USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Deliverables and Impacts
Reducing the risk of drought, heat, flood, hurricanes, wildfire, and unpredictable weather.
Research, decision support, outreach, and engagement for people managing working lands.
Overview and annual outcomes:
Since its establishment in 2014, the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub has worked across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to connect partners, conduct research, and provide practical tools and information. Over the years, the Hub has delivered climate assessments, adaptation guides, educational materials, and online tools while supporting recovery after hurricanes and promoting sustainable forestry and agriculture. Today, its portfolio of science, outreach, and training resources serves farmers, ranchers, forest managers, agencies, and communities to address challenges from drought, heat, floods, hurricanes, and other extreme weather.
2014: The USDA Caribbean Climate Hub was established in February 2014 at the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. In 2014 the Hub connected agriculture and forestry partners by establishing a steering committee of regional USDA leaders, and engaging with Puerto Rico and USVI agencies of agriculture and natural resources and nongovernmental partners. This was the first time agencies had collaborated across USDA to address the shared challenge of reducing the risks of climate to farmers, ranchers, and forest managers.
2015: The USDA Caribbean Hub worked with experts in University Extension and federal research organizations to develop a regional assessment of climate vulnerabilities in agriculture and forestry. New information about risks and knowledge gaps identified in the assessment provided the foundation for strategic program planning. The Hub developed and shared downscaled climate projections previously unavailable for the region and began a successful and long running program to communicate regionally relevant climate adaptation practices through science based videos – the ADAPTA video series.
2016: The USDA Caribbean Hub focused on science communication with educational products and outreach activities to support climate change adaptation and mitigation. Outcomes included reaching new audiences with the release of ten short videos highlighting best adaptive practices available to tropical producers, educational fact sheets in English and Spanish on the effects of climate change on agriculture and forestry in the Caribbean, and the production of a podcast series in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Experimental Station. This year the Caribbean Hub hosted the USDA Secretary of Agriculture for three days of engagements with partners in the economic, farming, and forestry sectors on the issue of climate change.
2017: The USDA Caribbean Hub delivered new research assessing climate scenarios and likely effects on fire risk, agricultural production, land management, and conservation. Research publications and video outreach providing science communication produced in 2017 have currently received over 500 citations and reached nearly 300,000 viewers.
2018: The USDA Caribbean Hub experienced category 4 and category 5 hurricanes in September 2017. In 2018 the Hub provided information on USDA recovery resources to FEMA and other responding agencies; initiated research to survey farmers, ranchers, forest managers, and supporting agencies to learn from these disasters; conducted analyses and modeling of wind and rain effects to project potential future impacts of powerful, slow moving, high rainfall hurricanes; and engaged stakeholders on issues related to vegetative debris management and post-hurricane log salvage.
2019: The USDA Caribbean Hub published Comprehensive Inventory of Protected Areas and Other Land Conservation Mechanisms in Puerto Rico – an important multiagency/organization effort to create a database of protected areas and develop an integrated system for the conservation of natural and cultural resources in Puerto Rico. Additionally the Hub launched an online decision support tool for farmers, ranchers, foresters, and land management planners – the Farm Planning Tool.
2020: The USDA Caribbean Hub developed and delivered 13 new science products, including peer reviewed research, grey literature, videos, and online decision support tools. Key outcomes were the initiation and promotion of a new forest culture for the region – focusing on managing forests for the benefits of wood and forest products along with more widely perceived benefits of watershed conservation and recreation. The Hub shared concepts and practices of managing forests for co-benefits of production and conservation through publications, workshops, and videos.
2021: The USDA Caribbean Hub developed and delivered peer reviewed science and decision support information, including short videos on milling and chainsawing techniques appropriate to post hurricane wood salvage activities. Outreach and in person activities were curtailed by the pandemic, but online activities reached over 3600 participants.
2022: The USDA Caribbean Hub released the Adaptation Guide for Tropical Forestry and Agriculture, an associated workbook, and ten sector specific guides. The material is widely shared with farmers, ranchers, and forest managers through workshops and training. In a major activity, the Hub cohosted (with EPA) a three day virtual workshop: Third Climate Change in the Caribbean Conference, with over 120 speakers, panelists, and moderators and 863 participants. Speakers shared a wide range of policy initiatives, best practices, challenges, and solutions for addressing drought, sea level rise, extreme climate in the Caribbean region. Speakers brought expertise from agriculture, forestry, conservation, energy, housing, governance, and community organizing. All of the presentations were recorded and have been made available on line.
2023: The USDA Caribbean Hub held a number of OneUSDA workshops that are designed to share decision support information to farmers, ranchers, and foresters through a variety of mechanisms. The include in person workshops with invited USDA agency leaders and local nongovernmental organizations sharing outreach material and participating in panel discussions, a keynote speaker that is a local farmer implementing best practices to address climate challenges, and a farm visit to create a short video sharing the farmers perspectives on challenges, implementing solutions, and USDA agency support. Hub videos are available on a YouTube channel and are currently approaching 200,000 views.
2024: The USDA Caribbean Hub has been promoting interest in expanding capacity in the wood industry in Puerto Rico through research, workshops, training material, and outreach activities. This year the Hub hosted a Wood Week Forum to share knowledge of forest management, resources, and products in Puerto Rico. The forum was an opportunity to connect with artisans and experts in the wood industry and celebrate the beauty and value of Puerto Rican woods and trees. It involved a collaboration with the Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art, the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture, the Puerto Rican Chapter of the Association of American Woodturners and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Keynote presentations were offered by Jameson French, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the American Forest Foundation and William Cumpiano, noted author and maker of artisanal guitars for almost half a century.
2025: The USDA Caribbean Hub has built a portfolio of decision support tools and information which are now deployed at in-person and virtual workshops and through publications and social media communications. They include over 120 short videos, adaptation guides, educational curricula, materials, and games aimed at a wide range of audiences, and over 90 research and science delivery publications. Users include farmers, ranchers, forest managers, agency staff, municipal and regional planners, universities, and the scientific community.
2026: The USDA Caribbean Hub is developing science to support decision making for farmers, ranchers, and forest managers to address drought, wildfire, flooding, and hurricanes. Research projects include assessing energy vulnerabilities using remote sensing of night time light anomalies (power outages), surveys of agency staff responding to hurricanes, modeling suitability for cocoa production in Puerto Rico, and assessing wildland fire risk.
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| ID | Fiscal Year | Quarter | Work Streams | Accomplishment Types | Project Associations | Accomplishments | Title | Priorities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5657 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Farmers and Rural Health | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Presentation: Panel Participation - Harvesting potential: Developing Leaders for a Sustainable Food System, at the Food Systems Research Summit Description: Dr. Luis Alexis Rodríguez-Cruz participated in the panel, Harvesting potential: Developing leaders for a sustainable food system, at the Food Systems Research Summit, coordinated by the University of Vermont, the Food Systems Research Center, andthe USDA ARS. There he talked about his experiences in graduate school and as an early career researcher at the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub.(View more) |
Presentation: Panel Participation - Harvesting potential: Developing Leaders for a Sustainable Food System, at the Food Systems Research Summit | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 5658 | 2020 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Given the important role of climate on species distributions, climate change is expected to have effects on biodiversity conservation. Biodiversity on the Caribbean Islands is characterized by a broad range of distributions, from cosmopolitan speciesto many rare and endemic species that occupy limited geographic areas. Species most vulnerable to climate change include rare and endemic species in wet upper mountain cloud forests and species in restricted coastal habitats vulnerable to warming oceans and sea level rise. Tropical montane cloud forests harbor endemic and endangered species from many taxa. Rising temperatures, reduced precipitation, decreasing relative humidity, and increasing intensity of hurricanes all present conservation challenges for protecting these species as migration upward to favorable climates is not possible. Coastal habitats are local biodiversity hotspots throughout the Caribbean. Rising and warming seas change conditions by increasing salinity of landward habitats, increasing the likelihood of coral bleaching, and increasing storm surge effects throughout the coastal zone. The high density of people and coastal infrastructure in the Caribbean Islands creates scenarios that limit potential landward migration of species and habitats in response to changing coastal conditions and present challenges in prioritizing land use and conservation.(View more) |
Research paper: Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation in the Caribbean Islands | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5660 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Presentation: Environmental Services Course SAF Cacao-Cafe 2024 Description: Presented to a class of 100 students about the resources that the Climate Hub has to support climate adaptation in Agricultual lands.(View more) |
Presentation: Environmental Services Course SAF Cacao-Cafe 2024 | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 5661 | 2019 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The 2017 hurricane season had severe negative effects on agricultural production in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (USVI). The total cost of agricultural losses, including crops, ornamental plants, livestock and other animal productsexceeded 2 billion dollars. Agricultural infrastructure was also significantly damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria, amounting to 1.8 billion dollars in losses. Certain characteristics of Caribbean islands make them especially vulnerable to hurricanes, such as their distance from emergency and recovery support, and dependence on imports and tourism. These characteristics increase the vulnerability of island societies in the region to extreme hurricanes, resulting in disruption to the local economy and food security. As such, it is imperative to evaluate the most effective measures that mitigate the effects of extreme hurricanes. It is also important to identify the challenges involved in the implementation of these mitigation practices. The identification of challenges can help lead to solutions that will increase the resiliency of island communities.(View more) |
Infographic: Hurricane preparedness and recovery: perspective of agricultural advisors in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 5662 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Workshop: Introduction to CoCoRaHS - Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network at the Interamerican University, Guayama Campus Collaborators: Interamerican University Description: We provided a CoCoRaHS training workshop and Q/A for students of the Interamerican University, Guayama Campus. The students and their professor, Michael Garcia, will become observers for the program as part of their course (AgricultureTendencies). All of the students are aiming to graduate from the BSC. in Agronomy program. They will use the information gathered from this program as a tool to better monitor rainfall patterns specific to the region and to reduce the risk of drought and flooding and implement best practices pertaining to drought and extreme rainfall events.(View more) |
Workshop: Introduction to CoCoRaHS - Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network at the Interamerican University, Guayama Campus | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 5663 | 2024 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Álvarez-Berríos, Nora; Medina-Rodríguez, Viviana; Gould, William A.; Cotto-Santos, Gabriela; Rodríguez-Serrano, Paloma S.; Ortiz-Colón, Guillermo. 2025. Enhancing Climate Literacy and Climate-Informed Management to Strengthen Agriculture and Forestry Sectors in the Face of a Changing Climate: Insightsfrom the Climate-Smart Caribbean Workshops. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 106(5): E782-E790. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-24-0262.1.(View more) |
Research paper: Enhancing Climate Literacy and Climate-Informed Management to Strengthen Agriculture and Forestry Sectors in the Face of a Changing Climate: Insights from the Climate-Smart Caribbean Workshops | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5664 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: The Hub hosted the third tech talk on August 7th. Dr. Loderay Bracero Marrero presented the Geospatial Data Viewer, our new tool, to the 15 participants. Hub team members Guillermo Figoli, Paloma Rodríguez, Silmarie Crespoand Laura Marin assisted on the event logistics, promotion material and media posts. These technical talks aim to discuss web tools available for decision making.(View more) |
Webinar: Tech Talk Series - Caribbean Climate Hub Geospatial Data Viewer | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 5665 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Presentation: Panel discussion at the 2024 Climate Hubs Fellows all-hands meeting, August 2024 Description: On August 9, Nora Álvarez-Berríos (USDA Climate Fellow 2016-2020) presented at a panel discussion organized by the SW Climate Hub to connect current and past Climate Hub Fellows. The conversation revolved around how working withthe Climate Hubs influenced their career choices and job prospects. A total of 29 people attended the presentation.(View more) |
Presentation: Panel discussion at the 2024 Climate Hubs Fellows all-hands meeting, August 2024 | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5667 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Farmers and Rural Health | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Workshop: Technical meeting with the leaders of Puerto Rico rural health center - Salud Integral de la Monataña Description: Dr. Luis Alexis Rodríguez-Cruz co-led a technical meeting with the direction team of Salud Integral de la Monataña about the NIFA-MCNHUB Project. Five surveys were completed as part of the project's second phase climate literacysurvey.(View more) |
Workshop: Technical meeting with the leaders of Puerto Rico rural health center - Salud Integral de la Monataña | |
| 5669 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Farmers and Rural Health | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Workshop: Coordination meeting with leaders of the rural health clinic St Thomas East End Medical Center Description: The clinical staff was briefed about the project and the climate literacy survey was administered. This is an aim for the second phase of the project.(View more) |
Workshop: Coordination meeting with leaders of the rural health clinic St Thomas East End Medical Center | |
| 5666 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Presentation at the Fall 2024 Ecological Society of America Conference in Long Beach, CA. Scientific diasporas are communities of scientists abroad participating in the development of research activities in their homeland. The connections between scientificdiasporas and homeland partners have the potential to be mutually beneficial, supporting local needs, while nurturing a sense of belonging in scientists abroad. However, there is a risk for these connections to reproduce unfair power dynamics. This session will explore the role of ecologists in scientific diasporas using Puerto Rico as a case study. We will discuss the best-practices for researchers to prevent extractive science and build collaborations that serve the community. Speakers will share their experiences with projects involving knowledge co-creation between local institutions and ecologists. They will share strategies to build successful collaborations, as well as the main challenges. We will conclude with a facilitated discussion where participants can discuss their thoughts and experiences in the scientific diaspora. This session will be of interest to ESA members that are seeking to build research collaborations with their community or country of origin. More generally, this session will appeal to any ecologist interested in building equitable research collaborations.(View more) |
Presentation: Scientific Diasporas and Knowledge Co-Creation: Lessons from Puerto Rico | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5668 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Online tool | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The Climate Literacy Module for Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands was released virtually on August 22, 2024. The Module was prepared for the USDA workforce and Agricultural Extension staff working in the U.S. Caribbean.The objectives include: 1) increase knowledge about climate change and the implications for people working in agricultural and forestry in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, 2) share climate adaptation and mitigation best practices for agriculture and forestry, and the USDA programs, funds, and incentives supporting implementation in the U.S. Caribbean.(View more) |
Online Educational Tool: Climate Literacy Module for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands | |
| 5670 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Description: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Caribbean and International Climate Hubs hosted a 4-part webinar series on climate-smart agriculture for the Caribbean. Experts shared information about climate-smart practices, resources, and initiatives tailored to the region. Theseries objectives were to inform participants and support a continued network of information-sharing among Caribbean farmers, foresters, researchers, and officials who face common climate challenges. Highlights of the series include: an introduction to USDA’s Climate Hub network, presentations on the International and Caribbean Climate Hubs’ resources and activities, an in-depth look at the Caribbean Hub’s adaptation guides for tropical agriculture and forestry, a discussion of climate solutions for the region, and international opportunities for continued engagement. The series is a joint effort between USDA’s International and Caribbean Climate Hubs. The webinars took place biweekly on Tuesday mornings, beginning on August 20 and ending on September 24. Webinars included simultaneous Spanish, English, and ASL interpretation. The topics on the first webinar in the series were: A
An Introduction to the USDA’s Climate Hub Network | August 20
• Caribbean Climate Hub – resources, tools, events – presented by William A. Gould, Director of the Caribbean Climate Hub
• International Climate Hub – resources, tools, events – presented by Barbara Bennett, Director of the International Climate Hub(View more) |
Webinar: Caribbean Series Session 1: An Introduction to the USDA’s Climate Hub Network | |
| 5671 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Farmers and Rural Health | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Presentation: Panel discussion - Conversation About Transdisciplinary Research 2nd annual Food Systems Research Summit Description: Dr. Luis Alexis Rodríguez-Cruzx participated at the panel, "A Conversation About Transdisciplinary Research", at the second annual Food Systems Research Summit, coordinated by the University of Vermont, USDA ARS, and the Food Systems Research Center.The conversation revolved around sharing experiences regarding transdisicplinary projects in food systems. Dr. Rodríguez-Cruz shared how he brings transdisicplinary comp[onents into the current NIFA-MCNHUB project.(View more) |
Presentation: Panel discussion - Conversation About Transdisciplinary Research 2nd annual Food Systems Research Summit | |
| 5672 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Farmers and Rural Health | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Presentation: Let's Talk About Food Systems, Disasters, and Food Security at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas Description: Dr. Rodríguez-Cruz was invited to guest lecture for the Introduction to International Studies course of Trinity University at San Antonio, Texas. His lecture was titled, "Let's Talk About Food Systems, Disasters, and Food Security".(View more) |
Presentation: Let's Talk About Food Systems, Disasters, and Food Security at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 5673 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Farmers and Rural Health | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Presentation: Panel discussion "Do you have questions about climate change?" at the Yale Climate Connections and Yale Program for Climate Change Communication Description: Dr. Luis Alexis Rodríguez Cruz presented at the panel, "Do you have questions about climate change?" (in Spanish). It was organized by Yale Climate Connections and Yale Program for Climate Change Communication. The panel waspart of the Program's weekly virtual seminars. Dr. Rodríguez Cruz presented with Dr. Rafael Méndez Tejeda and journalists Perla Marvell and Johani Ponce.(View more) |
Presentation: Panel discussion "Do you have questions about climate change?" at the Yale Climate Connections and Yale Program for Climate Change Communication | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5674 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Farmers and Rural Health | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Presentation: Understanding Climate Change Perceptions and Literacy Among Clinicians in Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands - at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association Description: Dr. Marysel Pagán-Santana presented at Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association. The presentation was titled, “Understanding Climate Change Perceptions and Literacy Among Clinicians in Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands., were Dr.Luis Alexis Rodríguez-Cruz is a co-author. The presentation highlighted preliminary results from a survey study that is part of the NIFA-MCNHUB project.(View more) |
Presentation: Understanding Climate Change Perceptions and Literacy Among Clinicians in Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands - at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5675 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Tropical Agricultural Research Station, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Agriculture, forests and conservation: integration of practices and available resources, research, cacao.
Learn how researchers at the Tropical Agriculture Research Station (TARS) in Corozal, Puerto Rico, are preparing for the future of cocoa cultivation. In thisvideo, you'll see how they are testing cocoa clones resistant to climate challenges and potential diseases, ensuring the success of the island's cocoa industry. From drought-tolerant rootstocks to innovative planting strategies, find out how TARS is working to safeguard this valuable crop for Puerto Rico and beyond.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Investigaciones de Cacao en el USDA-TARS | Mayagüez PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 5676 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Our last and final OneUSDA from the NIFA supported Climate Smart Caribbean project was completed on October 24th, in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Southwest Conservation District. The hybrid event was held in CanovanasPuerto Rico with 25 participants and diverse information tables from partner organizations and agencies.(View more) |
Workshop: OneUSDA Series - Agriculture, Forestry and Conservation - Integration of Available Practices, Resources and Tools | Canovanas PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 5677 | 2025 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service Description: On May 8, 2025, the "Secondary Forest" module was held at the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, located at the South Botanical Garden in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This event, part of an educational serieson reforestation and forest management for ecological benefits applied to agriculture and forestry in the U.S. Caribbean, was attended by 45 participants. Throughout the day, attendees explored key topics related to biodiversity, strategic management of secondary forests, sustainable use of timber, and took part in a hands-on farm tool workshop, as well as engaging in informational tables and a discussion panel. Photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/caribbeanclimatehub/albums/72177720325997126(View more) |
Workshop: Reforestation Series - Managing Secondary Forests | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 5678 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Farmers and Rural Health | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Presentation: Panel host - "Más allá de los supermercados, ¿qué?" Description: Dr. Rodríguez-Cruz was invited to co-host the second edition of "La comida como cultura: Dálogos de sobremesa". He moderated the panel, "Más allá de los supermercados, ¿qué?", with Naia Seda (Coop. Orgánica Madre Tierra), MilianyBerríos (Al Sol de HOY), and Marisel Robles (Comedores Sociales PR). The panel revolved around community-based efforts to create spaces that facilitate food access and supprt smalholder farmers.(View more) |
Presentation: Panel host - "Más allá de los supermercados, ¿qué?" | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5679 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: National Weather Service San Juan, Puerto Rico Description: On October 11, 2024, the Hub hosted the sixth virtual tech talk with the collaboration of the San Juan National Weather Service. The meteorologists Cecille Villanueva and Emmanuel Rodríguez presented the Storm Ready Dashboard. Thisdashboard is an interactive tool that provides real-time weather information and detailed forecasts for the coming days. This resource includes data on estimated rainfall, susceptibility to landslides, coastal flooding caused by sea level rise or storm surge, drought, and hydrological conditions, among others. Hub team members Silmarie Crespo and Laura Marin assisted on the event logistics and social media posts. Tool link: SJU NWS Storm Ready Dashboard. Invited Organization: San Juan, National Weather Service, NOAA(View more) |
Webinar: Tech Talk Series - National Weather Service Storm Ready Dashboard | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 5680 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Webinar: Tech Talk Series - National Weather Service and the Community Cooperative Rain Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) Collaborators: National Weather Service San Juan, Puerto Rico Description: On November 20th, the Hub hosted the seventh tech talk in collaboration with the National Weather Service, San Juan Office. With a total of 12 participants, the colleagues Rosalina Vázquez and Xiomara E. Cruz presentedhow to join the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS). The presentation showed how the NWS uses CoCoRaHS data to corroborate radar estimates, for local weather reports as well as in support of the NWS COOP program, among others. In addition, they presented how the US Drought Monitor includes CoCoRaHS data for the weekly creation of maps showing drought areas across our island.
Web page: CoCoRaHS - Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network
For more information about CoCoRaHS and how to join, you contact the speakers at: cocorahspr@gmail.com
These tech talks have been moderate and organized by Dr. Loderay Bracero Marrero, Geospatial Information Manager. Hub team members Guillermo Figoli, Viviana Medina, Paloma Rodríguez and Laura Marin assisted on the event logistics, promotion material and media posts.(View more) |
Webinar: Tech Talk Series - National Weather Service and the Community Cooperative Rain Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 5681 | 2025 | Q2 | Science Development | Dataset | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of the global average. The International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) was established in the early 1990s to understand the effects of environmental variability as a resultof climate change on tundra vegetation. This data publication includes tabular plant community composition and structure data for four sites in the North Slope of Alaska, USA that are part of the ITEX: 1) 1-square kilometer (km²) ambient grid near Toolik Lake (85 plots), 2) 1 km² ambient grid near Imnavait Creek (71 plots), 3) one experimentally warmed manipulated site near Toolik Lake (21 control plots and 21 treated plots), and 4) a snow depth manipulated site near Toolik Lake (25 control plots and 23 treated plots). Treated plots were warmed with open-top chambers which raised the ambient air temperature 2-3 degrees Celsius. Data at the two ambient sites were collected approximately every four to six years from 1989 to 2023. The experimentally warmed/snow manipulated plots were sampled approximately every two to five years from 1994-2023. Measurements at points on each plot include: the height of the top (canopy) and bottom (understory) vegetation structures relative to the ground; whether the vegetation was live or standing dead; and whether the vegetation was a woody or non-woody structure. Species, or the large taxa, was also recorded.(View more) |
Dataset: Point frame vegetation data collected 1989-2023 at the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) experimental warming plots and the Toolik-Imnavait 1 km ambient grids in the North Slope of Alaska | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 5682 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service Description: The activity with the SEA (Agricultural Extension Services) we visited the Toro Negro Forest to know about mature forests with experts from DRNA. We had an attendance of 59 persons and 9 information table. Hubdirector Dr. William Gould presented about climate change and how it affects forests.(View more) |
Workshop: Reforestation and Mature Forests/Reforestacion y Bosque Maduro | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 5735 | 2024 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Project Overview, Washington State University Weekly Seminar Description: Dr. Viviana Medina delivered an engaging presentation at the Washington State University's Weekly Seminar for graduate students, where she highlighted the innovative activities of the Climate-smart Caribbean project and various ongoing projects led by theCaribbean Climate Hub. The seminar was filled with a sense of excitement, as students expressed keen interest and actively exchanged ideas and knowledge on climate-related issues in the Caribbean.(View more) |
Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Project Overview, Washington State University Weekly Seminar | |
| 5752 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Farmers and Rural Health | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Presentation: A Conversation About Transdisciplinary Research Description: Dr. Luis Alexis Rodríguez-Cruz (Research Social Scientist) participated in the panel, "A Conversation About Transdisciplinary Research", at the second annual Food Systems Research Summit on September 17 2024. The event was coordinated by the Universityof Vermont, USDA ARS, and the Food Systems Research Center for advisors, farmers, students, and teacher audiences. The conversation revolved around sharing experiences regarding transdisciplinary projects in food systems. Dr. Rodríguez-Cruz shared how he brings transdisciplinary components into the current NIFA-MCNHUB project.(View more) |
Presentation: A Conversation About Transdisciplinary Research | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5686 | 2024 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Workshop: Adaptation Guide Train-the-Trainer activity | Yauco PR Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Agronomist Silmarie Crespo and Dr. Diana Guzmán led the first train-the-trainer workshop for the Adaptation Workbook for Agriculture and Forestry project at the Yauco Puerto Rico Vocational and Technical High School (Escuela Superior Ocupacional yTécnica de Yauco - ESOTY). The workshop familiarized the participants with the adaptation manual and related materials developed by the Caribbean Hub. The workshop identified resources, incentives, and agricultural practices that strengthen adaptation to climate change in 5 steps, had the attendance of six agricultural and forestry advisors and was coordinated with the Eastern Soil and Water Conservation District partners.(View more) |
Workshop: Adaptation Guide Train-the-Trainer activity | Yauco PR | |
| 5744 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The CoCoRaHS Orientation and registration of farmers in the program event joined Caribbean Climate Hub members Agro. Silmarie Crespo Vélez, Dr. William Gould, Dr. Nora Álvarez-Berríos, and Guillermo Figoli Gomez (Visual Science Communicator) with membersfrom CoCoRaHS. The event was held at the UPR Agricultural Experimental Station of Lajas in Lajas, Puerto Rico. The collaborative event held on September 11 2024, included a registration of farmers, demonstrations, and discussion. Presentations of the background of the different collaborators were presented. A total of 23 participants joined the event. Photos from the event are available on the Caribbean Climate Hub Flickr page https://www.flickr.com/photos/caribbeanclimatehub/albums/72177720320627431/.(View more) |
Workshop: CoCoRaHS Orientation and Registration of Farmers | Lajas PR | |
| 5748 | 2024 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: The Hurricane Fiona Effects on Plantain and Banana Plantations and Farmer's Adaptation and Recovery Strategies in Puerto Rico Infographic (English pdf & Spanish pdf) with research conducted by Paloma Rodríguez Serrano (CCH Intern), Kathleen McGinley,Dr. William Gould, and Dr. Nora Álvarez-Berríos is now released on the web! The infographic is now available on the Caribbean Climate Hub Infographics on the Spanish webpage and English webpage. The research explored the effects of Hurricane Fiona on Puerto Rico’s plantain and banana plantations and the adaptation strategies agricultural communities took as a response to the effects of the climatic event. The research conducted participant surveys and interviews. The results from the project were shared with the 15 participants and obtained excellent feedback, indicating the importance of more studies similar to this research exploring the effects of climate change and agricultural strategies.(View more) |
Infographic: Hurricane Fiona Effects on Plantain and Banana Plantations and Farmer's Adaptation and Recovery Strategies in Puerto Rico | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 5750 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Information table | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Information table: Sharing USDA Caribbean Climate Hub tools at the Opportunity Fair activity on the Guayama Campus of the Inter American University of Puerto Rico Description: Silmarie Crespo Vélez (Climate Adaptation Specialist, USDA-CCH) hosted a Caribbean Climate Hub information table on September 13 2024 at the Feria de Oportunidades event at the Guayama Campus of the Inter American University of PuertoRico. This event was led by Victus PR, a local partner of the hub and partner of the climate smart commodities project. The event provided opportunities and information about federal, state, and private entities to support agricultural communities and participants. Around seven participants used the Hub’s Farm Planning Tool and gave positive feedback.(View more) |
Information table: Sharing USDA Caribbean Climate Hub tools at the Opportunity Fair activity on the Guayama Campus of the Inter American University of Puerto Rico | |
| 5762 | 2024 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Ecological Site Descriptions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: Maldonado-Silvestrini, S., J.D. Crespo-Zapata, and W.A. Gould. 2023. Contributions to the vascular flora of Puerto Rico. Phytoneuron 2023-39: 1–9. Published 31 October 2023. ISSN 2153 733X. https://www.phytoneuron.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/39PhytoN-PuertoRicoFlora.pdf.(View more) |
Research paper: Contributions to the vascular flora of Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 5769 | 2024 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: IITF Research and Development, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Gould, W. A., Álvarez-Berríos, N. L., Parrotta, J. A., & McGinley, K. (2024). Climate change and tropical forests. In Future Forests (pp. 203-219). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90430-8.00012-5.(View more) |
Book Chapter: Climate change and tropical forests | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 5775 | 2024 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Description: West, J., Rodríguez-Cruz, L.A. and Hughes, K.S., 2023. Steep Risks. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jocelyn-West/publication/377078181_Steep_Risks_Assessing_Social_Vulnerability_to_Landslides_in_Rural_Puerto_Rico/links/65945e2f2468df72d3f6e36b/Steep-Risks-Assessing-Social-Vulnerability-to-Landslides-in-Rural-Puerto-Rico.pdf(View more) |
Research paper: Steep Risks | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6028 | 2024 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Presentation: Heat impacts on agriculture and forestry in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands Description: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Director William Gould delivered a presentation and participated in a panel discussion of extreme heat and ecosystem services at an interdisciplinary 1st US Caribbean Extreme Heat Summit organized by the Universityof Puerto Rico and the NOAA Caribbean Climate Adaptation Network. Opening remarks were provided by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. (250+ participants).(View more) |
Presentation: Heat impacts on agriculture and forestry in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands | |
| 6172 | 2015 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: Office of the Chief Economist, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The USDA Caribbean Climate Hub hosted a workshop in San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 22-23, 2015 to communicate the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) strategies for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and explore howthese strategies interact with regional activities and partner agencies. The workshop served as a platform to discuss what tools and techniques are currently proving effective in communicating climate science and adaptive practices within Caribbean working lands.(View more) |
Report: Greenhouse Gas Mitigation & Adaptation Workshop| Summary Report | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6209 | 2022 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Bimonthly drought report: National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the University of the Virgin Islands. (2022.) June Drought Updatefor Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Available at: https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/drought-update-puerto-rico-and-us-virgin-islands-6-16-22(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | June 16, 2022 | |
| 5777 | 2024 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: University of Vermont, USDA Agricultural Research Service Description: Niles, M. T., C. R. Hammond Wagner, N. Aristizábal, C. R. Hricko, A. N. Petrucci, and L. A. Rodríguez-Cruz. 2024. Individual and collective political efficacy predict farmer engagement and support for groundwater policies: implications fromthe California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Ecology and Society 29(1):5
https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecologyandsociety.org%2Fvol29%2Fiss1%2Fart5&data=05%7C02%7Cwilliam.a.gould%40usda.gov%7Ca370bd964f474f588cc908dc12ed2b4c%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638406057043534117%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=nX2L3zvNyWPu8YLME5sn2lGOtfDM9P10Q6Hwl5F5YX0%3D&reserved=0(View more) |
Research paper: Individual and collective political efficacy predict farmer engagement and support for groundwater policies | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5779 | 2024 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Newspaper article: A merced de la tierra: más de una tercera parte de los puertorriqueños vive en zonas de alta susceptibilidad a derrumbes
At the mercy of the earth: more than one-third of Puerto Ricanslive in areas highly susceptible to landslides
https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/notas/a-merced-de-la-tierra-mas-de-una-tercera-parte-de-los-puertorriquenos-vive-en-zonas-de-alta-susceptibilidad-a-derrumbes/(View more) |
Newspaper article: At the mercy of the earth: more than one-third of Puerto Ricans live in areas highly susceptible to landslides | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 5797 | 2024 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Andy and Myrna are the owners of Rancho AA, a beef cattle project located in the town of Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico. Rancho AA is a model farm where it has been demonstrated that environmentalprotection and conservation can go hand in hand with food security. Andy and Myrna show us the different climate-smart practices they carry out on their farm, such as designing shaded areas for the cattle, which in turn serve as ecological corridors for the farm's wildlife, the use of mulches on the farm's roads to prevent soil erosion, among other practices shown in the video. The objective of these ranchers is to motivate the next generations to carry out environmentally responsible agricultural practices. Rancho AA has received grants from different organizations such as NRCS, Soil and Water Conservation District, Watershed Protectors, Cafiesencia, Forest Service, Fish And Wildlife and SEA Grant from the University of Puerto Rico. The USDA Caribbean Climate Center developed the Climate-Smart Caribbean project to provide information to the agricultural community on sustainable management practices that help reduce the risks and vulnerabilities of climate change in agricultural production.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Rancho AA | Sabana Grande PR | |
| 5805 | 2024 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Andy and Myrna are the owners of Rancho AA, a beef cattle project located in the town of Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico. Rancho AA is a model farm where it has been demonstrated that environmentalprotection and conservation can go hand in hand with food security. Andy and Myrna show us the different climate-smart practices they carry out on their farm, such as designing shaded areas for the cattle, which in turn serve as ecological corridors for the farm's wildlife, the use of mulches on the farm's roads to prevent soil erosion, among other practices shown in the video. The objective of these ranchers is to motivate the next generations to carry out environmentally responsible agricultural practices. Rancho AA has received grants from different organizations such as NRCS, Soil and Water Conservation District, Watershed Protectors, Cafiesencia, Forest Service, Fish And Wildlife and SEA Grant from the University of Puerto Rico. The USDA Caribbean Climate Center developed the Climate-Smart Caribbean project to provide information to the agricultural community on sustainable management practices that help reduce the risks and vulnerabilities of climate change in agricultural production.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Rancho AA | Sabana Grande | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 5810 | 2024 | Q4 | Science Development | Dataset | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This data publication contains rainfall, maximum and minimum temperature climatic scenario (2041-2060) maps for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Specifically, maps show a scenario of changes in daily maximum and daily maximum temperatureabove the historical baseline (1986-2005) and changes in rainfall by percentage. This package includes: 1) both Spanish and English maps for the rainfall, minimum, and maximum temperature scenario (PNG format); and (2) a geographical database (geodatabase) with the raster and vector layers used to develop these maps. The geodatabase includes 2041-2060 Centre National de Recherches Meteorologiques-CERFACS (CNRM) projections for rainfall (precipitation) as a percentage as well as minimum and maximum temperatures in both degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit. It also includes hillshades for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as the boundaries of the U.S. counties in these areas.(View more) |
Dataset: Rainfall, maximum and minimum temperature climatic scenario (2041-2060) maps for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands using downscaled model data | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6212 | 2019 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Online tool | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: Thinkamap, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The Farm Planning Tool allows users to draw an area of interest and obtain a quick summary of environmental characteristics, climatic scenarios and other geospatial information that allows users to: Understand climatic scenarios and developadaptation practices; plan crops identifying water availability, soils characteristics, and terrain slope; and understand possible risks such as landslides and flooding.(View more) |
Online Tool: Farm Planning Tool | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6222 | 2016 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Need tips for effective science communication? Watch this short interview with Dr. Gerard McMahon, Director of the USGS Southeast Climate Science Center, to learn why the key to effective communication is building relationships with scienceusers, understanding their perspectives and what matters to them.
