
| 53 | pitirre | gray kingbird | Endemic | ||
| 54 | bien te veo | Puerto Rican vireo | Endemic | ||
The following five species of mammals were found in Punta Cuchara.[36]
| No. | Family | Species | Common Name (Spanish) | Common Name (English) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | rata negra | black rat | Introduced | ||
| 2 | rata de noruega | brown rat | Introduced | ||
| 3 | ratón | house mouse | Introduced | ||
| 4 | Urva auropunctata | mangosta | small Asian mongoose | Introduced | |
| 5 | perro | domestic dog | Domestic | ||
Punta Cucharas biodiversity includes reptiles such as Hemidactylus brookii, Sphaerodactylus macrolepis, Sphaerodactylus roosevelti, Anolis cristatellus, Anolis pulchellus, Ameiva exsul, and Anolis poncensis, and the amphibians Bufo marinus, Eleutherodactylus coqui and Leptodactylus albilabris.[37] Of the reptile species, the lagartijo jardinero del sur (Anolis poncensis) is protected under the "vulnerable" classification by Rule 6766 of the "Regulations to Govern Vulnerable and Endangered Species in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico"[38] [39] pursuant to Puerto Rico Law 241, commonly known as "The Puerto Rico Wildlife Law."[40] Following is a listing of reptiles found at the Reserve.
| No. | Family | Species | Common Name (Spanish) | Common Name (English) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | salamanquesa | Brooke's house gecko | Native | ||
| 2 | salamaquita de la Virgen | Big-scaled least gecko | Native | ||
| 3 | salamaquita de la Virgen | -- | |||
| 4 | lagartijo común | crested anole | Native | ||
| 5 | lagartijo jardinero | Sharp-mouthed lizard | Native | ||
| 6 | lagartijo jardinero del sur | Ponce anole | Endemic (Vulnerable) | ||
| 7 | siguana | Puerto Rican ground lizard | Native | ||
| No. | Family | Species | Common Name (Spanish) | Common Name (English) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | sapo común | cane toad | Introduced | ||
| 2 | coquí común | common coquí | |||
| 3 | ranita de labio blanco | Hispaniolan ditch frog | Native | ||
The June 2004 DRNA study warned that due to the lack of surveillance and the easy access that several roads provide to the area, it had become a common practice to use the area as a clandestine junk yard for motor vehicles and other refuse. The report suggested strategies for the management, cleaning, reforestation and conservation of the area.[41] Several groups, including civic, environmental, and church groups, interested in the conservation of the Salinas Lagoon as part of the Punta Cucharas natural area have participated in cleaning campaigns for the removal of junk with the collaboration of the Municipality of Ponce. The DRNA also took steps to reforest the area.[42] In 2013, some vandals used the area for dumping construction refuse, a practice that carries a fine of $5,000.[43]
As an additional vehicle to preserve the area, the government of Puerto Rico included Punta Cucharas as a natural reserve under the Natural Patrimony Program created by Act No. 150 of August 4, 1988, known as the "Puerto Rico Natural Patrimony Program Act."[44]
In October 2012, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources published a 54-page environmental impact evaluation with numerous appendixes. In it, the DRNA proposed relocating the existing main vehicular entrance and building the necessary entryway and signing, making improvements to the existing road, building gazebos for group picnics and relaxation plus a gazebo for nature talks, construction a floating dock for kayaks, creation of an additional dock for ondock-fishing, erecting an observation tower and building a restaurant, a boat ramp, and bathroom facilities (compost toilets). The development area would cover 283cda.[45] As a low environmental impact construction project, the plans include no new water, sewer, or electrical lines being brought into the area. The cost was estimated at $1.2 million.[46]