This interview was done by the staff of the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub at a Climate Change Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico in November 2015. Thanks to Yaneris Soto, Benjamín Curet and Isabel Parés for producing and editing the videos.(View more) |
Video: Effective Climate Science Communication | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6225 | 2016 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Knowledge co-production implies having science users and practitioners joining scientists in research design and implementation. Watch this short interview with Dr. Gerard McMahon, Director of the USGS Southeast Climate Science Center, to learn about thebenefits of having science providers working together with science users.
This interview was done by the staff of the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub at a Climate Change Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico in November 2015. Thanks to Yaneris Soto, Benjamín Curet and Isabel Parés for producing and editing the videos.(View more) |
Video: Science Knowledge Co-production for Climate Change Adaptation | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 5814 | 2018 | Q2 | Science Development | Dataset | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This data publication contains five shapefiles generated in 2017, covering the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Using information gathered from 2000-2016, these data were developed through geospatial analyses using a set of simple criteria toidentify areas well-suited to mechanized agriculture, areas well-suited to non-mechanized agriculture on moderate to steep slopes, and areas suitable for forestry practices, including timber harvest potential, where greater forest cover has benefits in terms of soil conservation and water management. These are steeper slopes where timber production may be integrated with agroforestry, shade coffee, non-timber forest product uses, or other forms of sustainable activity that maintain a high degree of forest cover. Also included are shapefiles representing conservation priority areas, and an impervious surface layer for Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Dataset: Shapefiles containing potential areas for agriculture, forestry, and conservation in Puerto Rico | |
| 6022 | 2016 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This educational film focused on adaptation practices for tropical dairy producers is the first of the ADAPTA video series! The aim of ADAPTA is to identify and document local successes in sustainable land management practicesthat farmers, ranchers and landowners in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands could adopt to build climate change resilience. The objective of this outreach project is deliver climate services, to provide educational resources and a reference tool for practitioners in the form of written documents and short videos.
Drought and heat have been hitting Caribbean producers hard and have had some particularly detrimental effects on the livestock and dairy industry. As grasses died this summer due to lack of rain, producers in the US Virgin Islands were forced to take measures ranging from collecting tree limbs and branches for fodder, to relying on imported feed and actually culling herds. Pastures were so over taxed many will have to be re-sown completely at great cost to farmers. In Puerto Rico, producers saw their costs rise as they relied ever more heavily on imported feed. Many also saw their production go down as heat stress and lack of nutrients took their toll on herds.
Unfortunately, climate models are predicting more of these boom- bust rainfall cycles, with more extreme droughts expected. However, there are measures that farmers can take to reduce the impacts of drought and increased temperatures!
Watch as Dr. Guillermo Ortiz of the University of Puerto Rico and rancher Neftali Lluch of the Lajas Valley in Puerto Rico discuss various practical steps to combat rising temperatures and prolonged drought.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Cattle & Dairy Farming in the Tropics | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6035 | 2023 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: A OneUSDA workshop titled: Strengthening the capacity to adapt to climate change in the agricultural and forestry sector was held on Friday, August 11th at the Lajas Agricultural Experiment Station. The event, which is partof a series of workshops supported by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and spearheaded by the Climate-Smart Caribbean Program , represents a collaborative effort between the USDA and diverse federal and non-federal agencies. Its primary objective is to educate farmers and landowners on crucial subjects related to agriculture, forests, and natural resources conservation. As part of the programming, representatives from agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Caribbean Area, the USDA Forest Service and the UPR Agricultural Extension Service, provided orientation about climate change adaptation strategies and ways to access agencies’ resources. This workshop was attended by over 40 farmers, landowners, and other stakeholders. Attendees had the opportunity to connect with IITF State, Private and Tribal Forest (SP & TF) Program personnel and representatives from other partner agencies such as the APHIS’s Plant and Animal Health Inspection Service, the Association of Soil Conservation Districts, and the Non-Profit organization, Caribbean Regenerative Community Development.
➡️Check out the workshop photos on our Flickr page! https://www.flickr.com/photos/caribbeanclimatehub/(View more) |
Workshop: OneUSDA Series - University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Experiment Station | Lajas PR | |
| 6045 | 2024 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: Tropical Agricultural Research Station, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Our seventh OneUSDA workshop was held Thursday, March 21, 2024 at the Inter-American University of Arecibo. The workshop attracted over 70 participants, mainly farmers and landowners, interested in cacao farming. The event agenda addressed awide range of topics, from the history and genetics of cacao to climate change. Dr. Viviana Medina from the Caribbean Climate Hub, Dr. Luis Orozco from the CATIE (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza) in Costa Rica, Dr. Luz Serrato and Dr. Christian Vargas from Tropical Agriculture Research Station-Mayaguez, Oliver Jimenez from the Caribbean Regenerative Community Development (CRCD), among other distinguished presenters, offered perspectives on various aspects of the cacao industry, including agroforestry systems, climate change, cacao diseases and advances in crop research. In addition to the presentations, the event included practical demonstrations on soil health and the movement of water through agriculture by State Soil Scientist for the Caribbean Area, Manuel Matos, as well as information tables provided by various organizations, such as USDA NRCS-Caribbean, State Private and Tribal Forestry Program of the Forest Service; Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Association of Conservation District, UPR Agricultural Extension Service, and the Caribbean Regenerative Community Development. We thank Sheila Hernández, from the Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, for her logistical support, along with the Inter-American University of Arecibo for providing the space for this successful event.(View more) |
Workshop: OneUSDA Series - National Cacao Symposium/Simposio Nacional de Cacao, University of Puerto Rico | Arecibo PR | |
| 6229 | 2016 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Need ideas on how to effectively communicate climate change to different stakeholders? Watch Nicole Leotaud, Executive Director of the Caribbean Natural Resource Institute, share tips and lessons learned from 30 years of community work inthe Caribbean.
This interview was done by the staff of the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub at a Climate Change Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico in November 2015. Thanks to Yaneris Soto, Benjamín Curet and Isabel Parés for producing and editing the videos.(View more) |
Video: How to communicate climate change: tips from CANARI | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6268 | 2020 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Online tool | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: Thinkamap, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The tool was created by the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub to make information on crop production from the Office of Agricultural Statistics of the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture (PRDA) more accessible. The data issummarized by neighborhood and year, and can be displayed in map or table format at the island, agricultural region, municipality or neighborhood level. Data values come from production estimates reported by farmers participating in the agricultural surveys of the PRDA Office of Agricultural Statistics.(View more) |
Online Tool: Agricultural Statistics Tool | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6050 | 2022 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Drought poses a challenge to resource managers in the Caribbean. In Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, limited water storage capacity, aging water infrastructure and primarily rain-dependent agriculture make the territories particularly vulnerable to drought.While many entities work to monitor, research and communicate about drought, no overarching framework previously existed to facilitate knowledge-sharing between them, and drought-related initiatives tended to be siloed by entity, with little synergy among efforts. To better leverage existing knowledge and initiatives in the region, the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub worked with partners from the National Drought Mitigation Center, NOAA National Integrated Drought Information System, NOAA National Weather Service and other local partners to initiate the Caribbean Drought Learning Network (CDLN). The recently established CDLN links climate researchers, service providers, advisors, managers, and producers in a peer-to-peer network to strengthen collaboration and communication in drought research and management. The goal of the CDLN is to reduce the vulnerability and costs of drought, improve resistance and resilience in agricultural and forestry operations, and enhance USDA effectiveness by producing and sharing information, experiences, and needs in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from drought on farms, forests, and rural communities. Launched in late 2021, the CDLN has about 50 initial members with representation from universities and local and federal government agencies in Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and the continental US. Four preliminary teams were created to focus on the following areas: 1) Drought Impact Reporting / Citizen Science, 2) Drought Prediction, Monitoring and Research, 3) Drought Communication and Outreach, and 4) Drought Resilience in Agriculture and Forestry. In this poster, we present examples of the collaborative initiatives, including approaches to 1) Increase drought impact reporting; 2) Create drought research communication 2) Improve drought communication and outreach, and 3) Improve awareness of agricultural and livestock assistance.(View more) |
Research Poster: The Caribbean Drought Learning Network | |
| 6150 | 2015 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Inference about future climate change impacts typically relies on one of three approaches: manipulative experiments, historical comparisons (broadly defined to include monitoring the response to ambient climate fluctuations using repeat sampling of plots, dendroecology, andpaleoecology techniques), and space-for-time substitutions derived from sampling along environmental gradients. Potential limitations of all three approaches are recognized. Here we address the congruence among these three main approaches by comparing the degree to which tundra plant community composition changes (i) in response to in situ experimental warming, (ii) with interannual variability in summer temperature within sites, and (iii) over spatial gradients in summer temperature. We analyzed changes in plant community composition from repeat sampling (85 plant communities in 28 regions) and experimental warming studies (28 experiments in 14 regions) throughout arctic and alpine North America and Europe. Increases in the relative abundance of species with a warmer thermal niche were observed in response to warmer summer temperatures using all three methods; however, effect sizes were greater over broadscale spatial gradients relative to either temporal variability in summer temperature within a site or summer temperature increases induced by experimental warming. The effect sizes for change over time within a site and with experimental warming were nearly identical. These results support the view that inferences based on space-for-time substitution overestimate the magnitude of responses to contemporary climate warming, because spatial gradients reflect long-term processes. In contrast, in situ experimental warming and monitoring approaches yield consistent estimates of the magnitude of response of plant communities to climate warming.(View more) |
Research paper: Experiment, monitoring, and gradient methods used to infer climate change effects on plant communities yield consistent patterns | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6154 | 2015 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This work presents basic information on tropical lichenology. It also describes general aspects about the ecology and biodiversity of these organisms in eight forest ecosystems present along an elevational gradient in northeastern Puerto Rico. Theseecosystems consist of elfin woodlands, palo colorado, sierra palm, tabonuco, lowland moist, dry, mangrove, and Pterocarpus forests. Lichen communities are mainly described in terms of general ecological attributes (e.g., species richness, common species, etc.). Basic information about the environment and vegetation found in these forests is also provided. The information presented is supplemented with field and microscopic photographs of species and their habitats.(View more) |
General Technical Report: Lichens in Puerto Rico: an ecosystem approach | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6296 | 2018 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Guidelines for post hurricane wood salvage.
https://caribbeanclimatehub.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/USDA-CCH_SaveValuableWoodDebrisNov2017.pdf(View more) |
Factsheet: Keep valuable wood out of the waste stream! | |
| 6298 | 2018 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Guidelines for post hurricane wood salvage.
https://caribbeanclimatehub.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/USDA-CCH_SalvemosMaderaValiosdelosEscombrosNov2017.pdf(View more) |
Factsheet (Spanish): Keep valuable wood out of the waste stream!/¡ Salvemos madera valiosa de los escombros! | |
| 6341 | 2019 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: International Institute of Tropical Forestry, United States Geological Survey, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Caribbean Chapter of the Fourth National Climate Assessment. Historically, the US Caribbean region has experienced relatively stable seasonal rainfall patterns, moderate annual temperature fluctuations, and a variety of extreme weather events, such as tropical storms,hurricanes, and drought. However, the Caribbean climate is changing and is projected to be increasingly variable as levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increase.(View more) |
Research paper: U.S. Caribbean. In Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment Volume II | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6377 | 2016 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: We interview Shawn-Michael Malone, Federal Affairs Coordinator of the Office of the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) to learn more about the USVI Climate Change Council, created to facilitate cooperation betweenthe territory, the federal government, the private sector and civil society.
This interview was done by the staff of the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub at a Climate Change Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico in November 2015. Thanks to Yaneris Soto, Benjamín Curet and Isabel Parés for producing and editing the videos.(View more) |
Video: USVI Climate Change Council: A new public policy for climate action | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6162 | 2016 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: United States Geological Survey, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Many tropical islands have limited water resources with historically increasing demand, all potentially affected
by a changing climate. The effects of climate change on island hydrology are difficult to model due to steep local precipitation
gradients andsparse data. This work uses 10 statistically downscaled general circulation models (GCMs) under two greenhouse
gas emission scenarios to evaluate the uncertainty propagated from GCMs in projecting the effects of climate change on
water resources in a tropical island system. The assessment is conducted using a previously configured hydrologic model,
the Precipitation Runoff Modelling System (PRMS) for Puerto Rico. Projected climate data and their modelled hydrologic
variables versus historical measurements and their modelled hydrologic variables are found to have empirical distribution
functions that are statistically different with less than 1 year of daily data aggregation. Thus, only annual averages of the
projected hydrologic variables are employed as completely bias-corrected model outputs. The magnitude of the projected
total flow decreases in the four regions covering Puerto Rico, but with a large range of uncertainty depending on the makeup
of the GCM ensemble. The multi-model mean projected total flow decreases by 49–88% of historical amounts from the 1960s
to the 2090s for the high emissions scenarios and by 39–79% for the low emissions scenarios. Subsurface flow contributions
decreased the least and groundwater flow contributions decreased the most across the island. At locations critical to water
supply for human use, projected streamflow is shown to decrease substantially below projected withdrawals by 2099.(View more) |
Research paper: Climate change and water resources in a tropical island system: propagation of uncertainty from statistically downscaled climate models to hydrologic models | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6167 | 2015 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: griculture and forestry activities in the Caribbean are diverse, and include products such as coffee, tropical fruits, ornamentals, beans, root crops, livestock, dairy products, and timber. Caribbean residents depend heavily on these products for subsistenceand as valuable cash crop exports. The US Caribbean, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands region relies heavily on imported agricultural and timber products and local production is far below its full potential. The Caribbean has been deemed especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to the region’s exposure to extreme weather events, its geographic and economic scale, and its reliance on tourism and imported goods. The US Caribbean region represents a unique social-ecological system within the greater United States. Working lands in this region face some environmental challenges that are generally similar to those within the continental United States, such as increasing temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, increasing weather variability and extremes, and rising sea levels. But higher levels of exposure, higher sensitivity, and lack of adaptive capacity make Caribbean systems more vulnerable to the effects of these challenges. This report provides an initial assessment of the major cropping systems, livestock, forestry, and related socio-economic factors in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and their vulnerability to predicted climatic shifts associated with global climate change.(View more) |
Report: Caribbean regional climate sub hub assessment of climate change vulnerability and adaptation and mitigation strategies | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6177 | 2015 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The USDA has established seven Regional Climate Hubs and three Sub Hubs for Risk Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change in order to deliver information to US farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners that can helpthem adapt to climate change and weather variability. Regions include the Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Northern Plains, Southern Plains, Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast Hubs and the Caribbean, Northern Forestry, and California Specialty Crop Sub Hubs. These Hubs assist in building capacity to provide public information and guidance on technologies and risk management practices at regional and local levels. For more information see the Regional Hub website at www. climatehubs. oce. usda. gov/. The Caribbean Climate Sub Hub (CCSH), in partnership with the Southwest Regional Climate Hub and the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), hosted the Climate Hub Concept in the Americas Workshop at the International Institute Tropical Forestry in San Juan, Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Report: USDA Climate Hub Concept in the Americas Workshop | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6424 | 2024 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Adaptation Workbook workshop - Caguas |
Adaptation Workbook workshop - Caguas | |
| 6425 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: OneUsda and visit with case study done at Sejah Farm(View more) |
Workshop: OneUSDA Series - Sejah Farms | St. Croix USVI | |
| 6426 | 2023 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q3 |
Workshop: OneUSDA Series - Fundacion Bucarabón | Maricao PR | |
| 6427 | 2023 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q3 |
Workshop: OneUSDA Series - University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Experimental Station | Juana Díaz PR | |
| 6428 | 2023 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q3 |
Workshop: OneUSDA Series | Camuy PR | |
| 6429 | 2015 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q4 Description: The USDA Caribbean Climate Hub hosted a workshop in San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 22-23, 2015 to communicate the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) strategies for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and explore howthese strategies interact with regional activities and partner agencies. The workshop served as a platform to discuss what tools and techniques are currently proving effective in communicating climate science and adaptive practices within Caribbean working lands.(View more) |
Workshop: Greenhouse Gas Mitigation & Adaptation | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6508 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Webinar: Advancing Tropical Soil Health mini series #1 Description: the Advancing Tropical Soil Health webinar mini-series. The first webinar, held on December 5, 2024, featured Dr. David Sotomayor from the University of Puerto Rico and Dr. Jonathan Deenik from the University of Hawai’i, focusingon soil health monitoring and management in tropical regions. This webinar had 45 attendees primarily from the islands of Puerto Rico and Hawai’i, with a smaller percentage of participants from US Virgen Islands and the US Mainland.(View more) |
Webinar: Advancing Tropical Soil Health mini series #1 | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6181 | 2016 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Throughout the Caribbean, conservation is ecologically, politically, and socially challenging due to a number of factors including globalization, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and the spread of invasive species. Relationships between organizations and institutions thatgovern the region’s natural and cultural resources are key to conservation success as partners work to implement plans to meet science, capacity, and information needs. However, the complex challenges involved in conservation work and tenuous relationships among organizations can result in a “knowing–doing gap”. Empirical evidence from 130 Caribbean conservation organizations indicates that barriers to bridging this gap are lack of information and data sharing, political constraints, competition, limited resources and technical capacity, and ineffective communications. We suggest that a knowing–doing gap exists in the region and that “boundary organizations” are a solution to overcoming the barriers some conservation entities face. We explore how boundary organizations can use the social sciences and practitioner expertise to successfully become knowledge brokers, and we offer a set of recommendations for implementing our ideas. We conclude by postulating that bridging the knowing–doing gap in resources management could lead to a sustainable future for the Caribbean region.(View more) |
Research paper: Boundary organizations as an approach to overcoming science-delivery barriers in landscape conservation: A Caribbean case study | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6185 | 2016 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Our goal was to describe the biodiversity and associated landscape diversity and forest cover characteristics within the network of terrestrial protected areas in Puerto Rico. We conducted spatial analysis to quantify different indicators of diversityat these sites. We found that protected areas in Puerto Rico overlap the most species-rich regions on the island, encompass a diverse landscape, are dominated by core forest, and include predicted habitats for 31 threatened vertebrate species analyzed here. However, when we calculated the proportion of the biodiversity features that are actually protected, we concluded that most of them need better representation within protected areas. Other available conservation mechanisms that enhance biodiversity conservation could be employed in addition to expanding the current network of protected areas.(View more) |
Research paper: Characterization of the network of protected areas in Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6188 | 2016 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Governmental and nongovernmental organizations charged with managing natural resources increasingly emphasize the need to work across jurisdictional boundaries. Their challenge is to manage shifting resources under rapidly changing climate and land-use scenarios. Scientists, resource managers,and conservation planners, and their organizations and agencies routinely collaborate on projects to solve specific problems. Cooperative frameworks to programmatically address complex social–environmental issues and develop shared research, planning, and implementation priorities are relatively new. One such framework includes 22 Landscape Conservation Cooperatives that encompass the US, Caribbean countries, and bordering regions of Mexico and Canada. The most recently established collaboration is the Caribbean Landscape Conservation Cooperative, which is intended to provide land managers with the best available scientific data and to assist them in developing shared conservation priorities and implementing conservation actions.(View more) |
Research paper: The Caribbean Landscape Conservation Cooperative: A new framework for effective conservation of natural and cultural resources in the Caribbean | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6194 | 2015 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, United States Geological Survey, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The potential ecological and economic effects of climate change for tropical islands were studied using output from 12 statistically downscaled general circulation models (GCMs) taking Puerto Rico as a test case. Two model selection/model averagingstrategies were used: the average of all available GCMs and the average of the models that are able to reproduce the observed large-scale dynamics that control precipitation over the Caribbean. Five island-wide and multidecadal averages of daily precipitation and temperature were estimated by way of a climatology-informed interpolation of the site-specific downscaled climate model output. Annual cooling degree-days (CDD) were calculated as a proxy index for air-conditioning energy demand, and two measures of annual no-rainfall days were used as drought indices. Holdridge life zone classification was used to map the possible ecological effects of climate change. Precipitation is predicted to decline in both model ensembles, but the decrease was more severe in the ‘‘regionally consistent’’ models. The precipitation declines cause gradual and linear increases in drought intensity and extremes. The warming from the 1960–90 period to the 2071–99 period was 4.68–98C depending on the global emission scenarios and location. This warming may cause increases in CDD, and consequently increasing energy demands. Life zones may shift from wetter to drier zones with the possibility of losing most, if not all, of the subtropical rain forests and extinction risks to rain forest specialists or obligates.(View more) |
Research paper: Climate change implications for tropical islands: Interpolating and interpreting statistically downscaled GCM projections for management and planning | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6521 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Webinar: Advancing Tropical Soil Health mini-series #2 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: The second webinar, conducted on December 19, 2024, explored technical and financial support for improved soil health, with contributions from USDA-NRCS soil scientists and university extension specialists from both Puerto Rico and Hawai’i. This webinarhad 40 attendees. Participants were mainly from Puerto Rico and Hawai’i with six participants joining from US Virgen Islands and two from US mainland. In the latter, attendees identified with different sectors: 25% were producers and 35% were researchers. Minor percentages corresponded to agricultural extension services, NGOs, technical support providers, and other sectors not specified.(View more) |
Webinar: Advancing Tropical Soil Health mini-series #2 | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6551 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Agriculture, forests and conservation: integration of practices and available resources, research, cacao. See how researchers at the Tropical Agriculture Research Station (TARS) in Corozal, Puerto Rico, are preparing for the future of cacao farming. Inthis video, you'll see how they’re testing resilient cacao clones to withstand climate challenges and potential diseases, ensuring the success of the island’s cacao industry. From drought-tolerant rootstocks to innovative planting strategies, learn how TARS is working towards safeguarding this valuable crop for Puerto Rico and beyond.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Cacao research at USDA-TARS | Mayaguez, PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6196 | 2016 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Satellite-derived remote-sensing products are providing a modern circumpolar perspective of Arctic vegetation and its changes, but this new view is dependent on a long heritage of ground-based observations in the Arctic. Several products of theConservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna are key to our current understanding. We review aspects of the PanArctic Flora, the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map, the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment, and the Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA) as they relate to efforts to describe and map the vegetation, plant biomass, and biodiversity of the Arctic at circumpolar, regional, landscape and plot scales. Cornerstones for all these tools are ground-based plant-species and plant-community surveys. The AVA is in progress and will store plot-based vegetation observations in a public-accessible database for vegetation classification, modeling, diversity studies, and other applications. We present the current status of the Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA-AK), as a regional example for the panarctic archive, and with a roadmap for a coordinated international approach to survey, archive and classify Arctic vegetation. We note the need for more consistent standards of plot-based observations, and make several recommendations to improve the linkage between plot-based observations biodiversity studies and satellite-based observations of Arctic vegetation.(View more) |
Research paper: Circumpolar Arctic vegetation: a hierarchic review and roadmap toward an internationally consistent approach to survey, archive and classify tundra plot data | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6198 | 2016 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA-AK, GIVD-ID: NA-US-014) is a free, publicly available database archive of vegetation-plot data from the Arctic tundra region of northern Alaska. The archive currently contains 24 datasets with 3,026 non-overlappingplots. Of these, 74% have geolocation data with 25-m or better precision. Species cover data and header data are stored in a Turboveg database. A standardized Pan Arctic Species List provides a consistent nomenclature for vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens in the archive. A web-based online Alaska Arctic Geoecological Atlas (AGA-AK) allows viewing and downloading the species data in a variety of formats, and provides access to a wide variety of ancillary data. We conducted a preliminary cluster analysis of the first 16 datasets (1,613 plots) to examine how the spectrum of derived clusters is related to the suite of datasets, habitat types, and environmental gradients. Here, we present the contents of the archive, assess its strengths and weaknesses, and provide three supplementary files that include the data dictionary, a list of habitat types, an overview of the datasets, and details of the cluster analysis.(View more) |
Research paper: The Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA_AK) | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6216 | 2016 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q1 ADAPTA Video Series: Cattle & Dairy Farming in the Tropics (Spanish) Ganadería Lechera en el Trópico Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Este es el primer video de la serie ADAPTA y trata sobre los efectos del cambio climático en el sector ganadero en Puerto Rico y provee información sobre cuáles medidas de adaptación pueden utilizar losproductores en el Caribe y áreas tropicales para ser más resilientes a eventos climáticos extremos.
ADAPTA es un proyecto de divulgación través de vídeos cortos y hojas informativas sobre prácticas de manejo sostenible que agricultores, ganaderos y manejadores forestales pueden adoptar para incrementar su resiliencia al cambio climático. ADAPTA documenta historias de productores agropecuarios en Puerto Rico que practican la conservación de recursos como el suelo y el agua, la rotación de cultivos, el manejo integrado de plagas, el compostaje de residuos orgánicos, la agroecología y demás buenas prácticas como la agroforestería.
Atentos a nuestros próximos vídeos sobre prácticas de adaptación en el sector forestal, en la producción de hortalizas y en el cultivo de plátanos y café. Creemos que los agricultores caribeños son de los más innovadores en el mundo y a través de este proyecto esperamos resaltar y compartir cómo productores en Puerto Rico se están adaptando con éxito al cambios climático para que sus experiencias eduquen y motiven a aumentar la producción sostenible de alimentos.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Cattle & Dairy Farming in the Tropics (Spanish) Ganadería Lechera en el Trópico | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6233 | 2016 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Watch Nicole Leotaud, Executive Director of CANARI, talk about the opportunities that climate change presents for collaboration between organizations in the Caribbean, and of participatory governance as a strategy for developing adaptation and mitigation projectsthat include citizens, scientists, government agencies and land managers.
This interview was done by the staff of the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub at a Climate Change Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico in November 2015. Thanks to Yaneris Soto, Benjamín Curet and Isabel Parés for producing and editing the videos.(View more) |
Video: CANARI’s Perspective on Collaboration & Natural Resources Governance for Climate Resilience | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6554 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Seminario 01: En este primer seminario nos acompañó el ingeniero Oscar Ramírez-Argueta, líder en investigación agrícola y cacao de la Fundación Hondureña para la Investigación Agrícola y director del Centro Experimental Demostrativo del Cacao JesúsAlfonso Sánchez. Oscar Ramírez-Argueta ha sido una fuerza impulsora en la innovación y desarrollo sostenible en el campo del cacao y nos presentó sobre los clones tolerantes a la moniliasis.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar (Spanish) - Evaluación de clones tolerantes a Monilia/Mazorca negra en sistemas agroforestales maderables | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6559 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: In this first seminar Oscar Ramírez-Argueta, leader in agricultural and cocoa research at the Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research and director of the Jesús Alfonso Sánchez Experimental Demonstrative Cacao Center Oscar Ramírez-Argueta has beena driving force in innovation and sustainable development in the cacao industry and during his talk shared important results of moniliasis-tolerant clones.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - Evaluation of tolerant cacao clones to Monilia/Black Pod disease in timber agroforestry systems | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6563 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Para este segundo seminario nos acompañaron tres expertas en el tema de calidad en cacao conversando sobre los procesos post cosechas y cómo estos afectan la calidad, el efecto de genética y terroir en unperfil entre otros temas importantes de cacao de calidad.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar (Spanish) - Calidad Integral del cacao: desde la cosecha hasta los protocolos de beneficiado | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6242 | 2016 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Contour planting, drip irrigation, and traditional farming methods are helping farmers in the Caribbean adapt to climate change, but how can we better integrate local knowledge and scientific information to increase resilience? In this shortvideo Nicole Leotaud explains how CANARI (Caribbean Natural Resource Institute) captures local knowledge to build human capital and climate change resilience.
This interview was done by the staff of the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub at a Climate Change Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico in November 2015. Thanks to Yaneris Soto, Benjamín Curet and Isabel Parés for producing and editing the videos.(View more) |
Video: Farmers’ Local knowledge: key to climate change adaptation in the Caribbean | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6246 | 2016 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: AgroTropical Inc., USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Second video of the ADAPTA series developed by the Caribbean Climate Hub, which features innovative and sustainable techniques being used to build soil health and battle pests on a plantain and vegetable farm in Gurabo.
Unfortunately,climate models are predicting more of these boom- bust rainfall cycles, with more extreme droughts expected. However, there are measures that farmers can take to reduce the impacts of drought and increased temperatures!
The aim of ADAPTA is to identify and document local successes in sustainable land management practices that farmers, ranchers and landowners in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands could adopt to build climate change resilience. The objective of this outreach project is delivering climate services, providing educational resources, and as a reference tool for practitioners in the form of written documents and short videos.
Watch as Dr. Joaquín Chong of the University of Puerto Rico and farmer Duamed Colón of AgroTropical in Puerto Rico discuss various practical steps to combat rising temperatures and prolonged drought.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Climate Resilient Agriculture: Plantains & Vegetables | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6253 | 2016 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: AgroTropical Inc., USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Second video of the ADAPTA series developed by the Caribbean Climate Hub, which features innovative and sustainable techniques being used to build soil health and battle pests on a plantain and vegetable farm in Gurabo.
Unfortunately,climate models are predicting more of these boom- bust rainfall cycles, with more extreme droughts expected. However, there are measures that farmers can take to reduce the impacts of drought and increased temperatures!
The aim of ADAPTA is to identify and document local successes in sustainable land management practices that farmers, ranchers and landowners in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands could adopt to build climate change resilience. The objective of this outreach project is delivering climate services, providing educational resources, and as a reference tool for practitioners in the form of written documents and short videos.
Watch as Dr. Joaquín Chong of the University of Puerto Rico and farmer Duamed Colón of AgroTropical in Puerto Rico discuss various practical steps to combat rising temperatures and prolonged drought.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Climate Resilient Agriculture: Plantains & Vegetables/Agricultura Resiliente al Cambio Climático: Plátanos y Hortalizas | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6264 | 2021 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: On June 10th, 2021, 40 climate service providers, government agency leaders, researchers, and extensionists gathered virtually with the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) andthe National Weather Service (NWS) to explore the possibility of the creation of a Caribbean Drought Learning Network for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
The Drought Learning Network (DLN) concept serves as mechanism to strengthen collaboration and communication in drought research and management. In the Southwest of the United States where drought conditions have been severe, a DLN was recently established by the USDA Southwest Climate Hub. The USDA Caribbean Climate Hub saw the potential benefits for a similar network in the Caribbean, and decided to propose the idea to locals agencies, researchers and organizations.(View more) |
Report: Caribbean Drought Learning Network Exploratory Meeting | |
| 6272 | 2018 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Climate change is warming temperatures and lengthening the Arctic growing season with potentially important effects on plant phenology. The ability of plant species to acclimate to changing climatic conditions will dictate the level to whichtheir spatial coverage and habitat-type dominance is different in the future. While the effect of changes in temperature on phenology and species composition have been observed at the plot and at the regional scale, a systematic assessment at medium spatial scales using new noninvasive sensor techniques has not been performed yet. At four sites across the North Slope of Alaska, changes in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) signal were observed by Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platforms (MISP) that are suspended over 50 m transects spanning local moisture gradients. The rates of greening (measured in June) and senescence (measured in August) in response to the air temperature was estimated by changes in NDVI measured as the difference between the NDVI on a specific date and three days later. In June, graminoid- and shrub-dominated habitats showed the greatest rates of NDVI increase in response to the high air temperatures, while forb- and lichen-dominated habitats were less responsive. In August, the NDVI was more responsive to variations in the daily average temperature than spring greening at all sites. For graminoid- and shrub-dominated habitats, we observed a delayed decrease of the NDVI, reflecting a prolonged growing season, in response to high August temperatures. Consequently, the annual C assimilation capacity of these habitats is increased, which in turn may be partially responsible for shrub expansion and further increases in net summer CO2 fixation. Strong interannual differences highlight that long-term and noninvasive measurements of such complex feedback mechanisms in arctic ecosystems are critical to fully articulate the net effects of climate variability and climate change on plant community and ecosystem processes.(View more) |
Research paper: Short-Term Impacts of the Air Temperature on Greening and Senescence in Alaskan Arctic Plant Tundra Habitats | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6566 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: For this second seminar we will were joined by three experts in cacao quality discussing the post-harvest processes and how they affect quality, the effect of genetics and terrour on a profile among other importantcacao quality aspects.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - Comprehensive quality of cacao: From harvesting to processing protocols | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6278 | 2017 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Global food security concerns emphasize the need for sustainable agriculture and local food production. In Puerto Rico, over 80 percent of food is imported, and local production levels have reached historical lows. Efforts to increaselocal food production are driven by government agencies, non-government organizations, farmers, and consumers. Integration of geographic information helps plan and balance the reinvention and invigoration of the agriculture sector while maintaining ecological services. We used simple criteria that included currently protected lands and the importance of slope and forest cover in protection from erosion to identify land well-suited for conservation, agriculture and forestry in Puerto Rico. Within these categories we assessed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) farmland soils classification data, lands currently in
agricultural production, current land cover, and current land use planning designations. We found that developed lands occupy 13 percent of Puerto Rico; lands well-suited for conservation that include protected areas, riparian buffers, lands surrounding reservoirs, wetlands, beaches, and salt flats, occupy 45 percent of Puerto Rico; potential working lands encompass 42 percent of Puerto Rico. These include lands well-suited for mechanized and non-mechanized agriculture, such as row and specialty crops, livestock, dairy, hay, pasture, and fruits, which occupy 23 percent of Puerto Rico; and areas suitable for forestry production, such as timber and non-timber products, agroforestry, and shade coffee, which occupy 19 percent of Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Research paper: Land Use, Conservation, Forestry, and Agriculture in Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6280 | 2017 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Long-term measurements of ecological effects of warming are often not statistically significant because of annual variability or signal noise. These are reduced in indicators that filter or reduce the noise around the signal and alloweffects of climate warming to emerge. In this way, certain indicators act as medium pass filters integrating the signal over years-to-decades. In the Alaskan Arctic, the 25-year record of warming of air temperature revealed no significant trend, yet environmental and ecological changes prove that warming is affecting the ecosystem. The useful indicators are deep permafrost temperatures, vegetation and shrub biomass, satellite measures of canopy reflectance (NDVI), and chemical measures of soil weathering. In contrast, the 18-year record in the Greenland Arctic revealed an extremely high summer air-warming of 1.3 degrees C/decade; the cover of some plant species increased while the cover of others decreased. Useful indicators of change are NDVI and the active layer thickness.(View more) |
Research paper: Ecosystem responses to climate change at a Low Arctic and a High Arctic long-term research site | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6284 | 2017 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Increasing residential development around protected areas is a major threat for protected areas worldwide, and human population growth is often the most important cause. However, population is decreasing in many regions as a result ofsocio-economic changes, and it is unclear how residential development around protected areas is affected in these situations. We investigated whether decreasing human population alleviates pressures from residential development around protected areas, using Puerto Rico—an island with declining population—as a case study. We calculated population and housing changes from the 2000 to 2010 census around 124 protected areas, using buffers of different sizes. We found that the number of houses around protected areas continued to increase while population declined both around protected areas and island-wide. A total of 32,300 new houses were constructed within only 1 km from protected areas, while population declined by 28,868 within the same area. At the same time, 90% of protected areas showed increases in housing in the surrounding lands, 47% showed population declines, and 40% showed population increases, revealing strong spatial variations. Our results highlight that residential development remains an important component of lands surrounding protected areas in Puerto Rico, but the spatial variations in population and housing changes indicate that management actions in response to housing effects may need to be individually targeted. More broadly, our findings reinforce the awareness that residential development effects on protected areas are most likely widespread and common in many socioeconomic and demographic settings.(View more) |
Research paper: Declining human population but increasing residential development around protected areas in Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6569 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: La Dra. Bénédicte Rhoné del CATIE (Turrialba, Costa Rica) nos conversa sobre los avances, logros y próximos pasos del programa de mejoramiento genético de cacao del CATIE.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar (Spanish) - Programa de mejoramiento genético cacao del CATIE: logros y próximos pasos | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6572 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Dr. Bénédicte Rhoné of CATIE (Turrialba, Costa Rica) talks to us about the progress, achievements and next steps of CATIE's cocoa breeding program.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - CATIE Cacao breeding Program: Achievements and next steps | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6575 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: En este seminario # 4 de la serie veraniega el investigador Cesar Arevalo nos educa sobre el cadmio en cacao, desde el origen de las regulaciones hasta las practicas de mitigación que se deben detomar desde la etapa de vivero hasta el cacaotal.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar (Spanish) - Mitigación de cadmio en cacao: medidas a seguir desde el vivero a la finca | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6578 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: In this fourth seminar from our summer series, researcher Cesar Arevalo educates us about cadmium in cacao, from the origin of the regulations to the mitigation practices that should be taken from the nursery stageto the cocoa farm.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - Cadmium mitigation in cacao: Measures to follow from the nursery to the farm | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6581 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: La Dra. Melanie Bordeaux, Doctora en Química y Directora Científica de la Fundación Nicafrance, nos acompañará para compartir su conocimiento sobre "Marcadores SNP para la huella genética y trazabilidad del cacao" y qué podemos hacerpara cerrar la brecha de rendimiento, esa diferencia entre la expectativa de productividad y la productividad actual.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar (Spanish) - Marcadores SNP para la Huella Genética y Trazabilidad del Cacao | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6290 | 2017 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Coffee production has long been culturally and economically important in Puerto Rico. However, since peaking in the late nineteenth century, harvests are near record lows with many former farms abandoned. While value-added markets present newopportunities to reinvigorate the industry, regional trends associated with climate change may threaten the ability to produce high-quality coffee. Here, we discuss the history of coffee in Puerto Rico, outline important bioclimatic parameters, and model current and future habitat suitability using statistically downscaled climate data. Model projections suggest that warming trends may surpass important temperature thresholds during the coming decades.Under high (A2) and mid-low (A1B) emission scenarios for 2011–2040, Puerto Rico is projected to exceed mean annual temperature parameters for growth of Coffea arabica. Warming and drying trends may accelerate after 2040 and could result in top producing municipalities losing 60– 84% of highly suitable growing conditions by 2070. Under the A2 scenario, Puerto Rico may only retain 24 km2 of highly suitable conditions by 2071–2099. High temperatures and low precipitation levels can result in diminished quality and yields, as well as increased exposure and sensitivity to certain insects and diseases. The climate data and models used are based on best current understanding of climate and emission interactions with results best interpreted as projected climate trends rather than predictions of future weather. Planning, innovation, and adaptation provide promising avenues to address current and future socioecological challenges while building a model of sustainable and resilient coffee production in Puerto Rico and throughout the region.(View more) |
Research paper: Climate change and coffee: assessing vulnerability by modeling future climate suitability in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6294 | 2017 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Global estimates of fire frequency indicate that over 70% of active fires occur in the tropics, and the size and frequency of fires are increasing every year. The majority of fires in the tropics arean unintended consequence of current land-use practices that promotes the establishment of grass and shrubland communities, which are more flammable and more adapted to fire than forests. In the Caribbean, wildland fires occur mainly in dry forests and in grasslands and crop lands. Climate change projections for the Caribbean indicate increasing area of drylands and subsequent increasing potential for wildland fire. We assessed the last decade of fire occurrence records for Puerto Rico to quantify the relative importance of time, climate, land cover, and population to inform predictive models of fire occurrence for projecting future scenarios of fire risk. Kruskal-Wallis, generalized linear models, robust regression, simple and multiple regressions, and tree models were used. We found that hour of the day (time), mean minimum temperature (climate), and percent forest cover (land cover) significantly influenced fire occurrence, while population showed a weak effect. Many variable interactions showed to be important. These significant variables and interactions should be considered in fire-predicting models for the island.(View more) |
Research paper: Characterizing Predictability of Fire Occurrence in Tropical Forests and Grasslands: The Case of Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6302 | 2017 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Abstract Assessing the relationships between weather patterns and the likelihood of fire occurrence in the Caribbean has not been as central to climate change research as in temperate regions, due in part to the smallerextent of individual fires. However, the cumulative effect of small frequent fires can shape large landscapes, and fire-prone ecosystems are abundant in the tropics. Climate change has the potential to greatly expand fire-prone areas to moist and wet tropical forests and grasslands that have been traditionally less fire-prone, and to extend and create more temporal variability in fire seasons. We built a machine learning random forest classifier to analyze the relationship between climatic, socio-economic, and fire history data with fire occurrence and extent for the years 2003–2011 in Puerto Rico, nearly 35,000 fires. Using classifiers based on climate measurements alone, we found that the climate space is a reliable associate, if not a predictor, of fire occurrence and extent in this environment. We found a strong relationship between occurrence and a change from average weather conditions, and between extent and severity of weather conditions. The probability that the random forest classifiers will rank a positive example higher than a negative example is 0.8–0.89 in the classifiers for deciding if a fire occurs, and 0.64–0.69 in the classifiers for deciding if the fire is greater than 5 ha. Future climate projections of extreme seasons indicate increased potential for fire occurrence with larger extents.(View more) |
Research paper: Fire weather and likelihood: characterizing climate space for fire occurrence and extent in Puerto Rico | |
| 6584 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Dr. Melanie Bordeaux, PhD in Chemistry and Scientific Director of the Nicafrance Foundation, will join us to share her knowledge on "SNP Markers for Cocoa Fingerprinting and Traceability" and what we can do to closethe yield gap—the difference between expected and actual yields.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - SNP Markers for Cacao genetic fingerprinting and traceability | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6587 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: el Dr. Ramón Jaiméz, experto en ecofisiología del cacao con una impresionante trayectoria nos presenta sobre la combinación de patrones e injertos para la tolerancia a la sequía en cacao, un tema crucial para mejorarla resiliencia y productividad frente a los desafíos climáticos actuales.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar (Spanish) - Combinación de patrones x injerto para reducir el estrés hídrico en cacao | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6593 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This video discussed the Farm Planning Tool. The Caribbean Climate Hub will be post all the technical talks about the web tools available for decision making in agriculture and forestry. Our tools aim to providepractical strategies to the agricultural and forestry sectors to adapt to climate change and extreme events (droughts, floods, or hurricanes). If you are interested in other tools, you can visit our website: Tools & Apps – Caribbean Climate Hub. If you are interested in our tech talks and other activities, visit: News & Events – Caribbean Climate Hub(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #1 - Farm Planning Tool | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6599 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This video discussed the Agricultural Statistics tool. The Agricultural Statistics is an interactive platform to illustrate the origin and production of the main crops in Puerto Rico. Agricultural Statistics provides information on more than 100agricultural products, the neighborhoods and municipalities where they are grown, and their production quantities and areas. Production statistics are summarized by neighborhood and year and can be displayed in map or table format at the island, agricultural region, municipality or neighborhood level.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #2 - Agricultural Statistics Tool | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6308 | 2018 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: El Yunque National Forest, IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: El Yunque National Forest Atlas is a collaborative effort by the International Institute of Tropical Forestry and El Yunque National Forest to provide up-to-date maps and analyses of spatial information of an important natural reservein Puerto Rico and the only tropical forest in the National Forest System of the United States. El Yunque National Forest Atlas serves as a companion tool to the El Yunque National Forest 2014 Forest Plan Assessment Report, Phase One, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service 2012 Planning Rule. The assessment documents current ecological, socioeconomic, and cultural conditions of the forest and the surrounding landscape, as part of the El Yunque National Forest management plan revision process, which will establish requirements and constraints to make management decisions within the forest. The El Yunque National Forest 2014 Forest Plan Assessment Report is available at: https://go.usa.gov/cS5Tk.(View more) |
General Technical Report: El Yunque National Forest Atlas | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6310 | 2018 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The BioTIME database contains raw data on species identities and abundances in ecological assemblages through time. These data enable users to calculate temporal trends in biodiversity within and amongst assemblages using a broad range ofmetrics. BioTIME is being developed as a community led open-source database of biodiversity time series. Our goal is to accelerate and facilitate quantitative analysis of temporal patterns of biodiversity in the Anthropocene. Main types of variables included: The database contains 8 773 553 species abundance records, from assemblages consistently sampled for a minimum of two, not necessarily consecutive, years. In addition, the database contains metadata relating to sampling methodology and contextual information about each record. Spatial location and grain: BioTIME is a global database of 547 161 unique sampling locations spanning the marine, freshwater and terrestrial realms. Grain size varies across datasets from 0.0000000158 km2 (158 cm2) to 100 km2 (1 000 000 000000 cm2).Time period and grain: BioTIME records span from 1874 to 2016. The minimum temporal grain across all datasets in BioTIME is year. Major taxa and level of measurement: BioTIME includes data from 44 360 species across the plant an animal kingdoms, ranging from plants, plankton, and terrestrial invertebrates to small and large vertebrates.(View more) |
Research paper: BioTime: A database of biodiversity time series for the Anthropocene | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6316 | 2018 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: El Yunque National Forest, IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Esta publicación es un esfuerzo colaborativo entre el Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical y el Bosque Nacional El Yunque para proveer mapas y análisis de información espacial actualizados sobre una importante reserva natural en PuertoRico y el único bosque tropical dentro del Sistema de Bosques Nacionales de los Estados Unidos. El Atlas del Bosque Nacional El Yunque sirve como una herramienta complementaria del Informe de Evaluación del Plan del Bosque Nacional El Yunque del 2014, Fase Uno, bajo el Reglamento de Planificación del Servicio Forestal de EE.UU. de 2012. El informe documenta el estado actual de las condiciones ecológicas, socioeconómicas y culturales del bosque y terrenos circundantes, como parte del proceso de revisión del plan de manejo del Bosque Nacional El Yunque, el cual establecerá los requisitos y restricciones para las decisiones de manejo dentro del bosque. El Informe de Evaluación del Plan del Bosque Nacional El Yunque del 2014, está disponible en internet a través del siguiente enlace: https://go.usa.gov/cS5Tk.(View more) |
General Technical Report (Spanish): El Yunque National Forest Atlas/El Atlas del Bosque Nacional El Yunque | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6322 | 2018 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Cattle ranchers and dairy farmers operating throughout many tropical regions are experiencing major challenges associated with climate change such as higher incidence of heat stress and drought. These effects can result in reduced productivity ofrangeland, shortage of nutritional feed, increased heat stress on animals, and high energy costs for cooling. High temperatures and resultant heat stress reduce animal productivity and increase the proliferation and survival of parasites and disease pathogens. Warming reduces the ability of dairy cattle to produce milk and gain weight and can also lower conception rates. This paper reviews research
from the Caribbean on heat tolerant traits in bovine and presents evidence that introducing a slick hair gene into Holstein cows by crossbreeding with Senepols may increase thermotolerance and productivity. As in other parts of the tropics, principal cattle breeds in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands have been largely introduced from temperate regions. Research indicates these animals may be poorly adapted to rising temperatures, leaving them increasingly vulnerable to chronic heat stress and reduced productivity. Adaptive practices have been developed in breeding and pasture management programs including selection for more heat resistant genotypes, silvopasturing and crop diversification in forage production, and optimizing facilities and practices to reduce heat stress. Given the nature of climate vulnerability, an integrated approach to adaptation will likely have the greatest success in reducing future risk for producers.(View more) |
Research paper: Assessing climate vulnerabilities and adaptive strategies for resilient beef and dairy operations in the tropics | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6602 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Este video discute el Visualizador de datos geoespaciales. Esta herramienta permite a los usuarios crear un punto en el mapa para obtener información espacial sobre características ambientales, planificación y futuros escenarios climáticos en Puerto Ricoy las Islas Vírgenes de los EE. UU. Los datos incluidos fueron recolectados de distintas agencias gubernamentales estatales y federales (ver el relevo de responsabilidad).(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #3 (Spanish) - Visualizador de datos geospaciales | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6605 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This video discussed the Geospatial Data Viewer. This tool allows users create a point in the map to obtain spatial information on environmental characteristics, planning and future climate scenarios in Puerto Rico and the U.S.Virgin Islands. The data included were collected from various state and federal government agencies.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #3 - Geospatial Data Viewer | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6608 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This video discussed the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports on Drought (CMOR-Drought). CMOR is a tool that allows citizen scientists to submit observation reports relating to drought, which are presented in a map that can beused to view and access submitted information and attachments. The tool is provided by the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) in partnership with the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). The USDA Caribbean Climate Hub collaborates with NDMC to make the tool and promotional materials available in Spanish.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #4 - Condition Monitoring and Observation Reports on Drought (CMOR) | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6327 | 2018 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The impact of Hurricane Maria on the U.S. Caribbean was used to study the causes of remotely-sensed spatial variation in the effects of vegetation index loss and landslide occurrence. A generalized linear model was madefor each kind of effect, using idealized maps of the hurricane forces, along with three landscape characteristics that were significantly associated. For the greenness loss model, the hurricane force was wind, the disturbance-propensity measure was initial greenness, and the third landscape characteristic was fraction forest cover. For the landslide occurrence model, the hurricane force was rain, the disturbance-propensity measure was amount of land slope, and the third landscape characteristic was soil clay content. The model of greenness loss had a pseudo R2 of 0.73 and showed the U.S. Caribbean lost 31% of its initial greenness from the hurricane, with 51% lost from the initial in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) from Hurricane Maria along with Hurricane Irma. More greenness disturbance was seen in areas with less wind sheltering, higher elevation and topographic sides. The model of landslide occurrence had a pseudo R2 of 0.53 and showed the U.S. Caribbean had 34% of its area and 52% of the LEF area with a landslide density of at least one in 1 km2 from Hurricane Maria. Four experiments with parameters from previous storms of wind speed, storm duration, rainfall, and forest structure over the same storm path and topographic landscape were run as examples of possible future scenarios. While intensity of the storm makes by far the largest scenario difference, forest fragmentation makes a sizable difference especially in vulnerable areas of high clay content or high wind susceptibility. This study showed the utility of simple hurricane force calculations connected with landscape characteristics and remote-sensing data to determine forest susceptibility to hurricane effects.(View more) |
Research paper: Hurricane Maria in the U.S. Caribbean: Disturbance Forces, Variation of Effects, and Implications for Future Storms | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6333 | 2018 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: In this study, we assessed the geographic extent of agricultural conservation practices incentivized by US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and evaluated their large-scale contribution to drought adaptability. We identified concentrations ofdrought-related practices (e.g. cover crops, ponds) applied between 2000 and 2016. Using information from spatial databases and interviews with experts, we assessed the spatial correlation between these practices and areas exposed to drought as identified by the US Drought Monitor. Between 2000 and 2016, Puerto Rico experienced seven drought episodes concentrated around the south, east and southeastern regions. The most profound drought occurred between 2014 and 2016 when the island experienced 80 consecutive weeks of moderate drought, 48 of severe drought and 33 of extreme drought conditions. A total of 44 drought-related conservation practices were applied at 6984 locations throughout 860 km2 of farmlands between 2000 and 2016 through the NRCS-Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Practices related to water availability were statistically clustered along the coasts, whereas soil and plant health practices were clustered in the mountainous region. While these concentrations strongly correlated with areas exposed to moderate drought conditions, >80% did not coincide with areas that experienced severe or extreme drought conditions, suggesting that areas highly exposed to drought conditions generally lacked drought preparedness assisted by EQIP. Climate projections indicate an increase in the frequency and intensity of drought events, particularly in the eastern region of Puerto Rico. Our analysis highlighted the need to implement more conservation practices in these areas subject to drought intensification and exposure. Government programs intended to address vulnerabilities and enhance capacity and resilience may not be reaching areas of highest exposure. Recommendations include raising producer awareness of past and future exposure and making programs more accessible to a broader audience.(View more) |
Research paper: Correlating drought conservation practices and drought vulnerability in a tropical agricultural system | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6344 | 2023 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The first in a series of OneUSDA workshops focused on climate adaptation in agriculture and forestry took place in the University of Puerto Rico in Utuado. Federal and non-governmental representatives shared information with over fiftyattendees about resources and incentives available to forest landowners, farmers, land managers and students on best practices for adaptation to the effects of climate change. This series aims to discuss management decisions and agricultural practices to mitigate and adapt to weather patterns that can affect production, resource conservation, and human health while providing participants with information on assistance from various agencies. The collaborating entities present included FS State, Private and Tribal Forestry, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Veterinary Services (APHIS-VS) and Plant Protection Quarantine (APHIS-PPQ), and Conservation District.(View more) |
Workshop: OneUSDA Series - Agriculture, forestry and conservation: integrating practices and available resources at the University of Puerto Rico | Utuado PR | |
| 6614 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: En esta charla exploraremos el Módulo de Alfabetización Climática, diseñado específicamente para las personas que trabajan en la agricultura y la silvicultura en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE.UU., pero de gran valorpara la comunidad en general. Los participantes conocerán los contenidos y funcionalidades del módulo, y podrán tener una sesión en vivo del sitio web(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #5 (Spanish) - Explorando el Módulo de Alfabetización Climática | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6617 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: During this talk we will be exploring the Climate Literacy Module, which is specifically designed for individuals working in agriculture and forestry in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, but of great value tothe general community. Participants will gain insights into the contents and functionalities of the module and get to have a live session of the website(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #5 - Exploring the Online Climate Literacy Module | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6623 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: In this presentation, we will explore the SJU NWS StormReady Dashboard, an interactive tool that provides real-time weather information and detailed forecasts for the coming days. This resource includes data on estimated rainfall, susceptibility tolandslides, coastal flooding caused by sea level rise or storm surge, drought, and hydrological conditions, among others.
Farmers will learn how to use these features to enhance decision-making and agricultural planning in the face of potential weather and climate risks.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #6 - Use of the SJU NWS StormReady Dashboard for Agricultural Purposes | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6353 | 2019 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Geospatial inventories of protected areas and information regarding additional conservation mechanisms that were established to protect natural resources are useful in evaluating conservation effectiveness and supporting conservation planning at broader scales. The lack of asingle inventory and common terminology among stakeholders in Puerto Rico was identified as a major limitation in planning and monitoring conservation effectiveness across the island. This report describes the multiagency/organization effort to facilitate communication among managers and stakeholders of protected areas toward an integrated system for the conservation of natural and cultural resources in Puerto Rico.(View more) |
General Technical Report: A comprehensive inventory of protected areas and other land conservation mechanisms in Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6356 | 2019 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Modeling climate change effects on species and communities is critical especially in isolated islands. We analyzed the potential effects of climate change on 200 plant species in Puerto Rico under two emission scenarios and infour periods over the twenty-first century. Our approach was based on ensemble bioclimatic modeling using eight modeling algorithms and community richness analysis. Our findings showed that the probabilities of environmental suitability decline for wet climate species and increase for drier and warm climate species in the future periods under both emission scenarios, with stronger effects under the higher
emission scenario. Expansion of dry climate species to higher elevations appears to be a prominent response of species to climatic change in the island based on changes in environmental suitability but the actual species redistribution will be influenced by their life histories, potential adaptation, dispersal abilities, species introductions, and species interactions. This potential movement leads to a spatial pattern of species richness at site level that shows a positive relationship with elevation, which becomes stronger in the later periods of the century. The spatial pattern of species richness, if combined with single species projections, can provide critical information for conservation management in the island. Conservation management can support island-wide biological diversity by protecting the wet climate species on the uplands(View more) |
Research paper: Climate change increases potential plant species richness on Puerto Rican uplands | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6364 | 2019 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Los inventarios geoespaciales de áreas protegidas y la información sobre otros mecanismos de conservación que se establecen para proteger los recursos naturales son útiles para evaluar la efectividad de las medidas de conservación y apoyarla planificación de la conservación a gran escala. En Puerto Rico, la falta de un inventario detallado y de una terminología común entre las diferentes partes interesadas son las principales limitaciones en la planificación y el monitoreo de la efectividad de las estrategias de conservación. Este informe describe el esfuerzo de múltiples agencias ambientales y organizaciones de Puerto Rico que trabajaron para estandarizar el lenguaje utilizado para cuantificar, analizar y evaluar las áreas protegidas en pro de un sistema integrado para la conservación de los recursos naturales y culturales de la isla.
Geospatial inventories of protected areas and information regarding additional conservation mechanisms that were established to protect natural resources are useful in evaluating conservation effectiveness and supporting conservation planning at broader scales. The lack of a single inventory and common terminology among stakeholders in Puerto Rico was identified as a major limitation in planning and monitoring conservation effectiveness across the island. This report describes the multiagency/organization effort to facilitate communication among managers and stakeholders of protected areas toward an integrated system for the conservation of natural and cultural resources in Puerto Rico.(View more) |
General Technical Report (Spanish): A comprehensive inventory of protected areas and other land conservation mechanisms in Puerto Rico/Inventario detallado de áreas protegidas y otros mecanismos de conservación en Puerto Rico | |
| 6367 | 2020 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: In Puerto Rico, the Green Iguana, Iguana iguana, is considered an introduced and invasive species responsible for annual losses estimated in millions of dollars to local governmental and private sectors. The purpose of this studywas to use GAP analyses to generate habitat distribution models for Green Iguanas in Puerto Rico. The two models had 79.7% and 88.4% predictability, respectively. The second model, which included road corridors as a habitat widely known to be used by iguanas for dispersal, basking, and mating displays, might have overestimated the Green Iguana's distribution. The use of one model over the other should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on habitat type. These habitat modeling and mapping efforts should be repeated periodically as new distributional records are obtained and the land-cover changes to provide land managers an updated distribution of this species in the islands.(View more) |
Research paper: A Distribution Model for the Green Iguana, Iguana iguana (Linnaeus, 1758) (Reptilia: Iguanidae), in Puerto Rico. | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6631 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: This presentation provides a guide to using the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Farm Planning Tool.(View more) |
Webinar: Tech Talk Series - Farm Planning Tool | |
| 6633 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: This presentation provides a guide to using the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Agricultural Statistics on line tool.(View more) |
Webinar: Tech Talk Series - Agricultural Statistics | |
| 6635 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 |
Webinar: Tech Talk Series - Condition Monitoring & Observation Reports on Drought (CMOR) | |
| 6637 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 |
Webinar: Tech Talks Series - Diving into the Online Climate Literacy Module | |
| 6641 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This is a recording from the second of a 4-part webinar series focused on climate-smart agriculture for the Caribbean region, a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Caribbean and International Climate Hubs.(View more) |
Video: Webinar presentation - The Caribbean Climate Hub’s Climate Adaptation Guides for Tropical Agriculture and Forestry | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6380 | 2017 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Third video of the ADAPTA serie developed by the Caribbean Climate Hub, which presents soil and water conservation techniques utilized by an ecological farmer to deal with climate related issues in the mountains of PuertoRico.
Climate models are predicting more of these boom- bust rainfall cycles, with more extreme droughts expected in the Caribbean. The good news is that there are measures that farmers can take to reduce the impacts of changing rainfall patterns and and increased temperatures!
The aim of ADAPTA is to educate about climate change effects in the US Caribbean and to provide information of sustainable land management practices that farmers, ranchers and landowners in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands could adopt to build climate change resilience.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Permaculture, Soil & Water Conservation for Climate Change Adaptation | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6383 | 2017 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Tercer video de la serie ADAPTA desarrollado por el Centro Climático del Caribe con el fin de educar sobre almacenaje y manejo eficiente de agua y diversas técnicas de permacultura para mejorar la salud delsuelo.
El objetivo del video y del Centro es educar sobre estrategias de adaptación y mitigación al cambio climático al proveer información científica que ayude a la toma de decisiones en el manejo de tierras agrícolas y forestales.
El video tiene lugar en la finca Siembra Tres Vidas en Aibonito, Puerto Rico donde Daniella Rodríguez Besosa y un grupo de agricultores ecológicos cultivan hortalizas, plantas aromáticas y flores comestibles utilizando técnicas de permacultura y sin la utilización de pesticidas ni fertilizantes químicos. La permacultura es un sistema de diseño agrícola basado en los principios de la ecología que busca la integración saludable y armoniosa de la naturaleza y las personas.
Entre las técnicas de permacultura que Daniella utiliza finca está el uso de terrazas para evitar la erosión del suelo y mejorar la infiltración de agua en el terreno, el uso de mulch y plantas cobertoras para abonar y regular la temperatura del suelo.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Permaculture, Soil & Water Conservation for Climate Change Adaptation/Permacultura y Conservación de Agua y Suelos frente al Cambio Climático | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6385 | 2017 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Sr. Sapo from “Atención Atención” has a new and healthy hobby, agriculture! This is the story of how Sr. Sapo learns to prepare the soil for harvesting fruits and vegetables after his garden was affectedby a drought followed by severe flooding.
This video is produced by the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub and Atención Atención Inc., as part of the educational efforts of the Caribbean Hub to promote agriculture and children’s understanding of the relationship between the food we eat, the climate and soil: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpTaaC4Wpug).
El Sr. Sapo de “Atención Atención” tiene un nuevo y saludable hobby, ¡la agricultura! Esta es la historia de cómo el Sr. Sapo aprende a preparar el suelo para cosechar frutas y verduras después de que su jardín se viera afectado por una sequía seguida de graves inundaciones.
Este video es producido por USDA Caribbean Climate Hub y Atención Atención Inc., como parte de los esfuerzos educativos del Caribbean Hub para promover la agricultura y la comprensión de los niños sobre la relación entre los alimentos que comemos, el clima y el suelo: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpTaaC4Wpug)..(View more) |
Video: For kids - What is Sr. Sapo's new hobby?/Pasatiempo del Sr. Sapo | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6389 | 2017 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: ¡Cuarto vídeo de la serie ADAPTA! Tema: Producción de café ante el cambio climático. La caficultora Krys Rodríguez de la Hacienda Doña Patria en Maricao nos explica cómo los cambios en temperatura y precipitación estánafectando el cultivo de café en Puerto Rico.
Aún ante los retos climáticos, Krys produce café de primera gracias al sistema agroforestal que mantiene en su finca, utilizando árboles madereros y frutales para dar sombra al café, ayudando a regular las altas temperatura por causa del calentamiento global. El vídeo muestra cómo Krys pudo desarrollar un plan para manejar y conservar las áreas forestales en su finca con la asistencia del Programa de Custodia de Bosques Privados del Servicio Forestal del USDA y de la organización Cafiesencia.
El USDA ofrece a los agricultores y propietarios de fincas recursos, información y capacitación técnica para la adaptación y mitigación del cambio climático. El Centro Climático del Caribe del USDA desarrolló el proyecto ADAPTA para brindarle información a la comunidad agrícola sobre prácticas de manejo sostenible que ayudan a reducir los riesgos del cambio climático en la producción agrícola.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Shade Coffee and Forest Conservation/Café Bajo Sombra y Conservación de Bosques ante el Cambio Climático | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6644 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus Description: Demonstration of derrumbe.net(View more) |
Webinar: Tech Talks Series - Landslide Mitigation in Puerto Rico: Data and Digital Tools | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6646 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This is a recording from the third of a 4-part webinar series focused on climate-smart agriculture for the Caribbean region, a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Caribbean and International Climate Hubs.(View more) |
Video: Climate Ready Caribbean Webinar Series - Caribbean Solutions to Combatting Climate Change | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6650 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This is a recording from the last of a 4-part webinar series focused on climate-smart agriculture for the Caribbean region, a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Caribbean and International Climate Hubs.The series underscored the importance of collaboration and tailored solutions to help Caribbean farmers adapt to climate change. Its aim was to not only inform, but to support a continued network of information-sharing among Caribbean farmers, foresters, researchers, and officials who face common climate challenges.(View more) |
Video: Climate Ready Caribbean Webinar Series - Get Involved: International and Regional Efforts | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6652 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Monitoreo y manejo de la salud del suelo en regiones tropicales: exploración de desafíos únicos y necesidades de investigación en Hawái y Puerto Rico. Oradores: Dr. Sotomayor y Dr. Jonathan Deenik, Director del Departamento dePlantas Tropicales y Ciencias del Suelo de la Universidad de Hawái (UH) en Manoa. Profesor de Ciencias del Suelo en la Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Mayagüez.(View more) |
Video: Soil Health Webinar Series (Spanish) - Avances en la Salud del Suelo Tropical | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6407 | 2020 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Agricultural production in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (USVI) is important for the region’s economy, food security, and rural livelihoods. Farms in the region are mostly small-scale and cultivate a wide variety ofcrops including plantains, vegetables, coffee, hay, and ornamental plants. Small-scale farms of 10 acres or less are much more common in the US Caribbean than in the continental US Relative to the continental US, where just 11% of farms are under 10 acres, 39% and 68% of farms in Puerto Rico and the USVI are 10 acres or smaller, respectively. While the variety of crops these farms provide is vital to the region, smaller financial margins can make them more vulnerable to climate-related hazards.
Of the many climate events that threaten agricultural production in the region, increasing drought is one of the most devastating. The agricultural sector is typically the first to feel the impacts of drought, since the majority of crops in the US Caribbean are rainfed. Drought conditions can quickly lead to reduced crop yield, desiccation, and crop losses island-wide, unlike other hazards such as floods and landslides that occur on a much smaller scale (Wilhite, 2000). As the climate changes, droughts in the US Caribbean are projected to become more frequent and intense (PRCCC, 2013). Implementing the use of cover crops, water retention ponds, and drought tolerant varieties can help reduce the impacts of drought.(View more) |
Factsheet: Drought impacts to crops in the US Caribbean | |
| 6412 | 2020 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: International Institute of Tropical Forestry Description: Cuba and Puerto Rico have much in common and have been referred to in a poem by Lola Rodríguez de Tío as “…son de un pájaro las dos alas” (two wings of one bird). Throughouttheir histories, they have faced similar challenges in maintaining food security and ecosystem health. Global climate change now threatens both islands with parallel challenges to their similar cropping systems, forests, and producer demographics. Rising temperatures and resultant shifts in climate patterns have led to an increased occurrence of drought, punctuated by tropical storms and hurricanes of increasing intensity. Both Puerto Rico and Cuba have historically
found innovative ways to harness the ingenuity and resilience of their people. Building new partnerships and frameworks for technology transfer, knowledge sharing, and innovation across the Caribbean islands has the potential to enhance adaptive capacity, food security, and ecosystem services, and to ensure that the islands are prepared for climatic changes in coming decades. This report provides a brief historical overview of the agricultural and forestry sectors in Cuba, outlines regional climate projections and their expected effects on working lands in both Cuba and Puerto Rico, and broadly assesses adaptive capacity and vulnerability, making suggestions for building adaptive and resilient working lands systems.(View more) |
General Technical Report: Cuba, Puerto Rico, and climate change: shared challenges in agriculture, forestry, and opportunities for collaboration. | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6417 | 2020 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust's Recuperación Agrícola program, developed a series of One USDA drought adaptation workshops to increase farmer capacity to face challengescaused by droughts, extreme events, and climate change. The workshop series also highlighted the initiative of “One USDA” which strengthens collaboration among USDA agencies to better serve land managers across the US and affiliated territories. The Hub invited USDA agencies to collaborate in the workshops by providing information about practices and assistance programs relevant to climate change and drought. Various representatives from USDA agencies, such as Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Rural Development (RD), collaborated in each workshop. These workshops highlighted the topic of drought as it is one of the most frequent extreme events faced by Puerto Rican farmers.(View more) |
Report: OneUSDA Workshops - Tools for Drought Adaptation in Agriculture | |
| 6418 | 2020 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: A warming Arctic has been associated with increases in aboveground plant biomass, specifically shrubs, and changes in vegetation cover. However, the magnitude and direction of changes in NDVI have not been consistent across different tundratypes. Here we examine the responsiveness of fine-scale NDVI values to experimental warming at eight sites in northern Alaska, United States. Warming in our eight sites ranged in duration from 2‑23 seasons. Dry, wet and moist tundra communities were monitored for canopy surface temperatures and NDVI in ambient and experimentally-warmed plots at near-daily frequencies during the summer of 2017 to assess the impact of the warming treatment on the magnitude and timing of greening. Experimental warming increased canopy-level surface temperatures across all sites (+0.47 to +3.14˚C), with the strongest warming effect occurring during June and July and for the southernmost sites. Green-up was accelerated by warming at six sites, and autumn senescence was delayed at five sites. Warming increased the magnitude of peak NDVI values at five sites, decreased it at one site, and at two sites it did not change. Warming resulted in earlier peak NDVI at three sites and no significant change in the other sites. Shrub and graminoid cover was positively correlated with the magnitude of peak NDVI (r=0.37 to 0.60) while cryptogam influence was mixed. The magnitude and timing of peak NDVI showed considerable variability across sites. Warming extended the duration of the summer green season at most sites due to accelerated greening in the spring and delayed senescence in the autumn. We show that in a warmer Arctic (as simulated by our experiment) the timing and total period of carbon gain may change. Our results suggest these changes are dependent on community composition and abundance of specific growth forms and therefore will likely impact net primary productivity and trophic interactions.(View more) |
Research paper: NDVI changes show warming increases the length of the green season at tundra communities in northern Alaska: a fine-scale analysis | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6654 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Monitoring and Managing Soil Health in Tropical Regions: Exploring Unique Challenges and Research Needs in Hawai’i and Puerto Rico. This event features Dr. Sotomayor, Professor of Soil Science at the University of Puerto Rico atMayagüez, and Dr. Jonathan Deenik, Department Chair of the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Science at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.(View more) |
Video: Soil Health Webinar Series - Advancing Tropical Soil Health | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6420 | 2024 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Description: November 28-30, 2023, San Juan, Puerto Rico: Activity was a three-day wood week forum to share knowledge of climate change, forest resources, and forest products in Puerto Rico. The forum was an opportunity to networkwith artisans and experts in the wood industry and celebrate the beauty and value of Puerto Rican woods and trees. It involved a collaboration with the Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art, the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture, the Puerto Rican chapter of the Association of American Woodturners, and the NGOs GreenWood, Para la Naturaleza, and the Center for Landscape Conservation. The planning team and support included two USDA Forest Service State, Private, and Tribal Forestry Wood Innovations grantees. The activity had 150+ participants, 5 panel presentations/discussions, 20 speakers, 5 wood artisan demonstrations. Notable speakers included two awardees of Climate Smart Commodity grants and keynote presentations from Jameson French, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the American Forest Foundation, and William Cumpiano, noted author and maker of artisanal guitars for almost half a century.(View more) |
Workshop: Wood Roots Forum - November 28-30, 2023 in San Juan, Puerto Rico | |
| 6421 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Energy Vulnerability | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: This effort is assessing patterns in post blackout energy return in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The vulnerability of energy availability is explored sector by sector, with a particular focus on agriculture andforestry. The availability and potential efficacy of natural energy resources for establishing microgrids and mitigating disaster-related energy vulnerabilities will be investigated. Scientific expertise is being applied to analyzing Recurrent Acute Disasters (RADs) and their effects on locales over time. Particularly in the use and interpretation of NASA VIIRS Black Marble products (VNP46A*) and including capabilities for near-real-time analytics, geospatial time series analysis, and methodologies for interactive visualization, dynamic communication, and automatic reporting of night-time energy resource conditions.(View more) |
Workshop: Nightlights Visualization Tool with Leidos | |
| 6422 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Workshop: Adaptation Workbook - Vieques Description: Guías para la Adaptación al Cambio Climático en Agricultura y Terrenos Boscosos del Caribe
Datos básicos sobre el taller:
Tema: Guías de adaptación al cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe
Duración: 3 Horas
Objetivos
1.) Familiarizarsecon el manual práctico para identificar recursos, incentivos y prácticas agrícolas que ayuden a fortalecer la adaptación al cambio climático mediante 5 pasos de adaptación.
2.) Facilitar el acceso a los recursos del Centro Climático del Caribe, colaboradores Distritos de Agua y Suelos del Este.
3.) Intercambiar saberes que puedan enriquecer tanto la experiencia y conocimiento de la persona participante como la utilidad del manual.
Cantidad de audiencia esperada en cada municipio: 10-15 personas
Participación de colaboradores
Presentar sus recursos e integrar actividades/mesa de trabajo(View more) |
Workshop: Adaptation Workbook - Vieques | |
| 6423 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Adaptation Workbook Workshop - Culebra Description: Guías para la Adaptación al Cambio Climático en Agricultura y Terrenos Boscosos del Caribe
Datos básicos sobre el taller:
Tema: Guías de adaptación al cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe
Duración: 3 Horas
Objetivos
1.) Familiarizarsecon el manual práctico para identificar recursos, incentivos y prácticas agrícolas que ayuden a fortalecer la adaptación al cambio climático mediante 5 pasos de adaptación.
2.) Facilitar el acceso a los recursos del Centro Climático del Caribe, colaboradores Distritos de Agua y Suelos del Este.
3.) Intercambiar saberes que puedan enriquecer tanto la experiencia y conocimiento de la persona participante como la utilidad del manual.
Cantidad de audiencia esperada en cada municipio: 10-15 personas
Participación de colaboradores
Presentar sus recursos e integrar actividades/mesa de trabajo(View more) |
Adaptation Workbook Workshop - Culebra | |
| 6432 | 2023 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Agricultura, bosques y conservación: integración de prácticas y recursos disponibles.
La agricultora y dueña de La Microfinca, Tadilka Rivera, nos habla acerca de cómo los efectos del cambio climático han impactado a su proyecto enel municipio de Camuy en Puerto Rico. Además, detalla qué prácticas climáticamente inteligentes ha implementado para adaptarse. El vídeo muestra las diversas prácticas que le ayudan a sobrellevar los impactos del cambio climático como lo son; siembra al contorno, diversidad de cultivos, captación de agua, entre otras. Además de ello, menciona cómo la agencia de Servicios de Conservación de Recursos Naturales (NRCS) le apoyó en la adquisición de un “high tunnel” para tener un mayor control en sus cultivos, como también en la recolección de agua de lluvia, un recurso vital en momentos de sequía. El USDA le ofrece a los agricultores y propietarios de fincas recursos, información y capacitación técnica para la adaptación y mitigación ante el cambio climático. El Centro Climático del Caribe del USDA desarrolló el proyecto Caribe Climáticamente Inteligente para brindarle información a la comunidad agrícola sobre prácticas de manejo sostenible que ayudan a reducir los riesgos y vulnerabilidades del cambio climático en la producción agrícola.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): La Microfinca | Camuy PR - Aumentando resiliencia climática con prácticas de conservación | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6657 | 2025 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Este es el segundo seminario de nuestra miniserie in línea "Avances en la salud del suelo tropical en las islas del Caribe y el Pacífico de EE. UU." Este seminario exploró los temas de apoyotécnico y financiero a agricultores para mejorar la salud del suelo, con contribuciones de técnicos del USDA-NRCS y especialistas en extensión universitaria de Puerto Rico y Hawái.(View more) |
Video: Soil Health Webinar Series (Spanish) - Regeneración del suelo agrícola en los trópicos | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6659 | 2025 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This is the second webinar in our webinar mini-series “Advancing Tropical Soil Health in the US Caribbean and Pacific Islands”. This webinar explored technical and financial support for improved soil health, with contributions from USDA-NRCSsoil scientists and university extension specialists from both Puerto Rico and Hawai’i.(View more) |
Video: Soil Health Webinar Series - Agricultural soil regeneration in the tropics | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6434 | 2023 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Agriculture, forests and conservation: integration of practices and available resources.
Farmer and owner of La Microfinca, Tadilka Rivera, talks about how the effects of climate change have impacted her project located in the town ofCamuy in Puerto Rico. She also shows what climate-smart practices have been implemented to cope with the impacts of climate change such as: contour planting, crop diversity, rain water harvesting, among others. Tadilka also mentions how the NRCS Agency (Natural Resources Conservation Services) supported the acquisition of a high tunnel to have greater control of her production and aid in the rainwater collection, a vital resource in times of prolonged drought. The USDA provides farmers and farm owners with resources, information and technical training for climate change adaptation and mitigation. USDA's Caribbean Climate Center developed the Climate-Smart Caribbean project to provide the agricultural community with information on sustainable management practices that help reduce the risks and vulnerabilities of climate change in agricultural production.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: La Microfinca | Camuy PR - Increasing agricultural resilience | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6436 | 2024 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: José Cruz, farmer and owner of Finca Cruz, located in Maricao Puerto Rico, shows us what climate-smart practices he is implementing at his farm to help mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.Finca Cruz's main crop is shade-grown coffee that was established within a secondary forest. Cruz decided to keep the land in a forested state and to design his planting to follow the slopes and contours of the mountain to avoid erosion and provide greater comfort for the workers. Cruz points out that by establishing his coffee under shade, it has improved its yield, vigor and flowering compared to other neighboring farms with coffee under full systems. In addition, Cruz mentions how the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) agency supported him in acquiring native trees for establishment as windbreaks. The windbreaks not only helped him with the wind, but have also increased the biodiversity of the native flora and fauna. The USDA Caribbean Climate Center developed the Climate-Smart Caribbean project to provide the agricultural community with information on sustainable management practices that help reduce the risks and vulnerabilities of climate change in agricultural production. For more information visit www.caribbeanclimatehub.org or write to caribbeanclimatehub@gmail.com.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Finca Cruz | Maricao PR - Integration of practices and available resources | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6438 | 2023 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Agriculture, forests and conservation: integration of practices and available resources.
Finca Atabey is an agricultural project in the municipality of Santa Isabel in Puerto Rico run by co-owners Josefina Arce and Betzaida Ortíz. In thisvideo Josefina Arce talks about how the effects of climate change have impacted the project and details what climate-smart practices she has implemented to adapt to climate change. She also mentions how the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) agency helped her install a drip irrigation system, a vital resource in times of drought. The USDA provides farmers and farm owners with resources, information and technical training for climate change adaptation and mitigation. USDA's Caribbean Climate Center developed the Climate-Smart Caribbean project to provide the agricultural community with information on sustainable management practices that help reduce the risks and vulnerabilities of climate change in agricultural production.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Finca Atabey | Santa Isabel PR - Increasing agricultural resilience with climate-smart practices | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6440 | 2023 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Agricultura, bosques y conservación: integración de prácticas y recursos disponibles.
Finca Atabey es un proyecto agrícola en el municipio de Santa Isabel en Puerto Rico dirigido por las co-dueñas Josefina Arce y Betzaida Ortíz. Eneste vídeo Josefina Arce nos habla acerca de cómo los efectos del cambio climático han impactado al proyecto y detalla qué prácticas climáticamente inteligentes ha implementado para adaptarse. El vídeo muestra las diversas prácticas que le ayudan a sobrellevar los impactos del cambio climático como lo son; la utilización de barreras rompe vientos, diversidad de cultivos, diseño de hábitat para polinizadores, entre otras. Además de ello, menciona cómo la agencia de Servicios de Conservación de Recursos Naturales (NRCS) le apoyó en la instalación de un sistema de riego por goteo, un recurso vital en momentos de sequía. El USDA le ofrece a los agricultores y propietarios de fincas recursos, información y capacitación técnica para la adaptación y mitigación ante el cambio climático. El Centro Climático del Caribe del USDA desarrolló el proyecto Caribe Climáticamente Inteligente para brindarle información a la comunidad agrícola sobre prácticas de manejo sostenible que ayudan a reducir los riesgos y vulnerabilidades del cambio climático en la producción agrícola.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Finca Atabey | Santa Isabel PR - Resiliencia climática, prácticas de conservación | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6661 | 2025 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Carlos González (CEO de la Finca González), compartirá sus experiencias prácticas y su visión sobre la mejora de la salud del suelo. Carlos hablará de la historia de su finca, de sus operaciones actuales yde las prácticas que ha incorporado para promover suelos más sanos. Hablará de los beneficios y costes de estos cambios, los retos a los que se ha enfrentado y su visión del futuro de la agricultura sostenible.(View more) |
Video: Soil Health Webinar Series (Spanish) - Conociendo la Finca González | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6663 | 2025 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Carlos González (CEO Finca González), will share his hands-on experiences and insights on improving soil health. Carlos will discuss his farm’s history, current operations, and the practices he’s incorporated to promote healthier soils. Topics includethe benefits and costs of these changes, the challenges he’s faced, and his vision for the future of sustainable farming.(View more) |
Video: Soil Health Webinar Series - Getting to know Finca González | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6667 | 2025 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Dr. William Gould gave the keynote presentation in the celebration of the "Semana de Accion Climatica 2025" coordinated by the Servicio de Extension Agricola of University of Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Presentation: Cambio climático, agricultura, silvicultura y la conservación de recursos naturales - Climate change, agriculture, forestry, and the conservation of natural resources | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6442 | 2022 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Agricultural communities and crop production are negatively impacted by invasive species, with the effects of pathogenic fungi, parasitic insects and weedy plants being well studied. Mammals and birds are also recognized as impacting crops, butreptiles, such as non-native green iguanas (Iguana iguana), are typically not considered agricultural pests. Research on non-native green iguanas has largely focused on the lizard’s interactions with native species with little attention given to its impact in the agricultural landscape. We conducted semi-structured interviews with farmers from 20 farms in Puerto Rico to explore the effect of the invasive green iguana on the production of crops and how farmers manage impacts, if any. A total of 34 of 55 crop species reported by farmers were negatively affected by the green iguana. We found that green iguanas were absent from 20% of farms, did not consume crops in 10% of the farms and caused negative impacts in 70% of the remaining farms. Negative impacts included crop loss and infrastructural damage, which had behavioral, emotional, and economic effects on farmers. Specific outcomes of these effects were revenue loss, refurbishing costs, changes in crop selection, management costs and emotional stress. Farmers considered management strategies as mitigation measures that needed to be constant to produce any positive effects on crop yield. They reported use of mesh fencing, hunting, and domestic animals as attempts to reduce negative effects of green iguanas on crop production. Recognition of this species as an agricultural pest is warranted in Puerto Rico and perhaps elsewhere in its introduced range. Agricultural extension agents should consider providing guidance on strategies to reduce negative impacts of green iguanas including cultivating less susceptible crops when possible.(View more) |
Research paper: Interviews with farmers suggest negative direct and indirect effects of the invasive green iguana (Iguana iguana) on agriculture in Puerto Rico | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6447 | 2022 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Climate change stressors are exacerbating an already fragile agricultural sector. Total agricultural product and infrastructure loss from the 2017 hurricanes was over $2 billion.
Isabel K. Parés Ramos, Katia R. Avilés-Vázquez, William Gould, Nora Álvarez-Berríos, AGRICULTUREAND FOOD PRODUCTION. Chapter section pp 120-122 in Working Group 3: Society and Economy. State of the Climate Report. Puerto Rico Climate Change Council. Aponte-González, F., Díaz, E., Rodríguez-Morales, H.K., Rodriguez, J.L., Marrero, V., Leinberger, A., Crespo Acevedo, W. I., and Gonzalez, M.(Eds.)(View more) |
Report: AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION. Chapter section pp 120-122 in Working Group 3: Society and Economy. State of the Climate Report. Puerto Rico Climate Change Council | |
| 6458 | 2022 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Climate change is one of the most serious threats our present generation currently faces, as it directly and indirectly affects every aspect of our society and livelihoods. This paramount
challenge has forced nations and communities re-evaluatetheir existing conditions and identify opportunities to move forward in our global pursuit of progress and well-being. As such, global voices are pushing towards strengthening our social, economic, and ecological resilient capacity in the face of current and projected climatic changes. Particularly on the most vulnerable countries and communities where adaptation actions can make a difference on the continuity of their livelihoods and ways of life.
Aponte-González, F., Rodríguez-Rivera, L.E., Crespo Acevedo, W., Moyano Flores, R., Quiñones, H., Rodríguez, J.L., Leinberger, A., Santos-Corrada, M., Marrero, V., Rivera-Collazo, I., Ezcurra, P., Parés Ramos, I.K., Avilés, K.R., Gould, W., Álvarez-Berrios, N., Torres, M., and Rodriguez-Morales, H.K. (. 2022. . Working Group 3: Society and Economy. State of the Climate Report. Puerto Rico Climate Change Council. Aponte-González, F., Díaz, E., Rodríguez-Morales, H.K., Rodriguez, J.L., Marrero, V., Leinberger, A., Crespo Acevedo, W. I., and Gonzalez, M.(Eds.)(View more) |
Book Chapter: Working Group 3: Society and Economy. State of the Climate Report. Puerto Rico Climate Change Council | |
| 6463 | 2022 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Sustainable forestry is key to increase the adaptive capacity and resilience of regions exposed to extreme atmospheric events. Understanding social acceptability of forest management practices through a public dialogue that involves a diversity of stakeholdersis important to define management policies and strategies. Here, we inquire about social acceptability of a sustainable forestry industry in Puerto Rico by convening a set of local experts from private, non-profit, and public sectors through focus group discussions. We presented three scenarios characterized by different elements of sustainability. Discussions included organizational and management considerations, potential products and markets, and the impact of extreme weather events. The results show that greater agreement was observed within groups than across groups. Most of the private sector participants valued mainly financial viability, while the public and the non-profit sectors gave more importance to social equity and environmental protection. This suggests that there is no single ideal model; thus, participation from all sectors in subsequent conversations would be worthwhile to seek a model that would work for most of the stakeholders. As a next step, we suggest expanding the stakeholder consultation effort to delineate a clear road map that can inform sustainable forestry planning at the local level.(View more) |
Research paper: Social Acceptability of a Sustainable Forestry Industry in Puerto Rico: Views of Private, Public, and Non-Profit Sectors | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6670 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: ROOT, BRANCH & TREE. Event held on November 28, 2023 at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - WOOD ROOTS FORUM 2023 - Opening Keynotes | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6672 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: ROOT, BRANCH & TREE. Event held on November 29, 2023 at the International Institute of Forestry.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - WOOD ROOTS FORUM 2023 | Day 2 - Panel 1 | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6674 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: ROOT, BRANCH & TREE. Event held on November 29, 2023 at the International Institute of Forestry.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - WOOD ROOTS FORUM 2023 | Day 2 - Panel 2 | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6678 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: ROOT, BRANCH & TREE. Event held on November 30, 2023 at the International Institute of Forestry.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - WOOD ROOTS FORUM 2023 | Day 3 - Panel 1 | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6468 | 2023 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Farmers, forest owners, and rural communities are among the groups most exposed to the effects and associated impacts of hurricanes and other extreme climate events in the Caribbean. Yet, little is known about their preparednessfor or their capacity to respond to and recover from these disturbances. We conducted qualitative research involving focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with 152 farmers, forest owners, and agriculture and forest experts in Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands to understand the effects and associated impacts of hurricanes Irma and María at farm, forest, community, and sectoral levels and the internal and external factors that help to explain their capacities to anticipate, absorb, and adapt to hurricanes and other extreme climate events. Participants reported widespread crop and livestock losses; extensive damages to roads, facilities, and other private and public infrastructure; lengthy outages in electricity, telecommunications, and water supplies; and harmful impacts on human health and well-being that significantly affected their productive capacities and livelihoods. Most farmers and forest owners reported coping with the immediate effects and associated impacts of the hurricanes largely on their own, some also reported the emergence of informal or extemporized relief and recovery support, mostly from family members, neighbors, and others in their local community. Official relief and recovery resources for the agriculture and forest sectors were described by many as having been too rigid or onerous to access or navigate successfully, ultimately limiting their effectiveness in supporting farm and forest relief and recovery. Few participants or sectors reported having adequate hurricane preparations, mitigation, or adaptation practices in place prior to the storms. Low levels of risk reduction and adaptation mostly were associated with limited human, financial, and technological resources to design and implement related strategies and practices at individual and community levels.(View more) |
Research paper: READY OR NOT? Hurricane preparedness, response, and recovery of farms, forests, and rural communities in the U.S. Caribbean | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6474 | 2024 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: José Cruz, agricultor y dueño de Finca Cruz, ubicada en Maricao Puerto Rico, nos muestra qué prácticas climáticamente inteligentes está trabajando en su finca para mitigar y adaptarse a los efectosdel cambio climático. El principal cultivo de Finca Cruz es el café bajo sombra establecido en un bosque secundario. Cruz decidió mantener su terreno en estado boscos e ir diseñando su siembra a favor de las pendientes y al contorno para así poder evitar la erosión y, que las/los trabajadores tengan mayor comodidad. Cruz destaca que al crecer bajo sombra, el café ha mejorado su rendimiento, vigorosidad y floración en comparación con otras fincas aledañas establecidas a pleno sol y al raso. Además, Cruz menciona cómo la agencia de Servicios de Conservación de Recursos Naturales (NRCS) le apoyó en la adquisición de árboles nativos para su establecimiento como barreras de vientos. Las barreras no solo le ayudan con el viento, sino que ha incrementado la biodiversidad de la flora y fauna nativa. El Centro Climático del Caribe del USDA desarrolló el proyecto Caribe Climáticamente Inteligente para brindarle información a la comunidad agrícola sobre prácticas de manejo sostenible que ayudan a reducir los riesgos y vulnerabilidades del cambio climático en la producción agrícola. Para más información visitar www.caribbeanclimatehub.org o escribir a caribbeanclimatehub@gmail.com(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Finca Cruz | Maricao PR - Integración de prácticas y recursos disponibles | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6475 | 2024 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Join us as we discover the uniqueness of Bosque Caos. Nicole and Sergio are the owners of this agroforestry project located in the town of Las Marías, Puerto Rico. Their mission is to rediscover theancestral knowledge of the forest in order to preserve its diversity, while educating about the services that the forest provides to rural communities. In addition to the native species that have been in the forest for years, Bosque Caos has approximately 50 species of fruit trees (including varieties of coffee, carob, mamey, etc.). During the video Nicole and Sergio show us some of the practices they use to keep the forest alive and how it has helped them adapt to the effects of climate change. One of the adaptation practices they emphasized was maintaining biodiversity and pollinator conservation zones through biological corridors. Bosque Caos has received support from Cafiesencia, who have helped them with the project's management plan, and provided them with a poster of the birds that inhabit the forest to educate visitors. The USDA Caribbean Climate Center developed the Climate-Smart Caribbean project to provide the agricultural community with information on sustainable management practices that help reduce the risks and vulnerabilities of climate change in agricultural production.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Bosque Caos | Las Marías PR - Cafiesencia Puerto Rico. | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6680 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: ROOT, BRANCH & TREE. Event held on November 30, 2023 at the International Institute of Forestry.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - WOOD ROOTS FORUM 2023 | Day 3 - Panel 2 | |
| 6690 | 2019 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q3 Description: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Taller ADAPTA en torno a la Cultura Forestal #1: Desarrollo de productos madereros. Taller Escuela en Carolina, Puerto Rico(View more) |
ADAPTA Workshop #1: Building a New Forestry Culture | Development of Wood Products | |
| 6691 | 2018 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Proyecto Agroecológico El Josco Bravo, sharing best practices related to water management, composting, and terracing.(View more) |
ADAPTA Workshop #2: Managing climate variability - Efficient water use for irrigation, keyline contouring | Toa Alta PR | |
| 6692 | 2020 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q1 Description: The workshop was facilitated by Scott Landis and John Curtis from the organization GreenWood.(View more) |
ADAPTA Workshop #3: Building a New Forest Culture - Techniques for using the sawmill to maximize utilization of wood | |
| 6693 | 2018 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q4 Description: The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Guillermo Ortiz-Colón, a specialist in nutrition and dairy cattle, and Dr. Rubén Hernández, a specialist in public health and environmental sciences. The workshop focused on recommended management practices tofacilitate adaptation to the effects of climate change and the mitigation of greenhouse gas production from dairy livestock. The workshop took place at the Lajas Experimental Station and Tai South Farm, and it was in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Model Forest Trust.(View more) |
ADAPTA Workshop #5: Minimizing the carbon footprint in dairy production | Lajas PR | |
| 6477 | 2024 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Acompáñenos a descubrir los encantos del Bosque Caos. Nicole y Sergio son los propietarios de este proyecto agroforestal ubicado en el pueblo de Las Marías, Puerto Rico. Ambos tienen como misión el redescubrir los saberesancestrales del bosque para así poder preservar su diversidad, y a su vez educar sobre los servicios que tiene el bosque para las comunidades rurales. En adición a especies nativas que llevan años en el terreno, Bosque Caos cuenta con aproximadamente 50 especies de árboles frutales (incluyendo variedades de café, algarrobo, mamey, etc.). Durante el vídeo Nicole y Sergio nos muestran algunas de las prácticas que realizan para mantener vivo el bosque y cómo este les ha ayudado a adaptarse ante los efectos del cambio climático. Una de las prácticas de adaptación a la que le dieron énfasis fue mantener zonas de conservación de biodiversidad y polinizadores por medio de corredores biológicos. Bosque Caos ha recibido apoyo de Cafiesencia, quienes les han ayudado con el plan de manejo del proyecto, y un afiche de las aves que se encuentran habitando en el bosque el cual les ayuda a poder educar a las personas que visiten Bosque Caos. El Centro Climático del Caribe del USDA desarrolló el proyecto Caribe Climáticamente Inteligente para brindarle información a la comunidad agrícola sobre prácticas de manejo sostenible que ayudan a reducir los riesgos y vulnerabilidades del cambio climático en la producción agrícola.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Bosque Caos | Las Marías PR - Cafiesencia Puerto Rico | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6483 | 2024 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: En colaboración con el nuevo proyecto Red de Aprendizaje sobre la Salud del Suelo del Caribe, se llevó a cabo en Hacienda La Esperanza Manatí, nuestro 6to conversatorio One USDA enfocado en salud de suelos.La actividad contó con una participación de aproximadamente 50 personas de alrededor de la isla, en su mayoría estudiantes, agricultores y dueños de terrenos. Durante el conversatorio se brindó información valiosa y práctica sobre cómo evaluar la salud del suelo en sus aspectos físicos, biológicos y químicos, y a su vez se educó acerca de la degradación apropiada de materia orgánica. Además, el equipo de NRCS Caribbean Area llevó a cabo demostraciones de cómo los aspectos de la salud del suelo afectan el movimiento del agua a través del perfil del suelo. Durante el conversatorio se abordaron prácticas que los agricultores pueden hacer para mejorar la salud del suelo, medidas de mitigación, adaptación, recursos disponibles y cómo esto puede ayudarle en la toma de decisiones estratégicas e informadas ante los efectos del cambio climático. El espacio contó con mesas informativas de; Servicio de Conservación de Recursos Naturales (NRCS), el Programa de Bosques Estatales, Privados y Tribales del Servicio Forestal (SPTF), el Servicio De Extensión Agricola - UPR (SEA), Caribbean Regenerative Community Development (CRCD Puerto Rico), Asociación Distritos de Conservación de Suelos de PR, Arte-Suelo-Ser Inc. y SuelosPR.(View more) |
OneUSDA Video (Spanish): Salud de Suelos | Manatí PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6485 | 2024 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: In collaboration with the new Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network project, our 6th One USDA conversation focused on soils was held at Hacienda La Esperanza Manatí. The activity had a participation of approximately 50 individualsfrom around the island, mostly students, farmers and landowners. During the workshop, valuable and practical information was provided on how to evaluate soil health in its physical, biological and chemical aspects, as well as educating about the proper degradation of organic matter. In addition, the NRCS Caribbean Area team conducted demonstrations of how aspects of soil health affect the movement of water through the soil profile. During the discussion, practices that farmers can do to improve soil health, mitigation measures, adaptation, available resources and how this can help in making strategic and informed decisions in the face of the effects of climate change were discussed. The space included information tables from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the State, Private and Tribal Forestry Program of the Forest Service (SPTF), the Agricultural Extension Service - UPR (SEA), Caribbean Regenerative Community Development(CRCD Puerto Rico), Association of Soil Conservation Districts of PR, Arte-Suelo-Ser Inc. and SuelosPR.(View more) |
OneUSDA Video: Soil Health | Manatí PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6489 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: En este video, Jorge Morales, agricultor de cacao, nos lleva a través de un recorrido por la Hacienda Terruño, una finca agroforestal de nueve cuerdas en el barrio Cedro, Naranjito. Con más de 2,000 árbolesde cacao en producción, la hacienda ha enfrentado desafíos como sequías y huracanes, pero ha implementado prácticas innovadoras para garantizar la sostenibilidad y la resiliencia de los cultivos. Morales nos muestra cómo ha transformado la finca con técnicas de conservación de suelos, reforestación y terrazas de captación, lo que ha resultado en una producción de cacao premiada a nivel internacional. Además de cacao, la finca cultiva una variedad de frutas tropicales, contribuyendo a la seguridad alimentaria. Acompáñanos y conoce de cerca este modelo de agricultura sostenible en Puerto Rico.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Hacienda Terruño - Finca de Cacao | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6697 | 2018 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q3 Description: An in person workshop on the use of cover crops for adapting to climate change and mitigating greenhouse gases in agriculture. Activity took place Thursday, June 28, 2018 at the Agricultural Experimental Station in Lajas,Puerto Rco. The workshop included a theoretical and practical part on the implementation of resource conservation practices presented by University of Puerto Rico scientists Dr. David Sotomayor and Dr. José Seguinot.(View more) |
ADAPTA Workshop #4: Use of cover crops for climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas mitigation | Lajas PR | |
| 6725 | 2023 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Photo session of the OneUSDA event in Utuado(View more) |
Photo Gallery: OneUSDA workshop | Utuado PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6726 | 2023 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Photography session for the OneUSDA workshop in Camuy, Puerto Rico(View more) |
Photo Gallery: OneUSDA workshop | Camuy PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6727 | 2023 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q3 |
Photo Gallery: OneUSDA workshop | Juana Díaz PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6728 | 2023 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: One USDA Workshop sharing decision support tools and information with farmers, ranchers, and forest managers for adaptation to drought, extreme heat, flooding, wildfire, and hurricanes.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: OneUSDA workshop | Maricao PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6493 | 2025 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The third webinar in the mini-series Advancing Tropical Soil Health in the U.S. Caribbean and Pacific Islands of The Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network took place January 23rd, 2025. The webinar titled “Getting to KnowFinca Gonzalez - Increasing Soil Health” featured an experienced and successful farmer and entrepreneur in the vegetable industry in Puerto Rico, Carlos Gonzalez. Gonzalez highlighted his efforts towards soil conservation and soil health improvement in his farm. This webinar had 37 attendees. Participants were mainly from Hawai’i and Puerto Rico with four participants joining from the US Virgin Islands and six from the US mainland. Attendees identified with different sectors: 29% were producers and 21% were researchers. Minor percentages corresponded to agricultural extension services, NGOs, and technical support providers, while 32% identified with other sectors not specified(View more) |
Webinar: Getting to Know Finca Gonzalez - Increasing Soil Health mini series #3 | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6532 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: Discover Hacienda Terruño in Naranjito, Puerto Rico and learn of Climate Smart Practices
In this video, cocoa farmer Jorge Morales takes us through a tour of Hacienda Terruño, a nine-acre agroforestry farm in the Cedro neighborhoodof Naranjito. With more than 2,000 cacao trees in production, the farm has faced challenges such as droughts and hurricanes, but has implemented innovative practices to ensure sustainability and crop resilience. Morales shows us how he has transformed the farm with soil conservation techniques, reforestation and catchment terraces, resulting in international award-winning cocoa production. In addition to cocoa, the farm grows a variety of tropical fruits, contributing to food security. Join us and learn about this model of sustainable agriculture in Puerto Rico.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Hacienda Terruño - Cocoa Farm | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6536 | 2023 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Ecological Site Descriptions | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: The genus Capsicum includes five domesticated species whose fruits are a fundamental part of the traditional cuisine of different cultures. In Spanish-speaking countries they are commonly known as chili peppers, peppers, aji peppers and/or chillipeppers. In particular, Capsicum chinense is a widely cultivated and consumed species on the island of Puerto Rico, but it is not reported in the floristic lists and botanical literature pertinent to the region. We investigate the presence of Capsicum chinense in Puerto Rico, and present the first botanical records and herbarium specimens from the island.
El género Capsicum incluye cinco especies domesticadas cuyos frutos cons-tituyen parte fundamental de la gastronomía tradicional de diferentes culturas. En países de habla hispana se les conoce comúnmente como chiles, pimientos, ajíes y/o guindillas. En particular, Capsicum chinense es una especie de amplio cultivo y consumo en la isla de Puerto Rico, pero esta no se encuentra reportada en los listados florís-ticos y literatura botánica pertinentes a la región. Investigamos la presencia de Capsicum chinense en Puerto Rico, y presentamos los primeros registros botáni-cos y ejemplares de herbario de la isla.(View more) |
Research paper: El curioso caso de Capsicum chinense (Solanaceae) en Puerto Rico: un fantasma botánico de amplio cultivo y consumo | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6540 | 2023 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Ecological Site Descriptions | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: For centuries, the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico has been subjected to the introduction of nonnative plant species. Various human-related activities such as agriculture, horticulture, and ornamental landscaping have resulted in the naturalization of numerousspecies, some of which are now representative of the island’s natural landscape. Recent floristic surveys in anthropized areas across the island yielded three new non-native plant records. We present the first reports with vouchers of Asystasia gangetica (L.) T. Anderson subsp. micrantha (Nees) Ensermu, Emilia praetermissa Milne-Redh., and Acanthocereus tetragonus (L.) Hummelinck for Puerto Rico. We review their geographic distributions, status on the island, and introduction pathways, and offer comments on the importance of surveying disturbed and unprotected areas.(View more) |
Reseach paper: Surveys in Unprotected Areas Yield Additions to the Non-Native Flora of Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6545 | 2023 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Droughts are major climate events that have strong negative effects on water resources for both natural and human systems worldwide. In the Caribbean, droughts have affected agricultural production and local economies and have diminished thequality of life for the general population (Álvarez-Berríos et al. 2018). Better monitoring, forecasting, and planning efforts could certainly lead to improved ways of coping with the impacts of droughts in this region. Strong negative effects of droughts in Puerto Rico (PR) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) stress the need to build resilience at local and regional levels, but reaching this goal has had its obstacles. For instance, drought-related initiatives have existed in the region but have often been siloed by agencies or remained unknown to other relevant entities. There is also a need to foster and support the generation and dissemination of tailored drought information that is temporally and spatially relevant to regional drought decision-makers. A pivotal step to begin addressing the disconnect among drought professionals and lack of critical drought information is to strengthen collaboration and communication among researchers, managers, and local stakeholders. Drought Learning Networks (DLN), initially established by key climate providers in the southwestern United States, provide valuable frameworks to achieve these goals as they promote peer-to-peer knowledge exchange between climate service providers and resource managers (Elias et al. 2020). Realizing the potential benefits of an analogous network in the Caribbean, members of the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub (CCH) proposed the creation of a Caribbean Drought Learning Network (CDLN).(View more) |
Research paper: Fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration among drought-related initiatives in the Caribbean | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6729 | 2023 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Photography session for presentation in Hato Rey(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Agricultural practices addressing climate change | Hato Rey PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6730 | 2023 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Photo gallery of a OneUSDA workshop with the University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service and other partners in Lajas, Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: OneUSDA workshop | Lajas PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6548 | 2024 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Forest ecosystems provide ecological, economic, and social goods and services (hereafter ecosystem services) to natural systems and humankind. These include air purification; regulating water quantity and quality; provisioning fish and wildlife habitat, food, medicine, shelter,wood, and other forest products;
provisioning aesthetics, outdoor recreation, and spiritual renewal; and regulating climate through carbon transfers and other processes. The livelihoods, health, nutrition, and cultural practices and traditions of many Indigenous and Tribal Peoples depend on forest ecosystems (Ch. 16). Social and economic drivers influence how and when forests are managed to maintain or restore ecosystem services critical to human health and welfare.
Forests represent more than one-third (766 million acres) of the land base in the US, with an additional 125 million acres of trees outside of forests in woodlands and developed areas. The amount of forest and tree cover has remained relatively stable over the last 100 years despite substantial land-use change into and out of forest and tree cover, especially in recent decades (Figures 7.1, 6.2). Forest land area and tree cover have declined slightly in the contiguous US in the last two decades due mostly to cropland expansion and urbanization (Figure 6.4), including expansion of the wildland–urban interface (WUI). Forests contributed more than 4% of total US manufacturing gross domestic product in 2020 (nearly $336 billion in 2022 dollars), and the forest products industry is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in the US.(View more) |
Book Chapter: Ch. 7. Forests | Fifth National Climate Assessment | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6590 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This video discussed the Farm Planning Tool, an online tools to provide geospatial information at the farm and forest level. The tool supports decision making and promotes practical strategies to the agricultural and forestry sectorsto adapt to climate change and extreme events (droughts, floods, or hurricanes).
Este vídeo trata de la Herramienta de Planificación Agrícola, una herramienta en línea que proporciona información geoespacial a nivel de explotaciones agrícolas y forestales. La herramienta apoya la toma de decisiones y promueve estrategias prácticas para que los sectores agrícola y forestal se adapten al cambio climático y a los fenómenos extremos (sequías, inundaciones o huracanes).(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #1 (Spanish) - Farm Planning Tool/Herramienta de Planificación Agrícola | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6596 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Este video discute la Herramienta de Estadísticas Agrícolas. Estadísticas Agrícolas es una plataforma interactiva creada por el Centro Climático del Caribe del USDA, que ilustra la procedencia y producción de los cultivos principales en PuertoRico. La herramienta provee información de la localización de más de 100 productos agrícolas, los barrios y municipios donde se cultivan, las áreas de cobertura de cada producto y la cantidad de producción. Las cifras de área y producción están resumidas por barrio y por año, y pueden visualizarse en formato de mapa y tabla a nivel Isla, Región Agrícola, Municipio, y Barrio.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #2 (Spanish) - Herramienta de Estadísticas Agrícolas | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6611 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Informes de Observación y Monitoreo de la Sequía (Herramienta CMOR)
Este video discute herramienta Informes de Observadores de Condiciones sobre Sequía (CMOR-Drought). CMOR permite a las personas hacer ciencia ciudadana y enviar informes de observación relacionadoscon indicadores de sequías y fotos para documentar lo observado. Los informes se presentan en un servicio de mapas en línea que sirve de enlace a los datos y archivos enviados. La herramienta es desarrollada por el Centro Nacional de Mitigación de Sequías (NDMC, por sus siglas en inglés) en asociación con el Sistema Nacional Integrado de Información sobre Sequías (NIDIS, por sus siglas en inglés). El Centro Climático del Caribe del USDA colabora con NDMC para que la herramienta y los materiales promocionales están disponibles en español(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #4 (Spanish) - Informes de Observación y Monitoreo de la Sequía (Herramienta CMOR-Drought) | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6620 | 2025 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: En esta presentación, exploraremos el SJU NWS StormReady Dashboard, una herramienta interactiva que proporciona información meteorológica en tiempo real y pronósticos detallados para los próximos días. Este recurso incluye datos sobre lluvias estimadas, susceptibilidad adeslizamientos de tierra, inundación costera causada por el aumento del nivel del mar o marejada ciclónica, sequía y situación hidrológica, entre otros. Los agricultores aprenderán a utilizar estas funciones para mejorar la toma de decisiones y la planificación agrícola ante posibles riesgos meteorológicos y climáticos.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #6 (Spanish) - Uso del SJU NWS StormReady Dashboard para la Gestión Agrícola | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6731 | 2024 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Photo gallery of participants exploring the Caribbean Climate Resilience Game developed by the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub and Winrock International.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Caribbean Climate Resilience Game | Manatí PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6732 | 2024 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 |
Photo Gallery: Wood Week Forum - Museum of Contemporary Art | Santurce PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6733 | 2024 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Photo gallery of presentations and demonstrations on the second day of activities for the 2023 Wood Week Forum at the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry. DAY 1(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Wood Week Forum activities at the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry | Río Piedras PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6734 | 2024 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Photo gallery of presentations and demonstrations on the second day of activities for the 2023 Wood Week Forum at the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Wood Week Forum activities at the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry | Río Piedras PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6735 | 2024 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Photo gallery of activities at a OneUSDA workshop in Arecibo, Puerto Rico which focused on Cocoa production.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: OneUSDA workshop | Arecibo PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6736 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Photo gallery of activities at a USDA Caribbean Climate Hub workshop sharing the Adaptation Guides for Tropical Forestry and Agriculture. Activity took place at a community facility in Culebra, Puerto Rico(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Adaptation workshop at the Colmena Cimarrona | Vieques PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6626 | 2025 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: En esta charla técnica presentaremos sobre los esfuerzos que está llevando a cabo la nueva Oficina de mitigación ante deslizamientos de tierra en Puerto Rico para entender cómo, cuándo y por qué ocurren los deslizamientosde tierra en Puerto Rico y las zonas susceptibles a los mismos. Además, se presentarán hallazgos de una reciente investigación sobre los aspectos sociales del riesgo a deslizamientos y sus implicaciones en la seguridad alimentaria.
Esta charla busca (1) beneficiar a gran parte de la población de Puerto Rico que vive en zonas susceptibles a deslizamientos, (2) aportar a la planificación y reducción de riesgos debido a deslizamientos y, (3) compartir cómo acceder y visualizar datos de deslizamientos.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #8 (Spanish) - Mitigación de deslizamientos en Puerto Rico: Datos y herramientas digitales | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6629 | 2025 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: In this technical talk we will present on the efforts being undertaken by the new Puerto Rico Landslide Mitigation Office to understand how, when, and why landslides occur in Puerto Rico and about the areassusceptible to landslides. In addition, findings from a recent study on the social dimensions of landslide risk and its implications for food security will be presented.
This talk seeks to (1) benefit a large part of Puerto Rico's population living in landslide-prone areas, (2) contribute to landslide risk reduction and planning, and (3) share how to access and visualize landslide data.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #8 - Landslide Mitigation in Puerto Rico: Data and Digital Tools | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6639 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This is a recording from the first of a 4-part webinar series focused on climate-smart agriculture for the Caribbean region, a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Caribbean and International Climate Hubs.
Participants hear from experts about climate-smart practices, resources, and initiatives tailored to this unique region. The series aims to not only inform, but to support a continued network of information-sharing among Caribbean farmers, foresters, researchers, and officials who face common climate challenges.
Highlights of the series include: an introduction to USDA’s Climate Hub network, presentations on the International and Caribbean Climate Hubs’ resources and activities, an in-depth look at the Caribbean Hub’s adaptation guides for tropical agriculture and forestry, a discussion of climate solutions for the region, and international opportunities for continued engagement.(View more) |
Video: Climate Ready Caribbean Webinar Series - An Introduction to the USDA’s Climate Hub Network - Session 1 | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6676 | 2025 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Information table | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Information table: Caribbean Community of Practice workshop at the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Thomas Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The CCH put on an information table at the in-person meeting of the Caribbean Conservation Community of Practice annual meeting, which was held at the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Thomas March 25- 27, 2025. In this information table, several CCH fact sheets were presented and the Farm Tool was demonstrated to participants on a tablet. The meeting had around 35 participants. Participants were from a wide array of agencies and organizations including: St. Croix Environmental Association, USVI’s Territorial Parks & Protected Areas - DPNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Puerto Rico-DNER, Coral World Ocean and Reef Initiative, Center for Geospatial Analytics, NC State University, University of the Virgin Islands, and Penn State University.(View more) |
Information table: Caribbean Community of Practice workshop at the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Thomas | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6684 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Energy Vulnerability | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: NASA’s Black Marble satellite data product, which contains a record of images of the entire Earth every night for the past decade, is taken for much more than just pretty pictures. These nighttime lights (NTL)data contain measurements of the brightness of artificial light coming from human settlements and cities, revealing the spatial distribution and intensity of human activity around the world. Experts from the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) at Leidos, Dr. Peter Boucher and Hector Tarrido Picart, are working with the Caribbean Climate Center (CCH) to develop products and tools that unlock the potential of nighttime imagery for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Join them for a presentation on the value of NTL data for real-world applications such as monitoring power outages after hurricanes and measuring the resilience of communities and agricultural sectors across the Caribbean.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar - Monitoring Resiliency by Observing the Earth at Night | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6737 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Workshop to share the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Adaptation Guide with farmer, ranchers, and forest managers in Culebra Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Adaptation Workshop | Culebra PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6738 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Photo gallery of activities in a OneUSDA workshop on St Croix of the US Virgin Islands.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: OneUSDA workshop | St. Croix USVI | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6739 | 2024 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 |
Photo Gallery: CACAO activity at Hacienda Terruno | Naranjito PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6740 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Energy Vulnerability | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Photo gallery of collaborators from Leidos inc. presenting their work assessing anomalies in night light and energy blackouts in Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Research webinar - Assessing energy vulnerability using remote sensing tools | San Juan PR | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6741 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Photo gallery of activities at the 2024 National Cocoa Symposium at the University of Puerto Rico Arecibo Campus.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: 2024 National Cocoa Symposium/Simposio Nacional de Cacao 2024 | Arecibo PR | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6742 | 2016 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Photo gallery of the Puerto Rican working lands.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: 2016 Agricultural and Forested Landscapes in Puerto Rico | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6743 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Photo gallery of activities with the University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service and the National Weather Service to enroll participants in the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network (CoCoRaHS).(View more) |
Photo Gallery: OneUSDA workshop and CoCoRaHS training | Lajas PR | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6689 | 2024 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Energy Vulnerability | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: El producto de datos satelitales Black Marble de la NASA, que contiene un registro de imágenes de toda la Tierra todas las noches durante la última década, se toma para mucho más que simplemente fotografíasbonitas. Estos datos de luces nocturnas (NTL) contienen mediciones del brillo de la luz artificial proveniente de asentamientos humanos y ciudades, revelando la distribución espacial y la intensidad de la actividad humana en todo el mundo. Los expertos de la Oficina del Científico Jefe (OCS) en Leidos, el Dr. Peter Boucher y Héctor Tarrido Picart, están trabajando con el Centro Climático del Caribe (CCH) para desarrollar productos y herramientas que liberen el potencial de las imágenes nocturnas para Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos. Únase a ellos para una presentación sobre el valor de los datos NTL para aplicaciones del mundo real, como el monitoreo de cortes de energía después de huracanes y la medición de la resiliencia de las comunidades y los sectores agrícolas en todo el Caribe.(View more) |
Video: Research Seminar (Spanish) - Observación nocturna de la Tierra para vigilar su capacidad de recuperación | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6694 | 2015 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q4 Description: USDA representatives from the Caribbean, Southwestern US, Washington DC, and Central America met with government and non-government delegates from seven countries in Central America to discuss the USDA Regional Climate Hub network. Theworkshop enabled international participants to examine the USDA Regional Climate Hub model at the US Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico. The group explored opportunities for institutions to interact with the USDA Hubs and to establish and support similar networks throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.(View more) |
Workshop: USDA Climate Hub Concept in the Americas - San Juan, Puerto Rico | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6696 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Information table | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: The Caribbean Climate Hub had the opportunity to host an information table at the 5th annual Arte-Suelo-Ser conference event at the Development and Fine Arts Center in Gurabo, Puerto Rico on December 14 2024. CaribbeanClimate Hub members Paloma Rodríguez and Laura Marin assisted in the event providing attendees with information on the Caribbean Climate Hub tools and resources. The Arte-Suelo-Ser event also had collaborators including Agricultural Extension Service Gurabo, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Eastern Soil and Water Conservation District (DCSAC), and AGROINNOVA. The event was open to the public offering educational presentations and collaboration to foster awareness on the importance of our soils. Speakers held presentations on several topics including soil health, poetry, sustainability, art, agriculture, and more.(View more) |
Information table: Arte-Suelo-Ser event at the Development and Fine Arts Center in Gurabo, Puerto Rico | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6700 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Losses in crop yield due to invasive insects, weeds, pathogens, and herbivores cost trillions of dollars per year globally. To prevent further spread of invasive agricultural pest species, continuous monitoring and prevention are crucial. Onceintroduced, however, assessing the impact of an invasive pest on agricultural production and testing management strategies are essential. The green iguana (Iguana iguana), a globally widespread invasive herbivore, is considered a possible agricultural pest although no quantitative data on its impact are available. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the invasive green iguana on cucumber (Cucumis sativus, var. Dasher II) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa, var. Black-seeded Simpson) yield by testing the efficacy of two management strategies – Neem-based pesticide and mesh fencing – compared to open field cultivation in Puerto Rico. Mesh fencing led to 20% more growth and doubled cucumber yield compared to open field cultivation, while spraying Neem led to an 18% increase in plant growth but no effect on cucumber yield. We found no difference in lettuce growth or yield among treatment and control plots. This study supports categorizing the green iguana as an invasive agricultural pest species and demonstrates the reptile’s potential to reduce crop yield. It also shows that Neem application at the manufacturer’s suggested concentration is not an effective mitigation technique for reducing crop loss due to green iguana herbivory. Government agencies in regions where the green iguana has the potential to be introduced should consider the species a threat to food production when developing monitoring programs and drafting regulations.(View more) |
Research paper: Experimental evidence of negative agricultural impacts and effectiveness of mitigation strategies of invasive green iguanas (Iguana iguana) in Puerto Rico | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6744 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Energy Vulnerability | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: The Hub hosted the seminar “Monitoring Resiliency by Observing the Earth at Night” in a hybrid environment at the Library of the Servicios de Extensión Agrícola at Jardín Botánico. Several agencies such as the USDAForest Service, IITF, NASA, University of Maryland and the USGS participated in this seminar. This formed part of a LEIDOS colleagues visit.(View more) |
Webinar: Monitoring Resiliency by Observing the Earth at Night | |
| 6752 | 2025 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service |
Webinar: Caribbean Series Session 4 - Get Involved in USDA Climate Hub International and Regional Efforts | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6754 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: For this second seminar in the Cacao virtual seminar series, three experts in cacao quality (Dr. Elsa Hegmann from Rausch Cacao Costarica, Adriana Marcela Arciniegas from CATIE, and Dra. Viviana Medina from the Caribbean ClimateHub) discussing the post-harvest processes and how they affect quality, the effect of genetics and terrour on a profile among other important cacao quality aspects.(View more) |
Webinar: Cacao Virtual Seminar Series - Comprehensive quality of cacao: from harvesting to processing protocols | |
| 6755 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: In the third sesion of the Cacao Virtual Seminar Series, Dr. Bénédicte Rhoné of CATIE (Turrialba, Costa Rica) shared about the progress, achievements and next steps of CATIE's cocoa breeding program.(View more) |
Webinar: Cacao Virtual Seminar Series - CATIE Cacao breeding Program: Achievements and next steps | |
| 6756 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: In this fourth seminar of the Cacao Virtual Seminar Summer series, researcher Cesar Arevalo shares about cadmium in cacao, from the origin of the regulations to the mitigation practices that should be taken from thenursery stage to the cacao farm.(View more) |
Webinar: Cacao Virtual Seminar Series - Cadmium mitigation in cacao: Measures to follow from the nursery to the farm | |
| 6707 | 2025 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Forest production chains grounded on applicable laws and regulations are essential for achieving sustainable forestry, circular economies, and climatic mitigation. In Puerto Rico, reactivating the forestry sector as a key player capable of providing ecosystemservices, raw materials, and products can significantly contribute to these goals through the sustainable development of local wood production. However, the lack of wood processing capacity and active management for forest products became evident following the hurricanes Irma and María in 2017, which downed large quantities of trees. Most of these were removed from roads and other areas only to be discarded in landfills, undermining both the forestry production potential at the time and the conservation of Puerto Rico’s natural resources. is situation highlights the urgent need for critical, forward-looking strategies. e pattern of forest recovery since the 1950s provides Puerto Rico with favorable circumstances for developing sustainable production chains, ranging from small-scale artisanal activities to larger-scale, environmentally responsible wood production on private farms, all without compromising biodiversity conservation. To support improved strategic planning, this study analyzed Puerto Rico’s forestry sector through a review of existing literature, field visits, and interviews with representatives from five sectors of the wood production chain. e objective was to identify opportunities and challenges for the sustainable production of forest products.(View more) |
Research paper: Strategic Guidelines for the Sustainable Management of Forest Resources in Puerto Rico: Opportunities, Challenges, and Stakeholders in the Production Chain of the Forestry Sector | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6709 | 2025 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Global climate change phenomena are amplified in Arctic regions, driving rapid changes in the biota. Here, we examine changes in plant community structure over more than 30 years at two sites in arctic Alaska, USA,Imnavait Creek and Toolik Lake, to understand long-term trends in tundra response to changing climate. Vegetation cover was sampled every 4–7 years on permanent 1 m2 plots spanning a 1 km2 grid using a point-frame. The vascular plant canopies progressively closed at both locations. Canopy cover, defined here as an encounter of a vascular plant above the ground surface, increased from 63% to 91% at Imnavait Creek and from 63% to 89% at Toolik Lake. Both sites showed steady increases in maximum canopy height, increasing by approximately 50% (8 cm). While cover and height increased to some extent for all vascular plant growth forms, deciduous shrubs and graminoids changed the most. For example, at Imnavait Creek the cover of graminoids more than tripled (particularly in wet meadow plots), increasing by 237%. At Toolik Lake the cover of deciduous shrubs more than doubled (particularly in moist acidic plots), increasing by 145%. Despite the steady closing of the plant canopy, cryptogams (lichens and mosses) persisted; in fact, the cover of lichens increased. These results call into question the dominant dogma that cryptogams will decline with increases in vascular plant abundance and demonstrate the resilience of these understory plants. In addition to overall cover, the diversity of vascular plants increased at one site (Imnavait Creek). In contrast to much of the Arctic, summer air temperatures in the Toolik Lake region have not significantly increased over the 30+ year sampling period; however, winter temperatures increased substantially. Changes in vegetation community structure at Imnavait Creek and Toolik Lake are likely the result of winter warming.(View more) |
Research paper: Tundra Plant Canopies Gradually Close Over Three Decades While Cryptogams Persist | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6711 | 2025 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Motivation: Here, we make available a second version of the BioTIME database, which compiles records of abundance estimates
for species in sample events of ecological assemblages through time. The updated version expands version 1.0 of thedatabase by
doubling the number of studies and includes substantial additional curation to the taxonomic accuracy of the records, as well as
the metadata. Moreover, we now provide an R package (BioTIMEr) to facilitate use of the database.
Main Types of Variables Included: The database is composed of one main data table containing the abundance records and 11
metadata tables. The data are organised in a hierarchy of scales where 11,989,233 records are nested in 1,603,067 sample events,
from 553,253 sampling locations, which are nested in 708 studies. A study is defined as a sampling methodology applied to an
assemblage for a minimum of 2 years.
Spatial Location and Grain: Sampling locations in BioTIME are distributed across the planet, including marine, terrestrial
and freshwater realms. Spatial grain size and extent vary across studies depending on sampling methodology. We recommend
gridding of sampling locations into areas of consistent size.
Time Period and Grain: The earliest time series in BioTIME start in 1874, and the most recent records are from 2023. Temporal
grain and duration vary across studies. We recommend doing sample-level rarefaction to ensure consistent sampling effort
through time before calculating any diversity metric.
Major Taxa and Level of Measurement: The database includes any eukaryotic taxa, with a combined total of 56,400 taxa.
Software Format: csv and. SQL(View more) |
Research paper: BioTIME 2.0: Expanding and improving a database of biodiversity time series | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6757 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: This was the fifth session in the Cacao Virtual Seminar Summer series. Dr. Melanie Bordeaux, PhD in Chemistry and Scientific Director of the Nicafrance Foundation, shared her knowledge on "SNP Markers for Cacao Fingerprinting andTraceability" and what we can do to close the yield gap—the difference between expected and actual yields.(View more) |
Webinar: Cacao virtual seminar series - SNP Markers for Cacao genetic fingerprinting and traceability | |
| 6758 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: In the last session of the Cacao Virtual Seminar Summer Series, Dr. Ramón Jaiméz, an expert in cacao ecophysiology with an impressive track record, presents on the combination of rootstocks and grafts for drought tolerancein cacao, a crucial topic for improving resilience and productivity in the face of current climate challenges.(View more) |
Webinar: Cacao virtual seminar series - Combination of rootstocks X grafting to reduce water stress in cacao | |
| 6747 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Webinar: Caribbean Series Session 3: Caribbean Solutions to Combatting Climate Change Description: This is the third session of a 4-part webinar series focused on climate-ready agriculture for the Caribbean region, a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Caribbean and International Climate Hubs.
Thissession included:
Working Trees for Small Islands – Dr. Katherine Favor – USDA National Agroforestry Center.
Co-benefits of timber trees for shade in Cacao production – Dr. Luis Orozco – The Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza.
Diversifying practices for sustainability, opportunities in agrotourism – Jose Julian Rodriguez - Hacienda Chocolat
Implementing Climate Smart Practices – Opportunities and challenges in St. Lucia – Kishma Louis, Agricultural Officer and Timothy E. Norville, Animal Nutritionist(View more) |
Webinar: Caribbean Series Session 3: Caribbean Solutions to Combatting Climate Change | |
| 6751 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This is the second session of a 4-part webinar series focused on climate-ready agriculture for the Caribbean region, a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Caribbean and International Climate Hubs.
This sessionincludes
Overview of the project and its objectives
Insights into sector-specific guidelines and tools for climate resilience and adaptation.
5-step process to address impacts such as prolonged droughts, temperature rises, changing rainfall, and others. This project has been developed through a process of co-creation, with the valuable input of farmers, technical staff, scientists, agencies and local communities. Presentations by William Gould, Director of the Caribbean Climate Hub, Diana Guzman Colon, Ph.D., and Silmarie Crespo Velez, Agronomist(View more) |
Webinar: Caribbean Series Session 2: The Caribbean Climate Hub’s Climate Adaptation Guides for Tropical Agriculture and Forestry | |
| 6753 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: The Cacao Summer Seminar Series of 2024 included 8 seminars that explored a wide variety of key topics to support cacao production in the region. These seminars were carried out with international experts in Spanishwith English translation. This was the first seminar of the series. Oscar Ramírez-Argueta, leader in agricultural and cacao research at the Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research and director of the Jesús Alfonso Sánchez Experimental Demonstrative Cacao Center presented. Oscar Ramírez-Argueta shared important results of moniliasis-tolerant cacao clones.(View more) |
Webinar: Cacao Virtual Seminar Series - Evaluation of tolerant cacao clones to Monilia/Black Pod disease in timber agroforestry systems | |
| 6759 | 2022 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Description: A two-day virtual conference focused on climate change resiliency in U.S. Caribbean with over 20 presentations spanning a wide variety of topics from disaster recovery to food security. A collaboration among government agencies, academia, andnongovernmental organizations, the conference served as a platform for engagement across boundaries to share challenges, solutions, new initiatives, and opportunities addressing climate resiliency and equity for the people of the U.S. Caribbean and was attended virtually by 863 participants.(View more) |
Workshop: Third Climate Change in the Caribbean Conference | |
| 6768 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: National Weather Service San Juan, Puerto Rico, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This collaborative workshop featured presentations by the Distrito de Conservacion del Este, Caribbean Climate Hub, and the National Weather Service with the aim to educate participants on the importance of taking rain measurements and encouragingthem to form part of the CoCoRaHS volunteer network. There were 26 participants in attendance. In the end an opportunity was given to participants to register in CoCoRaHS to receive rain gauges from the Caribbean Climate Hub and installation support from Distrito del Este.(View more) |
Workshop: Importancia de tomar y monitorear datos de lluvia - Importance of collecting and monitoring rainfall data | |
| 6770 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Presentation: Workshop on the importance of collecting and monitoring rainfall data - CoCoRaHS Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Dr. William Gould presented on current and projected temperature and precipitation changes in the US Caribbean as part of the workshop "Importancia de tomar y monitorear datos de lluvia" with the aim to give somecontext and scientific background information for the important of taking rain data in Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Presentation: Workshop on the importance of collecting and monitoring rainfall data - CoCoRaHS | |
| 6780 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: NRCS Caribbean Area Office, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Workshop organized by the Environmental Protection Agency to inform municipal emergency response planners of federal ahency tools and information related to solid waste management after disasters.(View more) |
Presentation: Workshop on debris and solid waste management in disaster situations - Handling valuable hardwoods | Hormigueros PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6798 | 2025 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Online tool | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: Thinkamap Description: The Data Viewer allows users create a point in the map to obtain spatial information on environmental characteristics, planning and future climate scenarios in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The data included werecollected from various state and federal government agencies.(View more) |
Online Tool: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Data Viewer | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6799 | 2015 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Gould, W.A., S.J. Fain, I.K. Pares, K. McGinley, A. Perry, and R.F. Steele, 2015: Caribbean Regional Climate Sub Hub Assessment of Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies, United States Department of Agriculture, 67pp(View more) |
Report: Caribbean Regional Climate Sub Hub Assessment of Climate Change Vulnerability and AdCaribbean Regional Climate Sub Hub Assessment of Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies | |
| 6800 | 2020 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Suggested citation: Wiener, S.S., Álvarez-Berríos, N.L. and Lindsey, A.B., 2020. Opportunities and challenges for hurricane resilience on agricultural and forest land in the US Southeast and Caribbean. Sustainability, 12(4), p.1364.(View more) |
Research paper: Opportunities and challenges for hurricane resilience on agricultural and forest land in the US Southeast and Caribbean | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6802 | 2022 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: University of Vermont, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Suggested citation: Rodríguez-Cruz, Luis Alexis; Álvarez-Berríos, Nora; Niles, Meredith T. 2022. Social-ecological interactions in a disaster context: Puerto Rican farmer households’ food security after Hurricane Maria. Environmental Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac6004.(View more) |
Research paper: Social-ecological interactions in a disaster context: Puerto Rican farmer households’ food security after Hurricane Maria | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6776 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: August 6th, 2025 - 2 to 3 pm. This was the first tech talk of a short series of tech talks highlighting NRCS online tools in collaboration with USDA-NRCS Caribbean Area staff, Manuel Matos &Jacqueline Vega. This webinar highlighted the Web Soil Survey tool. It included a brief presentation by Manuel Matos with pertinent background information and a live demonstration of the Web Soil Survey tool by Jacqueline Vega. We had a total of 39 participants. These were mainly from Puerto Rico, with three participants from US mainland and one from St. Thomas, USVI. The audiences included a combination of professions including, farmers, land managers, forest managers, agronomists, extension agents, educators, researchers, among others. The goal was for participants to have an introduction on how to use this tool in their decision-making processes in their projects. English translation of recorded webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrgL0VtFKtA&t=1699s&pp=0gcJCa0JAYcqIYzv.(View more) |
Webinar: Tech Talk Series - USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Web Soil Survey | |
| 6785 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: August 20, 2025
In this Tech Talk, Manuel Matos and Jacqueline Vega from USDA-NRCS Caribbean Area shared on the Interpretations included in the Web Soil Survey and how these can be included in reports. Examples ofthese integrations included Crop Suitability Indexes like those for coffee and cacao, and Crop Productivity Indexes like that for plantain. There were 21 participants in attendance throughout the talk. All from Puerto Rico, but one who joined the Tech Talk from Costa Rica. In the audience, we had participation from farmers, agronomists, educators, consultants, researchers, field technicians, among other professionals.
This USDA-NRCS tool is key for farmers when it comes to planning their farm operations particularly in supporting them in the decisions of crop selection or suitability.(View more) |
Webinar: Tech Talk Series - USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Crop Suitability Indexes | Web Soil Survey | |
| 6787 | 2021 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Frequent hurricanes affect agricultural productivity, food security, economic security, and human wellbeing in the Caribbean islands. We assessed recent hurricane effects on the agricultural sector, and the challenges faced by farmers, foresters, and advisors relatedto hurricane preparedness and recovery in Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands (USVI). We used qualitative and quantitative survey methods to compile perspectives from agricultural advisors related to hurricane effects on farmlands, preparedness and recovery measures taken by land managers, and the needs regarding preparing for and responding to future hurricanes. Survey responses from over 200 advisors at eight institutions provided insight into the most devastating hurricane effects across farmlands, including issues related to power outages, communication, road access, and fallen trees. Our results highlight strategies considered critical for hurricane preparedness and recovery but not prevalent in application among land managers. Advisors’ perceptions suggested that farmers and ranchers apply essential recovery practices, but critical short-term preparedness practices are limited, and long-term preparedness practices are uncommon. Advisors also indicated the need for more training and educational resources to improve hurricane recovery response. We conclude that better planning to minimize the vulnerability to future hurricanes can be achieved through an increased understanding of how preparedness and recovery practices help mitigate hurricane effects, improved interagency coordination for hurricane response and preparedness, and integrated educational campaigns with advisors and land managers.(View more) |
Research paper: Hurricane effects, mitigation, and preparedness in the Caribbean: Perspectives on high importance-low prevalence practices from agricultural advisors | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6789 | 2021 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: The Puerto Rico Breeding Bird Atlas (PRBBA) project collected and summarized information on the timing of breeding and geographic distribution of 130 breeding bird species on Puerto Rico, and its associated satellite islands and cays.Fieldwork coordinated by the Puerto Rican Ornithological Society (SOPI) involved 344 volunteer observers who contributed to more than 45,500 individual observations of birds from 2004 through 2009. Following standard breeding bird atlas protocol, observers searched for breeding evidence in 479 hexagons while recording bird behavior. Each observed behavior was classified within a hierarchy of behaviors indicating increased likelihood of breeding from simply observed (i.e., no evidence for breeding), to possible, probable, or confirmed breeding evidence. Bird observations and breeding status were plotted in a geographic information system (GIS) layer with 479 hexagons (each 24 km2) covering Puerto Rico and its satellite islands and cays. For each species, the highest ranked breeding likelihood category (i.e., observed, possible, probable, or confirmed) was plotted for each hexagon to depict the species' breeding distribution and probability of breeding in an area covered by the hexagon. In addition, breeding distribution and timing of breeding for each species were related to ecological life zones (or Holdridge life zones) on the islands and the protected areas to estimate the level of protection of the hexagons where the species breeds. Breeding distribution maps are depicted for terrestrial and aquatic birds including 73 native residents, 26 nonnative residents, 16 endemic species, 13 endemic subspecies, and 2 native migrant breeding species. The breeding distributions summarized in this atlas facilitate comparisons with earlier published descriptions of distribution for each species and will serve as a baseline for future studies of avian distributions and their responses to land use and climate change on Puerto Rico, satellite islands, and cays.(View more) |
General Technical Report: The Puerto Rico breeding bird atlas | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6808 | 2016 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Presentation: at the Binational Seminar on Climate Change Observatories in Mexico City - Case Study: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub for Tropical Agriculture and Forestry Description: Sharing the Climate Hub Concept at an activity organized by the Department of Agriculture in Mexico.(View more) |
Presentation: at the Binational Seminar on Climate Change Observatories in Mexico City - Case Study: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub for Tropical Agriculture and Forestry | |
| 6809 | 2024 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Webinar: Virtual Tea and Coffee with the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: A webinar with USVI partners to share who we are and what we do at the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub and listen to USVI partners about the Climate Change issues related to agriculture and naturalresource management on the islands.(View more) |
Webinar: Virtual Tea and Coffee with the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub | |
| 6812 | 2015 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Adapta videos and podcasts launched June 20, 2015. Video trailer produced March 17, 2016.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Adapta Videos Launched - Trailer | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6790 | 2021 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the globe. Graminoid, deciduous shrub, and evergreen shrub cover has increased in some regions, but not others. To better understand why plant responses varyacross regions, we compared change in plant cover over time with nine functional traits of 12 dominant species in three regions of northern Alaska (Utqiaġvik, Atqasuk, and Toolik Lake). Cover was measured three times from 2008 to 2018. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) found that one species — Carex aquatilis — showed significant change in cover over time, increasing by 12.7% at Atqasuk. Canonical correspondence analysis suggested a relationship between shifts in species cover and traits, but Pearson and Spearman rank correlations did not find a significant trend for any trait when analyzed individually. Investigation of community-weighted means (CWMs) for each trait revealed no significant changes over time for any trait in any region. By comparison, estimated ecosystem values for several traits important to ecosystem functioning showed consistent increases over time in two regions (Utqiaġvik and Atqasuk). Our results indicate that vascular plant community composition and function have remained consistent over time; however, documented increases in total plant cover have important implications for ecosystem functioning.(View more) |
Research paper: Can plant functional traits explain shifts in community composition in a changing Arctic? | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6791 | 2020 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: North Carolina State University, United States Geological Survey, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The weather research and forecasting (WRF) model and a combination of the regional spectral model (RSM) and the Japanese Meteorological Agency Non Hydrostatic Model (NHM) were used to dynamically downscale selected CMIP5 global climate modelsto provide 2-km projections with hourly model output for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Two 20-year time slices were downscaled for historical (1986–2005) and future (2041–2060) periods following RCP8.5. Projected changes to mean and extreme temperature and precipitation were quantified for Holdridge life zones within Puerto Rico and for the U.S. Virgin Islands. The evaluation reveals a persistent cold bias for all islands in the U.S. Caribbean, a dry bias across Puerto Rico, and a wet bias on the windward side of mountains within the U.S. Virgin Islands. Despite these biases, model simulations show a robust drying pattern for all islands that is generally larger for Puerto Rico (25% annual rainfall reduction for some life zones) than the U.S. Virgin Islands (12% island average). The largest precipitation reductions are found during the more convectively active afternoon and evening hours. Within Puerto Rico, the model uncertainty increases for the wetter life zones, especially for precipitation. Across the life zones, both models project unprecedented maximum and minimum temperatures that may exceed 200 days annually above the historical baseline with only small changes to the frequency of extreme rainfall. By contrast, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, there is no consensus on the location of the largest drying relative to the windward and leeward side of the islands. However, the models project the largest increases in maximum temperature on the southern side of St. Croix and in higher elevations of St. Thomas and St. John.(View more) |
Research paper: High‐resolution dynamically downscaled rainfall and temperature projections for ecological life zones within Puerto Rico and for the US Virgin Islands | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6792 | 2021 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Video shares how to safely remove a downed tree after a hurricane to make use of its valuable wood. Join Daniel Cedeño, Battalion Chief of the Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico, to learnabout chainsaw parts, their maintenance, and proper cutting of fallen logs. Learn how to prepare and trim hazardous trees on your property before a hurricane or tropical storm.
The wood obtained from native trees that have fallen after an extreme event can be highly valuable for the manufacturing of wood products and construction, and in turn, the sustainable use of this wood is a strategy for climate change adaptation.
At USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, we are working to help strengthen the local timber industry. This video is part of our ADAPTA which aims to create climate change resilience and reduce the effects of extreme events, while increasing the productivity and sustainability of agricultural and forestry lands. Much of the scenes in this video show footage from the Caribbean Climate Hub workshop on chainsaw safety that was provided thanks to support from USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry and Research and Development.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Tree-cutting after a Hurricane | Best Practices in Chainsaw Use | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6814 | 2017 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Storymap | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Do you know which agencies of the USDA work in the U.S. Caribbean and what type of services they provide?
In this Storymap developed by the Caribbean Climate Hub you will find information of USDA agenciesthat provide technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers and forest landowners who wish to improve their operations and/or establish conservation practices on their farms to increase their productivity, reduce the risks associated with climate change, and build long-term resilience.(View more) |
Storymap: Exploring the USDA in the Caribbean | |
| 6815 | 2017 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Storymap | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q3 Description: This Story Map to explain how to access technical and financial resources that USDA agencies offer to farmers, ranchers, and private landowners. The programs listed here include support for environmental and rural economic development inPuerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.(View more) |
Storymap: Get to Know the USDA's Incentive Programs in the Caribbean | |
| 6816 | 2017 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Storymap | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q3 |
Storymap (Spanish): Exploremos el USDA en el Caribe | |
| 6817 | 2017 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Storymap | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q3 Description: El Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA por sus siglas en inglés), ofrece asistencia técnica y económica para agricultores, ganaderos y dueños de fincas privadas, con el propósito de desarrollar la economía ganaderay de silvicultura en las comunidades rurales. El departamento ofrece estos servicios a través de catorce oficinas localizadas en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE.UU.(View more) |
Storymap (Spanish): Conozca los programas de incentivos del USDA en el Caribe | |
| 6793 | 2021 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Conozca cómo debe cortar un árbol caído de forma segura después de un huracán, para aprovechar su valiosa madera. Acompañe a Daniel Cedeño, Jefe del Batallón del Bosque Nacional de Carson en el norte deNuevo Mexico, para aprender sobre las partes de la motosierra, su mantenimiento y corte apropiado de troncos caídos. Además, aprenda cómo preparar y podar los árboles que representan un peligro en su propiedad antes de un huracán.
La madera obtenida de árboles nativos caídos luego de un evento climático tiene un gran valor para la confección de productos madereros y la construcción, y a su vez, el rescate de esta madera funciona como estrategia de adaptación al cambio climático.
En el Centro Climático del Caribe del USDA, estamos trabajando para ayudar a fortalecer la industria maderera local. Este video es parte de nuestro proyecto ADAPTA que promueve diversas técnicas de manejo, herramientas y tecnologías que ayudan a crear resiliencia al cambio climático y a reducir el impacto de eventos extremos, a la vez que incrementa la productividad y sostenibilidad de las tierras agrícolas y forestales.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Corte de árboles después de un huracán | Buenas prácticas en el uso de motosierra | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6794 | 2021 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Video shares milling techniques for hurricane rescued logs with Scott Landis, President of GreenWood, and Vice President John Curtis.
In the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands therewere many fallen trees. To help build capacity in the local wood industry, the Caribbean Climate Hub invited GreenWood to provide a workshop on milling techniques for rescued logs. Salvaged wood is a valuable resource that could help recover the economic loss after a hurricane.
In this video from the ADAPTA series, we show you how we can obtain the highest possible value from each fallen tree, in this way we create resilience to extreme events by increasing the capacity in the wood industry to adapt to climate change.
GreenWood is a non-profit organization, for years it has helped forest communities, to train and empower artisans. Thus, they have managed to link good forest management with sustainable economic development in these communities, where they create high-quality wood products.
The workshop was provided in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico Corozal Agricultural Experimental Station with support from the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical State and Private Forestry Program.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Milling Techniques for Rescued Logs | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6795 | 2021 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Aprende técnicas de aserrado para madera rescatada luego de un huracán con Scott Landis, presidente de GreenWood (MaderaVerde) y su vicepresidente John Curtis.
Luego del paso de los huracanes Irma y María por PuertoRico e Islas Vírgenes hubo una gran cantidad de árboles caídos. Como parte de los esfuerzos de aumentar la capacidad de la industria maderera local, el Centro Climático del Caribe invitó a GreenWood para ofrecer un taller de las técnicas de aserrado para la madera rescatada de estos árboles caídos. La madera rescatada es un recurso valioso que nos puede ayudar en la recuperación de las pérdidas económicas luego de un huracán.
En este video de la serie ADAPTA, te mostramos cómo podemos obtener el mayor valor posible de cada árbol caído, de esta manera creamos resiliencia a los eventos extremos fortaleciendo la capacidad de la industria maderera para adaptarnos al cambio climático.
GreenWood es una organización sin fines de lucro que por años ha ayudado a comunidades forestales para formar y empoderar artesanos. Así han logrado vincular el buen manejo forestal con el desarrollo económico sostenible en estas comunidades, donde crean productos madereros de alta calidad.
Este taller fue presentado en colaboración con la Estación Experimental Agrícola de Corozal de la Universidad de Puerto Rico y apoyado por el Programa de Bosques Estatales y Privados del Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical del Servicio Forestal del USDA.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Técnicas de aserrado para madera rescatada | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6796 | 2020 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Video shares how post-hurricane woody debris can be transformed into high-quality wood products! Dr. William A. Gould, Research Ecologist and Director of the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub shares how building capacity in the local woodindustry is an adaptive strategy to the effects climate change and extreme events. René Delgado, Founder and Director of Taller Escuela Wood Working School provides an overview on how to create high-quality wood products from salvaged wood.
At the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, we are working to help build capacity in the local wood industry. In 2019, the Hub hosted workshops for wood product development with support from USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry State and Private Forestry Program.
This video is part of our ADAPTA project that promotes diverse management techniques, tools and technologies that help to create resilience to climate change and reduce the impact of extreme events, while increasing the productivity and sustainability of agricultural and forestry lands.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series: Wood Product Development from Rescued Wood | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6819 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Webinar | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Webinar: Tech Talk Series - USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Climate Analysis Network Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: As part of the Tech Talk Series 3 highlighting USDA-NRCS tools, on this third Tech Talk we focused on the Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN). A total of 15 participants attended the Tech Talk. Thespeaker, Kent Sutcliffe, the national coordinator of the over 200 stations network, provided background information on SCAN and then highlighted the stations present in the US Caribbean. After his presentation, there was a brief Q&A session. The audience was a mix of local NRCS staff, researchers, agronomists, one student, and some who selected "other" in the profession section.(View more) |
Webinar: Tech Talk Series - USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Climate Analysis Network | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6844 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Information table | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: During the second event of the Caribbean Environmental Protection Division's Liga de Ciudades de Puerto Rico, the Caribbean Climate Hub had an information table focused on highlighting wood salvaging, climate change adaptation, and hurricane preparednessresources. We estimate that between 25 to 30 of the event's participants passed through the table. Participants were mainly from federal, state, and municipal agencies/departments.(View more) |
Information Table: Sharing USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Tools at EPA's Academia de Manejo de Residuos Solidos | |
| 6797 | 2020 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Conoce cómo los arboles caídos pueden transformarse en productos de madera de alta calidad. El Dr. William A. Gould, ecólogo de investigación y director del Caribbean Climate Hub del USDA, comparte cómo el aumento decapacidad en la industria maderera local es una estrategia adaptativa a los efectos del cambio climático y los eventos extremos. René Delgado, fundador y director de Taller Escuela, ofrece un resumen de cómo crear productos de madera de alta calidad a partir de la madera recuperada.
En el Centro Climático del USDA, estamos trabajando para ayudar a crear capacidad en la industria maderera local. En 2019, el Centro Climático organizó talleres para el desarrollo de productos de madera con el apoyo del Programa Forestal Estatal y Privado del Instituto Forestal Internacional del Servicio Forestal del USDA.
Este video es parte de nuestro proyecto ADAPTA que promueve diversas técnicas de manejo, herramientas y tecnologías que ayudan a crear resiliencia al cambio climático y a reducir el impacto de eventos extremos, a la vez que incrementan la productividad y sostenibilidad de las tierras agrícolas y forestales.(View more) |
ADAPTA Video Series (Spanish): Productos Madereros de Madera Rescatada | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6801 | 2021 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: There is increasing enthusiasm around the concept of soil health, and as a result, new public and private initiatives are being developed to increase soil health-related practices on working lands in the United States. Inaddition, billions of U.S. public dollars are dedicated annually toward soil conservation programs, and yet, it is not well quantified how investment in conservation programs improve soil health and, more broadly, environmental health. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program(EQIP) is one of the major U.S. public conservation programs administered on privately managed lands for which public data are available. In this research, we developed a multi-dimensional classification system to evaluate over 300 EQIP practices to identify to what extent practices have the potential to improve different aspects of soil and environmental health. Using available descriptions and expert opinion, these practices were evaluated with a classification system based on the practices potential to exhibit the following environmental health outcomes: (i) principles of soil health to reduce soil disturbance and increase agrobiodiversity; (ii) a transition to ecologically based management to conserve soil, water, energy and biological resources; and (iii) adaptive strategy to confer agroecosystem resilience. Further, we analyzed nearly $7 billion U.S. dollars of financial assistance dedicated to these practices from 2009 through 2018 to explore the potential of these investments to generate environmental health outcomes. We identified nine practices that fit the highest level of potential environmental health outcomes in our classification systems. These included wetlands and agroforestry related practices, demonstrating that ecologically complex practices can provide the broadest benefits to environmental health. Practices with the greatest potential to improve environmental health in our classification system represent 2-27% of annual EQIP funding between 2009 and 2018. In fiscal year 2018, these practices represented between $13 and 121 million, which represented around 0.08% of total annual USDA expenditures.(View more) |
Research paper: Evaluating the Untapped Potential of U.S. Conservation Investments to Improve Soil and Environmental Health | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6803 | 2024 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: University of Vermont, USDA Agricultural Research Service Description: Common-pool resource theory suggests that the direct participation of local natural resource users in the management of common-pool resources can lead to effective management regimes. Nevertheless, the drivers of participation in common-pool resource management, includingpolicy decision processes, and the effects of participation on stakeholder attitudes and policy preferences are relatively understudied. Here, we combine the social-ecological system (SES) framework with the political science concept of political efficacy to examine both contextual and personal drivers of farmer participation in California, USA’s 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), as well as the effect of participation on support for policy mechanisms from the SGMA. We surveyed a total of 553 farmers in three counties across the California Central Valley and Central Coast. Overall, we find that < 50% of the farmers surveyed have participated in any SGMA-related events, with attending a meeting being the most common (45%), and testifying before a board being the least common (6%). Participation in any type of SGMA policy event was associated with multiple characteristics of the groundwater SES context, including the resource system (farm size) and actor attributes (farm bureau membership and receiving information about the policy), that likely combine to indicate a higher level of social, financial, and built capital. Higher participation was also associated with higher internal efficacy ratings, i.e., an individual’s self-assessment of their ability to understand and participate in the political process. Higher levels of internal efficacy were also correlated with support for both incentive- and regulatory-based policy mechanisms, as well as the perception that groundwater impacts are occurring now or soon, and exclusive reliance on groundwater.(View more) |
Research paper: Individual and collective political efficacy predict farmer engagement and support for groundwater policies: implications from the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6845 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Workshop organized by the Environmental Protection Agency to inform municipal emergency response planners of federal agency tools and information related to solid waste management after disasters.(View more) |
Presentation: Workshop on debris and solid waste management in disaster situations - Handling valuable hardwoods | Cayey PR | |
| 6848 | 2025 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Workshop organized by the Environmental Protection Agency to inform municipal emergency response planners of federal agency tools and information related to solid waste management after disasters.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Environmental Protection Agency Soild Waste Academy | Cayey PR | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6851 | 2025 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: El USDA-NRCS proporciona un Índice de Idoneidad de Cultivos y un Índice de Productividad de Cultivos a través del Web Soil Survey (WSS) para orientar la planificación agrícola sostenible. El Índice de Idoneidad de Cultivosevalúa la capacidad del suelo para el crecimiento de un cultivo específico, basándose en sus propiedades inherentes, las condiciones del sitio y el clima. Por otro lado, el Índice de Productividad de Cultivos se centra en la capacidad inherente del suelo para producir altos rendimientos, suponiendo un manejo adecuado y condiciones de secado.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #10 (Spanish) - Índices de Idoneidad y Productividad de Cultivos | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6804 | 2014 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This study quantitatively explores whether land cover changes have a substantive impact on simulated streamflow within the tropical island setting of Puerto Rico. The Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) was used to compare streamflow simulationsbased on five static parameterizations of land cover with those based on dynamically varying parameters derived from four land cover scenes for the period 1953-2012. The PRMS simulations based on static land cover illustrated consistent differences in simulated streamflow across the island. It was determined that the scale of the analysis makes a difference: large regions with localized areas that have undergone dramatic land cover change may show negligible difference in total streamflow, but streamflow simulations using dynamic land cover parameters for a highly altered subwatershed clearly demonstrate the effects of changing land cover on simulated streamflow. Incorporating dynamic parameterization in these highly altered watersheds can reduce the predictive uncertainty in simulations of streamflow using PRMS. Hydrologic models that do not consider the projected changes in land cover may be inadequate for water resource management planning for future conditions.(View more) |
Research paper: The effects of changing land cover on streamflow simulation in Puerto Rico | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6805 | 2015 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The current global gold rush, driven by increasing consumption in developing countries and uncertainty in financial markets, is an increasing threat for tropical ecosystems. Gold mining causes significant alteration to the environment, yet mining isoften overlooked in deforestation analyses because it occupies relatively small areas. As a result, we lack a comprehensive assessment of the spatial extent of gold mining impacts on tropical forests. In this study, we provide a regional assessment of gold mining deforestation in the tropical moist forest biome of South America. Specifically, we analyzed the patterns of forest change in gold mining sites between 2001 and 2013, and evaluated the proximity of gold mining deforestation to protected areas (PAs). The forest cover maps were produced using the Land Mapper web application and images from the MODIS satellite MOD13Q1 vegetation indices 250 m product. Annual maps of forest cover were used to model the incremental change in forest in∼1600 potential gold mining sites between 2001–2006 and 2007–2013. Approximately 1680 km2 of tropical moist forest was lost in these mining sites between 2001 and 2013. Deforestation was significantly higher during the 2007–2013 period, and this was associated with the increase in global demand for gold after the international financial crisis. More than 90% of the deforestation occurred in four major hotspots: Guianan moist forest ecoregion (41%), Southwest Amazon moist
forest ecoregion (28%), Tapajós–Xingú moist forest ecoregion (11%), and Magdalena Valley montane forest and Magdalena–Urabá moist forest ecoregions (9%). In addition, some of the more active zones of gold mining deforestation occurred inside or within 10 km of∼32 PAs. Gold mining is an important cause of deforestation in the most remote forests in South America, and the impacts, particularly in aquatic systems, spread well beyond the actual mining sites.(View more) |
Research paper: Global demand for gold is another threat for tropical forests | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6806 | 2022 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Humans place strong pressure on land and have modified around 75% of Earth’s terrestrial surface. In this context, ecoregions and biomes, merely defined on the basis of their biophysical features, are incomplete characterizations of theterritory. Land system science requires classification schemes that incorporate both social and biophysical dimensions. In this study, we generated spatially explicit social-ecological land system (SELS) typologies for South America with a hybrid methodology that combined data driven spatial analysis with a knowledge-based evaluation by an interdisciplinary group of regional specialists. Our approach embraced a holistic consideration of the social-ecological land systems, gathering a dataset of 26 variables spanning across 7 dimensions: physical, biological, land cover, economic, demographic, political, and cultural. We identified 13 SELS nested in 5 larger social-ecological regions (SER). Each SELS was discussed and described by specific groups of specialists. Although 4 environmental and 1 socioeconomic variable explained most of the distribution of the coarse SER classification, a diversity of 15 other variables were shown to be essential for defining several SELS, highlighting specific features that differentiate them. The SELS spatial classification presented is a systematic and operative characterization of South American social-ecological land systems. We propose its use can contribute as a reference framework for a wide range of applications such as analyzing observations within larger contexts, designing system-specific solutions for sustainable development, and structuring hypothesis testing and comparisons across space. Similar efforts could be done elsewhere in the world.(View more) |
Research paper: Mapping and characterizing social-ecological land systems of South America | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6853 | 2025 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Web Soil Survey (WSS) is an online tool from USDA NRCS that provides access to soil data from the National Cooperative Soil Survey. It supports farm, local, and regional planning, and can generate custom reportsfor land use planning, farming, conservation and construction. Onsite investigation may be needed in some cases, such as soil quality assessments or specific conservation and engineering applications.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #9 - USDA-NRCS Web Soil Survey | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6857 | 2025 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: El Web Soil Survey (WSS) es una herramienta digital del USDA-NRCS que proporciona acceso a datos de suelos del National Cooperative Soil Survey. Facilita la planificación agrícola, local y regional, y permite generar informes personalizadospara la planificación del uso del suelo, la agricultura, la conservación y la construcción. Puede ser necesaria para investigación in-situ. En algunos casos, también sirve para evaluaciones de la calidad del suelo o aplicaciones específicas de conservación e ingeniería.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #9 (Spanish) - Catastro de Suelo en Línea (Web Soil Survey) | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6859 | 2021 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Bimonthly drought report: Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions are observed across north central Puerto Rico and the central northern coast as well as all of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Some deterioration in the droughtconditions is possible during the next few months.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | January 14, 2021 | |
| 6810 | 2014 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the creation of the first ever Regional Hubs for Risk Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change at seven locations around the country. "Climate Hubs" will address increasing risks suchas fires, invasive pests, devastating floods, and crippling droughts on a regional basis, aiming to translate science and research into information to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners on ways to adapt and adjust their resource management. In his State of the Union Address, President Obama pledged that his Administration will continue to do everything in its power to act on climate change. Today's announcement is part of the President's Climate Action Plan to responsibly cut carbon pollution, slow the effects of climate change and put America on track to a cleaner environment.(View more) |
Blog: Secretary Vilsack Announces Regional Hubs to Help Agriculture, Forestry Mitigate the Impacts of a Changing Climate | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6811 | 2015 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Deputy Secretary Harden writes "On a recent trip to Puerto Rico, I had the pleasure of visiting the USDA Caribbean Climate Sub Hub in Rio Piedras where I was joined by the Puerto Rico Secretaryof Agriculture Hon. Myrna Comas and the Puerto Rico Secretary of Natural Resources Hon. Carmen Guerrero. I was truly impressed by the collaboration taking place at the Caribbean Climate Sub Hub at every level – federal, state, and local. While at the hub, I saw some examples of products, from musical instruments to home decor, made from native wood grown on the island. By working collaboratively with the hub, local producers are able to harvest native woods in a way that both supports forest health and creates new market opportunities."(View more) |
Blog: USDA Deputy Secretary Krista Harden Visit - Puerto Rico: Collaborating for the Future of Our Climate | |
| 6813 | 2016 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited the Caribbean Climate Hub in Puerto Rico earlier this month to lead a roundtable discussions with local agricultural officials, farmers and ranchers, USDA agency leaders, economic investors, and scientists, andto view first-hand the Hub’s pioneering work in climate change research, education and outreach.
“Adaptation to climate change is a matter of National Security. We need to have a functional food economy to counter food insecurity,” said Secretary Vilsack during the Climate Hub Roundtable held at the El Yunque National Forest. Local USDA agency leaders expressed concern about the increasing incidence of pests and diseases affecting agriculture and forestry in the Caribbean, mostly related to climate change, and the need for more education and support for water and soil conservation measures.(View more) |
Blog: Secretary Vilsack Visits Puerto Rico to Talk Climate Change and Caribbean Agriculture | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6824 | 2020 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Ecological Site Descriptions | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Suggested citation: Castro-Prieto J. and Gould, W.A. 2020. Final report: Provisional Ecological Site Descriptions for the U.S. Caribbean, NRCS Agreement 67-F352-17-264. USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry. Río Piedras, PR. 272 p.
The identificationand broad grouping of Ecological Sites (ES) across the landscape is based on multiple environmental indicators including soil-vegetation associations occurring within Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA) defined by The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) across the United Sates (US) and its territories. In the U.S. Caribbean (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands), Provisional Ecological Sites (PES) and generalized State-and-Transition Models (STM) were described for the first time using fifty-seven landscape units developed for Puerto Rico as the initial approach to start sorting the landscape into distinct ES. Multiple data sources were used to describe the vegetation within each of these sites including scientific papers, technical reports, expert knowledge, Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) data, and maps of vegetation covers. Thirty-two PES were described for Puerto Rico, from which 15 also occur in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The PES described here represent a planning tool that can be useful to support land use management, and practices to mitigate the impacts from climate change and extreme weather events such as hurricanes and severe drought that annually affect these islands.(View more) |
Report: Provisional Ecological Site Descriptions for the U.S. Caribbean, NRCS Agreement 67-F352-17-264 | |
| 6860 | 2021 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Informe bimestral sobre la sequía: Se observan condiciones atípicamente secas o moderadas en el centro norte de Puerto Rico y en la costa norte central, así como en todo el territorio de las Islas VírgenesEstadounidenses. Es posible que las condiciones de sequía se deterioren durante los próximos meses.(View more) |
Report: Actualización de las condiciones de sequía para Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes Estadounidenses | January 14, 2021 | |
| 6862 | 2021 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Bimonthly drought report: Drought conditions continue to prevail across northwest Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Expansion of abnormally dry conditions/moderate drought and some additional deterioration is likely into late April, before the usualonset of the wet season.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | March 5, 2021 | |
| 6864 | 2021 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Informe bimestral sobre la sequía: Las condiciones de sequía siguen prevaleciendo en el noroeste de Puerto Rico y en las Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos. La expansión de la sequía atípicamente seca/moderada y algúndeterioro adicional es probable hasta finales de abril antes del comienzo usual de la temporada de lluvias.(View more) |
Report: Actualización de las condiciones de sequía para Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes Estadounidenses | March 5, 2021 | |
| 6870 | 2021 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Bimonthly drought update: Beneficial rains have been observed across the northern U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Additional improvements in drought conditions are expected through September.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | July 1, 2021 | |
| 6829 | 2020 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Caribbean Area Provisional Ecological Sites Descriptions Jessica Castro-Prieto1 , Matthew Duvall 2 , Samuel R os 3 , Manuel Matos 3 , Abdiel Santana-Rivera 3 , William A. Gould 1 1USDA Forest Service International Instituteof Tropical Forestry - Río Piedras, Puerto Rico 2USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Mid-Atlantic and Caribbean Area- Raleigh, North Carolina 3USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Caribbean Area-San Juan, Puerto Rico
In the U.S. Caribbean (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands) Provisional Ecological Sites have not yet been
described. A well-known description of the Ecological Sites in these islands is a major need to support
land use management decisions (e.g., reforestation), severely affected by extreme weather events
including hurricanes and droughts. A multi-data source approach was used to develop PES for the
Caribbean Area including: land cover and landscape unit maps, soil catenas, published literature, Forest
Inventory Analysis (FIA) data, and the U.S. National Vegetation Classification (USNVC). A total of twentyfour PES were identified for Puerto Rico, while to describe PES for the Virgin Islands are in progress.
This combined resource effort will result in the development of a planning tool necessary to support
land planning.(View more) |
Poster: Caribbean Area Provisional Ecological Sites Descriptions | ||
| 6833 | 2021 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This report was developed with support of the Department of Interior for the project Post Hurricane Forest Restoration Planning: Urban Trees, State and Private Lands, and Natural Protected Areas (DOI FS-DOI IAA 18-IA-1112010-408) initiated aspart of the Hurricane Maria recovery efforts. The objectives of the project were to develop spatially explicit information for restoration tree planting that will allow coordination among the many public and private organizations involved in forest restoration. The work gathered stakeholder information and utilized existing knowledge and expertise in order to: 1) Identify key sectors interested in post hurricane tree replanting; 2) identify sector specific purpose(s) of replanting, i.e., shade, watershed protection, beautification, timber, biodiversity conservation, fruit production, or other; 3) identify planting solutions that address planting purposes; 4) spatially map and prioritize replanting options; and 5) report on findings to interested stakeholders in order to support well-planned, efficient, and integrated reforestation efforts.(View more) |
Report: Reforestation planning resources for conservation lands, coastal areas, urban and residential lands, and working lands in Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6837 | 2022 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Ecological Site Descriptions | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: Suggested citation: Crespo-Zapata, J. D., Maldonado-Silvestrini, S., & Gould, W. A. 2022. Final Report: Vegetation Inventories for Ecological Site Descriptions in Puerto Rico, NRCS Caribbean Area Interagency Agreement NRC20IRA0010534 (20-IA-11120101-033). United States Department of AgricultureForest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. 123 p.
Vegetation inventories for Ecological Site Descriptions were conducted in Puerto Rico from February to August 2022. A total of forty-four inventory sites had their vegetation assessed, surveyed, and described. Inventory sites comprise two Ecological Sites within one Major Land Resource Area (MLRA), and cover various vegetation community phases and land uses on distinct soil components on the island’s eastern/northeastern regions and north coast. Inventory sites are located in the municipalities of Fajardo, Luquillo, Río Grande, Canóvanas, Loíza, and Manatí. Some 389 plant species were assessed during this period and are included in this report, representing about 10% of the total suggested flora of Puerto Rico. All of the information provided here is intended to supplement the ongoing development of Ecological Site Descriptions as an effective technical assistance service and multi-purpose planning tool. We also provide a taxonomic review of all newly assessed species and offer potential additions,
updates, and other recommendations to be considered for the USDA Plants Database.(View more) |
Report: Vegetation Inventories for Ecological Site Descriptions in Puerto Rico - Final Report 2022 | |
| 6841 | 2022 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Ecological Site Descriptions | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: Suggested citation: Crespo-Zapata, J. D., Maldonado-Silvestrini, S., & Gould, W. A. 2021. Final Report: Vegetation Inventories for Ecological Site Descriptions in Puerto Rico, NRCS Caribbean Area Interagency Agreement NRC20IRA0010534 (20-IA-11120101-033). United States Department of AgricultureForest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. 148 p.
Vegetation inventories for Ecological Site Descriptions were conducted in Puerto Rico from March to September 2021. A total of fifty inventory sites had their vegetation assessed, surveyed, and described. In conjunction, inventory sites comprise three Ecological Sites
within three Major Land Resource Areas (MLRAs), and cover various vegetation community phases and land uses on distinct soil components throughout the island. Inventory sites are located in the municipalities of Utuado, Jayuya, Lajas, Cabo Rojo, Santa Isabel, Fajardo, and Luquillo. Some 507 plant species were assessed during this period and are included in this report, representing approximately 15% of the total suggested flora of Puerto Rico. All of the information provided here is intended to supplement the ongoing development of Ecological Site Descriptions as an effective technical assistance service and multi-purpose planning tool. We also provide a taxonomic review of all assessed species and offer potential additions,
updates, and other recommendations to be considered for the USDA Plants Database.(View more) |
Report: Vegetation Inventories for Ecological Site Descriptions in Puerto Rico - Final Report 2021 | |
| 6872 | 2025 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: National Weather Service San Juan, Puerto Rico Description: Bimonthly drought report: Hurricane Erin brings rain to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. John; St. Croix and eastern Puerto Rico remain dry. No widespread drought is expected to develop in the short term.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | September 11, 2025 | |
| 6874 | 2025 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Informe bimestral sobre la sequía: El huracán Erin trae lluvias a Puerto Rico, St. Thomas y St. John; el este de Puerto Rico y St. Croix permanecen secos. No se prevé una sequía generalizadaa corto plazo.(View more) |
Report: Actualización del estado de la sequía en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. | September 11, 2025 | |
| 6842 | 2021 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Energy Vulnerability | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q1 Description: This paper describes the challenges and potential opportunities for using renewable electricity technologies to increase the resilience of Puerto Rico’s food supply system (including commodity production, processing, storage, and distribution) to prolonged (2 days to6 months) utility power outages. This need is essential because the island’s grid electricity has proven to be very susceptible to long-run outages related to severe weather and geologic events (e.g., Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 and earthquakes in 2019 and 2020) as well as outages related to aging and poorly maintained infrastructure. Hurricane Maria destroyed more than 80 percent of Puerto Rico’s crop value, with infrastructure damages of $1.8 billion in Puerto Rico’s agricultural sector.
Suggested citation: Garffer, Patricia; Schultz, C; Xiarchos, IM; Rojowsky, W; D’Costa, P; Man, D; Lewandrowski, J; Pape, D. 2020. Renewable Electricity Technologies to Increase the Resilience of the Food Supply System in Puerto Rico. USDA, Office of the Chief Economist. November 2020.(View more) |
Report: Renewable Electricity Technologies to Increase the Resilience of the Food Supply System in Puerto Rico | |
| 6843 | 2021 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Energy Vulnerability | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Este informe describe los desafíos y posibilidad de oportunidades para el uso de tecnologías de electricidad renovable para aumentar la resiliencia del sistema de suministros de alimento de Puerto Rico (incluida la producción, el procesamiento,el almacenamiento y la distribución de productos básicos) ante interrupciones prolongadas (de 2 días a 6 meses) de energía eléctrica. Esta necesidad es esencial porque la red eléctrica de la isla ha demostrado ser muy susceptible a interrupciones a largo plazo relacionadas con eventos climáticos y geológicos severos (por ejemplo, los huracanes Irma y María en 2017 y terremotos en 2019 y 2020), así como interrupciones relacionadas con infraestructura deteriorada y mantenimiento deficiente. El huracán María destruyó más del 80 por ciento del valor de la cosecha de Puerto Rico, con daños a la infraestructura de $ 1.8 mil millones en el sector agrícola de Puerto Rico.
Suggested citation: Garffer, Patricia; Schultz, C; Xiarchos, IM; Rojowsky, W; D’Costa, P; Man, D; Lewandrowski, J; Pape, D. 2020. Tecnologías de Electricidad Renovable para Aumentar la Resiliencia del Sistema de Suministro de Alimentos en Puerto Rico. USDA, Office of the Chief Economist. November 2020. 27 p.(View more) |
Report: Tecnologías de Electricidad Renovable para Aumentar la Resiliencia del Sistema de Suministro de Alimentos en Puerto Rico | |
| 6849 | 2025 | Q4 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Following rapid climate change, tundra plant communities are experiencing extensive compositional shifts. A conservation concern is the potential encroachment of boreal species into the tundra (’borealization’). Tundra borealization has been sporadically reported, but not systematicallyquantified. Here, we synthesized data from across 32 study areas, spanning 1,137 plots and 287 vascular plant species, resurveyed between 1981 and 2023. We (i) quantified tundra borealization as the colonization and increase in abundance of Boreal and Boreal-Tundra species, (ii) assessed biogeographical, climatic, and local borealization drivers, and (iii) identified species contributing to borealization and their associated traits. Half of the plots experienced borealization, although borealization rates were not different to random expectation. Borealization was greater in Eurasia, closer to the treeline, at higher elevations, in warmer and wetter regions, where climate change was limited, and where initial boreal abundance was lower. Boreal colonizer species were generally short-statured, and more often shrubs and graminoids. Boreal species colonized around three times less frequently than Boreal-Tundra species. Hence, our findings indicate that tundra borealization is mainly driven by the spread of already established boreal-low Arctic tundra species. These plant community composition changes could have cascading impacts on land-atmosphere interactions, trophic dynamics and Indigenous and local livelihoods.(View more) |
Research paper: Borealisation of Plant Communities in the Arctic is Driven by Boreal-Tundra Species | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6850 | 2025 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: August 20, 2025 In this Tech Talk, Manuel Matos and Jacqueline Vega from USDA-NRCS Caribbean Area shared on the Interpretations included in the Web Soil Survey and how these can be included in reports. Examplesof these integrations included Crop Suitability Indexes like those for coffee and cacao, and Crop Productivity Indexes like that for plantain. There were 21 participants in attendance throughout the talk. All from Puerto Rico, but one who joined the Tech Talk from Costa Rica. In the audience, we had participation from farmers, agronomists, educators, consultants, researchers, field technicians, among other professionals. This USDA-NRCS tool is key for farmers when it comes to planning their farm operations particularly in supporting them in the decisions of crop selection or suitability.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #10 - Crop Suitability and Crop Productivity Indexes | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6876 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: National Weather Service San Juan, Puerto Rico Description: Bimonthly drought report: The territories received excessive rainfall in the last couple of weeks, which brought extensive flooding but improved water levels in reservoirs. No drought is anticipated to develop in the short term.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | May 8, 2025 | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6878 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Informe bimestral sobre la sequía: En las dos últimas semanas ha llovido en exceso en los territorios, lo que ha provocado grandes inundaciones, pero ha mejorado el nivel de los embalses. No se anticipa sequíaa corto plazo.(View more) |
Report: Actualización del estado de la sequía en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. | May 8, 2025 | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6881 | 2025 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: National Weather Service San Juan, Puerto Rico Description: Bimonthly drought report: Rain has kept drought away from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands—but dryness is appearing in some areas. No widespread drought is predicted for this spring.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | February 27, 2025 | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6883 | 2025 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: National Weather Service San Juan, Puerto Rico Description: Informe bimestral sobre la sequía: La lluvia ha mantenido a la sequía fuera de Puerto Rico y de las Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos (USVI), pero la sequía está comenzando a manifestarse en algunaszonas. No se prevé una sequía generalizada esta primavera.(View more) |
Report: Actualización del estado de la sequía en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. | February 27, 2025 | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 6866 | 2021 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Bimonthly drought update: Abnormally dry to severe drought conditions continue to prevail across the islands. Eight consecutive weeks of severe drought conditions in the U.S. Virgin Islands for St. John and St. Thomas will triggerthe USDA Farm Service Agency Livestock Forage Disaster Program and a USDA Secretarial Drought Declaration. Isolated areas of beneficial rains have occurred in the Luquillo Mountains and across western Puerto Rico. However, extended forecasts call for near normal to below normal rainfall to be more likely than not through July.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | May 7, 2021 | |
| 6868 | 2021 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Description: CInforme bimestral sobre la sequía: ndiciones de sequía atípicamente seca a severa continúan prevaleciendo en todas las islas. Ocho semanas consecutivas de condiciones de sequía severa en las Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos paraSt. John y St. Thomas activarán el Programa de Desastre de Forraje para el Ganado de la Agencia de Servicios Agrícolas del USDA y una Declaración de Sequía Secretarial del USDA. Se han producido zonas aisladas de lluvias beneficiosas en las montañas de Luquillo y en todo el oeste de Puerto Rico. Sin embargo, los pronósticos extendidos indican que es más probable que las lluvias permanezcan cerca de lo normal o por debajo de lo normal hasta julio.(View more) |
Report: Actualización de las condiciones de sequía para Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes Estadounidenses | May 7, 2021 | |
| 6885 | 2024 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: National Weather Service San Juan, Puerto Rico Description: Bimonthly drought report: Wetter than normal conditions expected to persist across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and drought development is unlikely through the rest of the year.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | September 19, 2024 | |
| 6887 | 2024 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Informe bimestral sobre la sequía: Se esperan condiciones más húmedas de lo normal en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes, y es poco probable que se desarrolle una sequía durante el resto del año.(View more) |
Report: Actualización del estado de la sequía en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. | September 19, 2024 | |
| 6889 | 2024 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: National Weather Service San Juan, Puerto Rico Description: Bimonthly drought report: Above-normal to much above normal rainfall was observed across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the past two months, putting an end to remaining drought across the Caribbean U.S. territories.In fact, through May 31, parts of the USVI and Puerto Rico are having their wettest year on record.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | June 7, 2024 | |
| 6891 | 2024 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Informe bimestral sobre la sequía: Se han observado precipitaciones por encima de lo normal o muy por encima de lo normal en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes, poniéndole fin a la sequía restante. Dehecho, hasta el 31 de mayo, partes de las Islas Vírgenes de EE.UU. y Puerto Rico están teniendo el año más lluvioso registrado.
No se espera desarrollo de sequía en los próximos meses. Pronosticadores auguran una temporada de huracanes activa y húmeda en el Atlántico. Se anticipa que eventos de temperaturas por encima de lo normal y calor extremo continúen en el verano dado el aumento en temperaturas récord en el Mar Caribe y océano Atlántico.(View more) |
Report: Actualización del estado de la sequía en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. | June 6, 2024 | |
| 6900 | 2024 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Description: The adaptation guide includes basic scientific concepts to understand the trends, effects and implications of climate change in the Caribbean. It contains an explanation of the 5-step planning process to reduce vulnerability to impacts suchas: prolonged droughts, temperature rises, changing rainfall, among others. It was created with the intention to support farmers, private land managers, technical staff, and educators in identifying agricultural resources, incentives, and practices that strengthen their resilience and adaptation to the changing climate.(View more) |
Report: Climate Change Adaptation Guide | |
| 6906 | 2024 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Este manual práctico se dirige directamente al proceso de planificación en 5 pasos para la adaptación al cambio climático. Los usuarios encontrarán en él hojas de trabajo y guías para comenzar o continuar con objetivosde manejo considerando las vulnerabilidades climáticas que enfrenta su proyecto agrícola o en terrenos boscosos.(View more) |
Report: Manual de Trabajo Adaptación al cambio climático en agricultura y bosques del Caribe | |
| 6909 | 2024 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Description: This workbook addresses directly to the 5-step planning process for climate change adaptation. In it, the user will find worksheets and guides for getting started or continuing with their management goals considering the climate vulnerabilitiestheir agricultural or forest land project face.(View more) |
Report: Climate Change Adaptation in Agriculture and Forested Lands of the Caribbean Workbook | |
| 6911 | 2024 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Bimonthly drought report" Beneficial rains were observed since February 1 across portions of the territories, causing drought conditions to relax in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Although some dryness and drought conditionspersist in other areas, the northeastern Caribbean is moving into the start of its wet season, and drought conditions are expected to improve further.(View more) |
Report: Drought Update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands | April 11, 2024 | |
| 6913 | 2024 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Informe bimestral sobre la sequía: Se observaron lluvias beneficiosas desde el 1 de febrero en algunas partes de las islas, lo que provocó que las condiciones de sequía se relajaran en Puerto Rico y enlas Islas Vírgenes.
Aunque persisten algunas condiciones de sequía en otras zonas, el noreste del Caribe está comenzando su temporada húmeda, y se espera que las condiciones de sequía mejoren aún más.(View more) |
Report: Actualización del estado de la sequía en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. | April 11, 2024 | |
| 6903 | 2024 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Description: La guía de adaptación incluye conceptos científicos básicos para comprender las tendencias, los efectos y las implicaciones del cambio climático en el Caribe. Contiene una explicación del proceso de planificación en cinco pasos para reducirla vulnerabilidad a impactos como sequías prolongadas, aumento de temperatura y cambios en las precipitaciones, entre otros. Se creó con la intención de apoyar a agricultores, manejadores de terrenos, personal técnico y educadores en la identificación de recursos, incentivos y prácticas agrícolas que fortalezcan su resiliencia y adaptación al cambio climático.(View more) |
Report: Guía de Adaptación al Cambio Climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe | |
| 6916 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: NRCS Caribbean Area Office Description: The survey assesses NRCS service providers climate awareness in relation to current work tasks and explore their willingness to apply the knowledge or resources to your conservation planning and recommendations.(View more) |
Report: Survey results of Natural Resource Conservation Service Caribbean Area service providers | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6923 | 2025 | Q4 | Science Development | Dataset | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: This data publication presents quantitative and qualitative data on the effects, associated impacts, and hurricane preparedness and recovery responses in agriculture and forestry following Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico on September 2022. The data werecollected through an online survey conducted in 2023-2024, aimed at gathering the perspectives of agricultural and forestry advisors from local, federal, and academic institutions. A total of 54 responses were received. Both survey responses and a copy of the survey are included in both English and Spanish.
Suggested citation: Álvarez-Berríos, Nora L.; McGinley, Kathleen A.; Gould, William A.; Rodríguez-Serrano, Paloma S.; Rodríguez-Cruz, Luis Alexis; Ortiz-Colón, Guillermo. 2025. Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico: Survey data on effects, impacts and adaptive responses in agriculture and forestry from 2023 to 2024. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2025-0058(View more) |
Dataset: Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico: Survey data on effects, impacts and adaptive responses in agriculture and forestry from 2023 to 2024. | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 6924 | 2014 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Presented at the International Institute of Tropical Forestry 75th Anniversary, May 21, 2014 as an invited oral presentation.(View more) |
Presentation: Can Agriculture and Forestry Co-Exist in Puerto Rico? | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6927 | 2014 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources and Environment Description: Presented at the USDA Caribbean Climate Sub Hub Partners meeting. September 17, 2014: Climate Change, Agriculture and Forestry - Partnerships, Networks and Stakeholders: Cooperative responses to climate change.(View more) |
Presentation: USDA Regional Climate Hubs: Managing risk in a changing climate | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6929 | 2025 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Ecological Site Descriptions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: Suggested citation: Crespo-Zapata, J. D., García-García, N., & Gould, W. A. 2025. Final Report: Vegetation Inventories for Ecological Site Descriptions in Puerto Rico, NRCS Caribbean Area Interagency Agreement NRC20IRA0010534 (23-IA-11132650-497). United States Department of AgricultureForest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. 69 p.
Vegetation inventories for Ecological Site Descriptions were conducted in Puerto Rico from October 2024 to July 2025. A total of thirty-one inventory sites had their vegetation assessed, surveyed, and described. Inventory sites comprise two Ecological Sites within two Major Land Resource Areas (MLRAs) and cover several coastal ecological systems on distinct soil components on the island’s southern, northern, eastern, and western coasts. Inventory sites are located in the municipalities of Cabo Rojo, Guánica, Dorado, Guayama, Hatillo, Loíza, Manatí, Fajardo, Guayanilla, and Mayagüez. Some 60 plant species were inventoried and assessed during this period and are included in this report. All of the information provided herein is intended to enrich the ongoing development of Ecological Site Descriptions in Puerto Rico as an effective technical assistance service and multi-purpose planning tool.(View more) |
Report: Vegetation Inventories for Ecological Site Descriptions in Puerto Rico - Final Report 2025 | |
| 6931 | 2014 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation to the 2nd Annual Congress on Sustainability in the municipality of Caguas, Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Presentation: Cambio Climático, Agricultura, y Silvicultura en Puerto Rico | Caguas PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6943 | 2015 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry Description: Presented by invitation at the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Symposium 28th Annual Symposium, San Juan, Puerto Rico November 6, 2014: William Gould, Research Ecologist and CLCC Coordinator, CCSH leader with KaseyJacobs, Isabel Pares-Ramos, Brent Murry, Josh Fain, Marixa Maldonado, Kathleen McGinley, Azad Henareh Khalyani, and Maya Quiñones, USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Río Piedras, PR(View more) |
Presentation: Climate adaptation and cooperative planning for conservation, agriculture and forestry | San Juan PR | |
| 6945 | 2014 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources and Environment Description: Presented at the USDA Climate Hub Regional Forum, September 22-26. Climate Change, Agriculture and Forestry - Partnerships, Networks, Vulnerabilities and Stakeholders: Cooperative responses to climate change.(View more) |
Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Sub Hub USDA Climate Hub Regional Forum | San Juan PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6948 | 2014 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Natural Resources and Environment Description: Poster presented at the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry 75th Anniversary 1939-2014 in San Juan, Puerto Rico(View more) |
Research Poster: USDA Regional Climate Hubs: Managing risk in a changing climate USDA Southeast Regional Caribbean Climate Sub Hub | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6950 | 2019 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Presentation to the Southeast & Caribbean Climate Community of Practice workshop, April 2019.(View more) |
Presentation: 4th National Climate Assessment: Key Findings for the Caribbean Region | |
| 6933 | 2014 | Q2 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Suggested citation: Mercado-Díaz, J.A.; Gould, W.A.; Gonzalez, G.; Lücking, R. 2013. Four new species of Coenogonium (Ascomycota: Ostropales) from vulnerable forest ecosystems in Puerto Rico. The Bryologist. 116(4): 373-381. Published November 13, 2013.
Four newspecies of Coenogonium are described from the Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico—C. aurantiacum Mercado-Díaz & Lücking, C. borinquense Mercado-Díaz & Lücking, C. dimorphicum Mercado-Díaz & Lückingand C. portoricense Mercado-Díaz & Lücking. All were discovered in small and highly fragmented forest remnants of relatively rare Puerto Rican Forest ecosystems, Pterocarpus wetlands and noncalcareous dry forests. The discoveries are discussed relative to the conservation status of these threatened ecosystems, the need to catalogue biodiversity before it vanishes, and the notion that endemism in lichenized fungi in island biotas is potentially much higher than hitherto assumed. A previous world-wide key to Coenogonium is updated to accommodate the new taxa.(View more) |
Research paper: Four new species of Coenogonium (Ascomycota: Ostropales) from vulnerable forest ecosystems in Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6935 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Information table | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Description: In a collaborative information table with NRCS-Caribbean Area, we participated in the launching event for the School Reforestation Initiative by the Department of Education of Puerto Rico. The event was hosted by The Science Programwithin the "Secretaría Auxiliar de Servicios Académicos de la Subsecretaría para Asuntos Académicos y Programáticos." It took place on September 16, 2025, at the Dorado Ecological Elementary School, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Special attention was given to educational materials and resources related to reforestation in general and reforestation to mitigate extreme heat. We also shared general information about the CCH; our decision support tools and our Climate Kids Backpacks. We estimate that around 200 people were present in the activity including students, educators, other organizations, and key figures for the Reforestation Initiative. Sixteen people showed specific interest in learning more about the climate backpacks and potentially receiving a set.(View more) |
Information table: Reforestation School Initiative Department of Education | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 6951 | 2019 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Presentation to collaborators initiating a workshop: Conversation with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Program (CCAFS), San Juan, PR, May 8, 2019.(View more) |
Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub: Riesgos Climáticos en el Caribe | San Juan PR | |
| 6956 | 2016 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Presentation at Agrotech: Puerto Rico Research & Innovation in Agriculture activity, Friday, August 19, 2016. USDA Regional Climate Hubs: Managing risk in a changing climate: Climate Change, Agriculture and Forestry - Partnerships, Networks, Science, Communication,Vulnerabilities, Stakeholders, and Actions: Cooperative responses to climate change.(View more) |
Presentation: Climate change in agriculture and forestry in Puerto Rico | San Juan PR | |
| 6957 | 2016 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Presentation about the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub and the Caribbean Landscape Conservation Cooperative in St. Thomas US Virgin Islands with the VI Department of Planning and Natural Resources.(View more) |
Presentation: US Climate Change Programs: Addressing climate change vulnerabilities for sustainable ecosystem services, agriculture and forestry in the USVI | |
| 6964 | 2016 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: IITF State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, United States Geological Survey, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation to the Puerto Rico Climate Change Council on April 7, 2016 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Shared findings from Climate Change Implications for Tropical Islands: Interpolating and Interpreting Statistically Downscaled Global Circulation ModelProjections for Management and Planning authored by A. Henareh, W. Gould, E. Harmsen, A. Terando, M. Quiñones, and J. Collazo
in the Journal of the American Meteorological Society.(View more) |
Presentation: Projected Rainfall Patterns for Puerto Rico 1960 -2100 San Juan PR | |
| 6967 | 2023 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation at the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation annual meeting in Palm Springs, California.(View more) |
Presentation: Building community and climate resilience with the USDA Climate Hubs - Greenhouse Gas Workshop | Palm Springs CA | |
| 6970 | 2023 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation to the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation Climate Side Event in Palm Springs, California.(View more) |
Presentation: Building community and climate resilience with the USDA Climate Hubs - Climate Side Event | Palm Springs CA | |
| 6971 | 2023 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Invited presentation at the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade
(EGALIT) Field trip to the San Bernadino NF.(View more) |
Presentation: Overview of the USDA Climate Hub network - APEC EGILAT Field Trip to San Bernadino NF | Palm Springs CA | |
| 6973 | 2023 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation to the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy Caribbean Conservation Community of Practice Meeting in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands(View more) |
Presentation: Research for conservation planning in Puerto Rico and the USVI | St. Croix USVI | |
| 6975 | 2023 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2023 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation to the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy Caribbean Conservation Community of Practice meeting in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.(View more) |
Presentation: Overview of the USDA Climate Hub network | St. Croix USVI | |
| 6976 | 2025 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Workshop: FellowsConnect event Description: Create a greater sense of community among Climate Hubs Fellows across all Climate Hubs as OneUSDA constituents. Create a platform in which Climate Hubs Fellows can network and share their work and achievements. Capture thevalue that Climate Hubs Fellows bring to the USDA—the Forest Service, the Agriculture Research Service, the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Virtual event(View more) |
Workshop: FellowsConnect event | ||
| 6979 | 2025 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Comments from Professor Isabel Rivera Collazo - University of Puerto Rico Department of Anthropology and Sociology, at the 2nd Caribbean Climate Change Conference organized by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Climate Hub inNovember, 2015, at Interamerican University in San Juan, Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Video: Comunidades ante el cambio climático: redes de apoyo como estrategia de adaptación - Isabel Riveral Collazo | San Juan PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 6985 | 2024 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Esta GuÍa ofrece una herramienta de planificación en 5 pasos para guiar la toma de decisiones en la adaptación a un clima cambiante en terrenos agrícolas y boscosos en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes(St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John). El Caribe, altamente vulnerable al cambio climático, enfrenta riesgos como sequías prolongadas, cambios en patrones de lluvia, temperaturas extremas y huracanes. Este manual aborda estas amenazas que afectan las tierras productivas y de conservación al proporcionar un proceso que permite a los usuarios evaluar la vulnerabilidad de sus proyectos, fortalecer objetivos de manejo con información científica y acceder a prácticas y programas de adaptación locales y federales.
Guzmán-Colón, D., Crespo-Vélez, S., Rodríguez-Cruz, L.A., Álvarez-Berríos, N., CrespoAcevedo, W.,Gould, W.A. (2024) Guía de adaptación: Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. Centro Climático del Caribe, Servicio Forestal de EE.UU., Departamento de Agricultura de EE.UU.(View more) |
Report: Guía de adaptación - Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe | |
| 6987 | 2025 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: En esta charla técnica, Kent Sutcliffe presentará la Red de Análisis del Clima del Suelo (SCAN por sus siglas en inglés) del USDA-NRCS, que cuenta con 213 sitios. Sutcliffe ofrecerá una visión general y unabreve historia de la red, pero se centrará en los recursos disponibles actualmente en el Caribe. Analizaremos el estado actual de los sitios, los planes a corto plazo en la región y un resumen de los datos disponibles.
La Red de Análisis del Clima del Suelo, también conocida como SCAN, apoya las evaluaciones de recursos naturales y las actividades de conservación a través de su red integral de información sobre la humedad del suelo y el clima a nivel nacional.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #11 (Spanish) - Red de Análisis del Clima del Suelo (SCAN) | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 6988 | 2025 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Description: The Soil Climate Analysis Network, also known as SCAN, supports natural resource assessments and conservation activities through its comprehensive, nationwide soil moisture and climate information network. In this webinar, NRCS staff Kent Sutcliffe presents theUSDA-NRCS 213-site Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN). Sutcliffe provides an overview and a brief history of the network, with a focus on the current resources available in the Caribbean, including the current state of the sites, the near-term plans in the region, and a summary of the data available.(View more) |
Video: Tech Talk #11 - Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7008 | 2024 | Q1 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Foundation for Development Planning, Inc., International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Hurricanes, increasingly powerful storms, and rising sea levels are already harming human health, ecosystems, water and food supplies, and critical infrastructure in the US Caribbean, with underserved communities suffering disproportionate impacts. Effective adaptation to supportresilience in the region could be enhanced by decentralization, shared governance, and stronger partnerships across the Caribbean region and the US mainland.(View more) |
Book Chapter: Ch. 23. US Caribbean | Fifth National Climate Assessment | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7012 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Arzola, C.; De la Torre, J.; Gould, W. (2024).Practices to manage climate impacts: Poultry. In Adaptation Guide: Climate change on farms and forested lands in the Caribbean. San Juan, PR: UnitedStates Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Research and Development.(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Poultry | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7022 | 2021 | Q4 | Science Development | Dataset | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: A global surge in ‘artisanal’, small-scale mining (ASM) threatens biodiverse tropical forests and exposes residents to dangerous levels of mercury. In response, governments, and development agencies are investing millions (USD) on ASM formalization; registering concessionsand demarcating extraction zones to promote regulatory adherence and direct mining away from ecologically sensitive areas. This data publication contains data used to examine patterns of mining-related deforestation associated with ASM formalization efforts in the Department of Madre de Dios in the Peruvian Amazon. Using satellite images and government-issued spatial layers on mining formalization, we tracked changes in mining activities from 2001 to 2014 when agencies: (a) issued 1701 provisional titles and (b) tried to restrict mining to a > 5000 square kilometer (km²) ‘corridor’. The data reported in this publication are based on the centroids of a 25 hectare (ha) hexagon grid covering the 20,850 km² study area and includes variables related (1) mining deforestation from years 2001 to 2014, (2) mining concession status, (3) location relative to the mining corridor, as well as (4) location relative to time-invariant variables and access (geology, distance to river), administrative units (district, native communities), and conservation designation (protected areas).(View more) |
Dataset: Gold-mining related deforestation and formalization in Madre de Dios, Perú from 2001 to 2014 | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7034 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The activity with the SEA (Agricultural Extension Services) we visited the Toro Negro Forest to know about mature forests with experts from DRNA. We had an attendance of 59 persons and 9 information table. Hubdirector Dr. William Gould presented about climate change and how it affects forests.(View more) |
Video: Reforestation Series Workshop - Mature Forests | University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7040 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Guzmán-Colón, D.; Crespo-Vélez, S.; Sanfiorenzo Gil De Lamadrid, A.; Gould, W. (2024). Practices to manage climate impacts: Forested lands. In Adaptation Guides: Climate change on farms and forested lands in the Caribbean. San Juan, PR:United States Department of Agriculture, International Institute of Tropical Forestry(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Forested Lands | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7025 | 2020 | Q4 | Science Development | Dataset | Caribbean Soil Health Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: There is increasing enthusiasm around the concept of soil health, and as a result, new public and private initiatives are being developed to increase soil health-related practices on working lands in the United States. Inaddition, billions of U.S. public dollars are dedicated annually toward soil conservation programs, and yet, it is not well quantified how investment in conservation programs improve soil health and, more broadly, environmental health. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is one of the major U.S. public conservation programs administered on privately managed lands for which public data are available. In this research, we developed a multi-dimensional classification system to evaluate over 300 EQIP practices to identify to what extent practices have the potential to improve different aspects of soil and environmental health. Using available descriptions and expert opinion, these practices were evaluated with a classification system based on the practice’s potential to exhibit the following environmental health outcomes: i) principles of soil health to reduce soil disturbance and increase agrobiodiversity; ii) a transition to ecologically-based management to conserve soil, water, energy and biological resources; and iii) adaptive strategy to confer agroecosystem resilience. Further, we analyzed nearly $7 billion U.S. dollars of financial assistance dedicated to these practices from 2009 through 2018 to explore the potential of these investments to generate environmental health outcomes. This data publication includes a complete record of contracts and funding initiated through the EQIP program for a ten year period (2009-2018), on a state, county and individual practice level.(View more) |
Dataset: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) U.S. data at state, county and individual practice level for soil and environmental health, 2009-2018 | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7029 | 2025 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: On May 8, 2025, the "Secondary Forest" module was held at the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, located at the South Botanical Garden in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This event, part of an educational serieson reforestation and forest management for ecological benefits applied to agriculture and forestry in the U.S. Caribbean, was attended by 45 participants. Throughout the day, attendees explored key topics related to biodiversity, strategic management of secondary forests, sustainable use of timber, and took part in a hands-on farm tool workshop, as well as engaging in informational tables and a discussion panel. Photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/caribbeanclimatehub/albums/72177720325997126(View less)(View more) |
Video: Reforestation Series Workshop - Managing Secondary Forests | University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7043 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Medina Rodríguez, V.; Gould, W. (2024). Practices to manage climate impacts: Cacao. In Adaptation Guide: Climate Change on Farms and Forested Lands in the Caribbean. San Juan, PR: United States Departmentof Agriculture, International Institute of Tropical Forestry.(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Cacao | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7046 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Fernández Robles, Delvin L.; Gould, W. (2024).
Practices to manage climate impact: Coffee. Crops. In Adaptation Guide: Climate change
on farms and forested lands in the Caribbean. San Juan, PR: UnitedStates Department of
Agriculture, International Institute of Tropical Forestry.(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Coffee | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7049 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Hernández, E.; Gould, W. (2024). Practices to manage climate impacts:
Vegetable produce. In Adaptation Guide: Climate change on farms and forested lands in the Caribbean. San
Juan, PR: United States Departmentof Agriculture, International Institute of Tropical Forestry.(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Vegetable Produce | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7052 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, Giraldo Zapata, M.C.; Gould, W.A. (2024). Practices to manage climate impacts: Root and Tuber Crops. In Adaptation Guide: Climate change on farms and forested lands in the Caribbean. San Juan, PR: UnitedStates Department of Agriculture, International Institute of Tropical Forestry(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Root and Tuber Crops | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7056 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Ortiz-Colón, G.; Gould, W. (2024). Practices to manage climate impacts: Beef and Dairy Cattle. In Adaptation Guide: Climate change on farms and forested lands in the Caribbean. San Juan, PR: UnitedStates Department of Agriculture, International Institute of Tropical Forestry.(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Beef and Dairy Cattle | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7060 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Prieto-Pulido, S.; Gould, W. (2024). Practices to manage climate impacts: Small ruminants. In Adaptation Guide: Climate change on farms and forested lands in the Caribbean. San Juan, PR: United States Departmentof Agriculture, International Institute of Tropical Forestry.(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Small Ruminants | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7063 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Gonzalez-Rivera O.; Gould, W. (2024). Practices to manage climate impacts: Plantains and Bananas. In Adaptation Guide: Climate change on farms and forested lands in the Caribbean. San Juan, PR: United StatesDepartment of Agriculture, International Institute of Tropical Forestry(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Plantain and Bananas | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7066 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Gould, W. (2024). Practices to manage climate impact: Fruit Trees. In Adaptation Guide: Climate change on farms and forested lands in the Caribbean.
San Juan, PR: United States Department of Agriculture(View more) |
Report: Practices to manage climate impacts | Fruit Trees | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7069 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Arzola, C.; De la Torre, J.; Gould, W. (2024). Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos: Aves. In Guía de adaptación: Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. San Juan, PR:Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical.(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Aves | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7073 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Guzmán-Colón, D.; Crespo-Vélez, S.; Sanfiorenzo Gil De Lamadrid, A.; Gould, W. (2024). Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos: Terrenos boscosos. In Guías de adaptación: Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. San Juan,PR: Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical.(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Terrenos Boscosos | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7076 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Fernández Robles, Delvin L.; Gould, W. (2024). Prácticas
para manejar impactos climáticos: Café. In Guías de adaptación: Cambio climático en
fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. San Juan, PR: Departamento deAgricultura de los
Estados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical.(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Café | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7080 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Hernández, E.; Gould, W. (2024). Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos: Hortalizas. In Guía de adaptación: Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe.
San Juan, PR: Departamento de Agricultura delos Estados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía
Tropical(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Hortalizas | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7084 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, Giraldo Zapata, M.C.; Gould, W.A. (2024). Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos: Tubérculos. In Guías de adaptación: Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. San Juan, PR: Departamento de Agricultura delos Estados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Tubérculos | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7088 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Ortiz-Colón, G. (2024). Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos: Ganadería. In Manual Práctico: Guía de adaptación al cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. San Juan, PR: Departamento de Agriculturade los Estados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical.(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Ganadería | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7092 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Prieto-Pulido, S.; Gould, W. (2024). Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos: Pequeños rumiantes. In Guía de adaptación: Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. San Juan, PR: Departamento de Agriculturade los Estados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical.(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Pequeños Rumiantes | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7095 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Gonzalez-Rivera O.; Gould, W. (2024). Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos: Plátanos y Guineos. In Guía de adaptación: Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. San Juan, PR: Departamento deAgricultura de los Estados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical.(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Plátanos y Guineos | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7098 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Gould, W. (2024). Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos: árboles frutales. In Guías de adaptación: Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. San Juan, PR: Departamento de Agricultura de losEstados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical.(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Arboles Frutales | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7102 | 2025 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Crespo-Vélez, S.; Guzmán-Colón, D.; Medina Rodríguez, V.; Gould, W. (2024). Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos: Cacao. In Guías de adaptación: Cambio climático en fincas y terrenos boscosos del Caribe. San Juan, PR: Departamento de Agriculturade los Estados Unidos, Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical.(View more) |
Report: Prácticas para manejar impactos climáticos | Cacao | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7107 | 2025 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: On August 26th, 2025, Caribbean Climate Hub staff joined Agronomist Silmarie Crespo of USDA-NRCS Soil and Water Conservation District of the East Region in the installation of two rain gauges. We visited two farms inLas Piedras and Yabucoa Puerto Rico. The rain gauges were provided by the Caribbean Climate Hub in a collaborative effort to expand the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow (CoCoRaHs) network in Puerto Rico.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Installation of Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow (CoCoRaHS) rain gauges | Las Piedras & Yabucoa PR | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 7113 | 2025 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q1 Description: Photo gallery of OneUSDA workshop held in Canóvanas, Puerto Rico. "Agriculture, Forestry and Conservation - Integration of Available Practices, Resources and Tools."(View more) |
Photo Gallery: OneUSDA workshop sharing tools and resources for farm and forest management | Canovanas PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7115 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This curriculum forms part of the "Mochilas de Exploradores Climáticos". It focuses on regional impacts of climate change in the U.S. Caribbean and is intended for youth from 5th to 12th grade giving a lotof flexibility to educators. This curriculum was developed in collaboration with Jeanette Starpine from Climate Science Alliance with some contributions from Javier Garcia from Centering Tribal Stories.(View more) |
Curriculum: Mochila de Exploradores Climáticos | Efectos Regionales de Cambio Climático | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7112 | 2025 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Forest Service Research and Development Description: On May 8, 2025, a workshop on secondary forest management tools and information was held at the US Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry, located at the University of Puerto Rico South Botanical Gardenin San Juan, Puerto Rico. This event, part of an educational series on reforestation and forest management for ecological benefits applied to agriculture and forestry in the U.S. Caribbean, was attended by 45 participants. Throughout the day, attendees explored key topics related to biodiversity, strategic management of secondary forests, sustainable use of timber, and took part in a hands-on farm tool workshop, as well as engaging in informational tables and a discussion panel.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Workshop on managing young secondary forests for landowner benefits | Río PIedras PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7116 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Description: This curriculum forms part of the "Mochilas de Exploradores Climáticos". It focuses on climate ready agriculture in the U.S. Caribbean and is intended for children and youth from K thru 12th grade giving a lotof flexibility to educators to adapt the activities and materials as they see fit. This curriculum was developed in collaboration with Jeanette Starpine from Climate Science Alliance with contributions from Javier Garcia from Centering Tribal Stories.(View more) |
Curriculum: Mochila de Exploradores Climáticos | Preparación Agricola ante el Clima en el Caribe | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7119 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This curriculum forms part of the "Mochilas de Exploradores Climáticos". It focuses on introductory information on climate change as relevant to the U.S. Caribbean and is intended for youth for children from K to 5thgrade. This curriculum was developed in collaboration with Jeanette Starpine from Climate Science Alliance with some contributions from Javier Garcia from Centering Tribal Stories.(View more) |
Curriculum: Mochila de Exploradores Climáticos | Introducción al Cambio Climático | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7124 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This curriculum forms part of the Climate Kids Backpacks for Puerto Rico. It focuses on provided an introduction to climate change in the U.S. Caribbean and is intended for children from K to 5th grade.This curriculum was developed in collaboration with Jeanette Starpine from Climate Science Alliance with some contributions from Javier Garcia from Centering Tribal Stories.(View more) |
Curriculum: Climate Kids Backpacks | Climate Change 101 Puerto Rico | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7127 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This curriculum forms part of the Climate Kids Backpacks for Puerto Rico. It focuses on climate ready agriculture in the U.S. Caribbean and is intended for children and youth from K to 12th grade, providingflexibility for educators to adapt the activities as they see fit. This curriculum was developed in collaboration with Jeanette Starpine from Climate Science Alliance with some contributions from Javier Garcia from Centering Tribal Stories.(View more) |
Curriculum: Climate Kids Backpacks | Climate Ready Agriculture Puerto Rico | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7129 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Description: This curriculum forms part of the Climate Kids Backpacks for Puerto Rico. It focuses on the regional impacts of climate change on the U.S. Caribbean and is intended for children from 5th to 12th grade.This curriculum was developed in collaboration with Jeanette Starpine from Climate Science Alliance with some contributions from Javier Garcia from Centering Tribal Stories.(View more) |
Curriculum: Climate Kids Backpacks | Regional Impacts of Climate Change Puerto Rico | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7132 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This curriculum forms part of the Climate Kids Backpacks for the US Virgin Islands. It focuses on the regional impacts of climate change on the U.S. Caribbean and is intended for children from 5th to12th grade. This curriculum was developed in collaboration with Jeanette Starpine from Climate Science Alliance.(View more) |
Curriculum: Climate Kids Backpacks | Regional Impacts of Climate Change USVI | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7135 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This curriculum forms part of the Climate Kids Backpacks for the US Virgin Islands. It focuses on climate ready agriculture in the U.S. Caribbean and is intended for children and youth from K to 12thgrade, providing flexibility for educators to adapt the activities as they see fit. This curriculum was developed in collaboration with Jeanette Starpine from Climate Science Alliance.(View more) |
Curriculum: Climate Kids Backpacks | Climate Ready Agriculture USVI | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7138 | 2025 | Q3 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2025 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: This curriculum forms part of the Climate Kids Backpacks for the US Virgin Islands. It focuses on provided an introduction to climate change in the U.S. Caribbean and is intended for children from K to5th grade. This curriculum was developed in collaboration with Jeanette Starpine from Climate Science Alliance.(View more) |
Curriculum: Climate Kids Backpacks | Climate Change 101 USVI | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7143 | 2020 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Photo gallery of a workshop facilitated by Scott Landis and John Curtis of GreenWood.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Workshop and training - Techniques for using sawmills to maximize wood utilization | Corozal PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7144 | 2020 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Photo gallery of workshop facilitated by Daniel Cedeño, coordinator of the program " Motosierra en el Bosque Nacional Carson" from New Mexico and their colleague, Eddy Romero.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Taller ADAPTA #2: Cultura Forestal | Uso adecuado de motosierra antes y después de un huracán | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7145 | 2020 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Photo gallery for the workshop ADAPTA #1 facilitated by teacher and artist, Rene Delgado.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Taller ADAPTA #1: Cultura Forestal | Desarrollo de Productos Madereros | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7139 | 2024 | Q4 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Educational initiative made possible through collaboration between USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships Program, and the Atención Atención Foundation. It includes three lessons that aim to educate and inspire school-age children about climatechange, the importance of forest conservation, and agriculture. These lessons are available in the online learning platform, Atención Atención Academy.
In FY24, there were 14,172 active sessions for the curriculum in English. 2,783 active sessions corresponded to educators and 12,989 to students.
In FY 2025, 4,370 additional active sessions were registered on Atención Atención Academy for the curriculum in English when compared to FY24 sessions.(View more) |
Curriculum: Atención Atención Climate Change Lessons for Kids | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7140 | 2024 | Q4 | Science Development | K-12 | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Educational initiative made possible through collaboration between USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships Program, and the Atención Atención Foundation. It includes three lessons that aim to educate and inspire school-age children about climatechange, the importance of forest conservation, and agriculture. These lessons are available in the online learning platform, Atención Atención Academy.
In FY24, there were 56,786 active sessions for the curriculum in Spanish. More specifically, 7,245 sessions by educators and 59,412 by students.
For FY25, 27,002 active sessions were added for the curriculum in Spanish on Atención Atención Academy when compared to FY24 sessions.(View more) |
Curriculum: Atención Atención Lecciones de Cambio Climático para niños | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7146 | 2018 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Photo gallery of ADAPTA #5 workshop. The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Guillermo Ortiz-Colón, a dairy cattle nutrition specialist, and Dr. Rubén Hernández, a public health and environmental sciences specialist. The workshop focused on recommendedmanagement practices to facilitate adaptation to the effects of climate change and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farming.
It was held at the Lajas Experimental Station and Tai South Farm in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Model Forest Trust.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: Taller ADAPTA #5 | Minimizando la huella de carbono en la producción lechera: diseño y utilización de dietas nutricionales y buen manejo del ganado | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7147 | 2018 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Photo gallery of USDA Caribbean Climate Hub ADAPTA#4 Workshop which focused on the Use of Cover Crops for the Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: ADAPTA #4 | Uso de plantas cobertoras para la adaptación al cambio climático y mitigación de gases de efecto invernadero | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7148 | 2018 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Photo gallery of ADAPTA workshop "Silvicultura sostenible en sistemas socio-ecológicos: manejo de áreas boscosas en fincas agrícolas como estrategia de adaptación al cambio climático" with participation of Dr. Oscar Abelleira in UPR- Mayaguez(View more) |
Photo Gallery: ADAPTA #3 | Silvicultura sostenible en sistemas socio-ecológicos: manejo de áreas boscosas en fincas agrícolas como estrategia de adaptación al cambio climático | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7149 | 2018 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Photo gallery of workshop "ADAPTA #2 | Manejando la variabilidad climática: uso eficiente del agua para riego, método keyline, control de plagas y asociación de cultivos" which took place at El Josco Bravo.(View more) |
Photo Gallery: ADAPTA #2 | Manejando la variabilidad climática: uso eficiente del agua para riego, método keyline, control de plagas y asociación de cultivos | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7150 | 2017 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q4 Description: Photo gallery of workshop "ADAPTA #1 | Conservación y manejo sostenible de suelos agrícolas". During the first ADAPTA Workshop, agronomist Ian Pagán Roig of the Josco Bravo Agroecological Project shared his knowledge about erosion control,compost, biofertilizers, green manures, contour planting, and more.
Location: Toa Alta, DRNA facilities at the La Plata Reservoir in Toa Alta and the Josco Bravo farm.
Date: Thursday, August 10, 2017(View more) |
Photo Gallery: ADAPTA #1 | Conservación y manejo sostenible de suelos agrícolas | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7151 | 2018 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q2 |
Photo Gallery: National Hub Leaders Field Trip to Milk Money Dairy Farm in Hatillo | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7152 | 2018 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q2 Description: Photo gallery of site visits that took place on Jan 30th, 2018.(View more) |
Photo gallery: National Hub leaders field trip to observe agricultural damage after recent hurricanes | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 7153 | 2017 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q2 |
Photo Gallery: Jeanmarie Chocolat: Cultivo de cacao orgánico en Puerto Rico | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7154 | 2017 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q2 |
Photo Gallery: Feria Agrícola Educativa Cinco Días Con Nuestra Tierra 2016 | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7155 | 2016 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q2 |
Photo Gallery: Agrifest 2016 | St. Croix USVI | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7156 | 2016 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q1 |
Photo Gallery: GHG Mitigation and Adaptation Workshop, day 2 | San Juan, PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7157 | 2016 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2016 | Quarter: Q1 |
Photo Gallery: GHG Mitigation and Adaptation Workshop, day 1 San Juan, PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7158 | 2015 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q4 |
Photo Gallery: USDA Climate Hubs in the Americas Workshop, day 2. | San Juan PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7159 | 2015 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q4 |
Photo Gallery: USDA Climate Hubs in the Americas Workshop, day 1 | San Juan PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7160 | 2015 | Q2 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q2 |
Photo Gallery: Agrifest 2015 | St. Croix USVI | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7161 | 2015 | Q1 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2015 | Quarter: Q1 |
Photo Gallery: Soil & Water Resources Conservation Act (RCA) Roundtable 2014 | Río PIedras PR | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 7162 | 2014 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q4 |
Photo Gallery: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Partnership Meeting | Río Piedras PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7163 | 2014 | Q4 | Decision Support Tools | Photo gallery | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q4 |
Photo Gallery: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Organizational Meeting | Río PIedras PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7167 | 2019 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q3 Description: In November 2018, the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub collaborated with GreenWood Inc. on an activity aimed at sharing the possibilities of developing the concept of “Eco-Logging” in Puerto Rico. During the activity, several woodworkers expressedtheir vision for the future of Puerto Rico's timber industry.(View more) |
Video: Imagining the future of the wood industry in Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7169 | 2018 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: The effects of climate change have been observed on agricultural lands in the Caribbean. Climate change effects include shifts in temperature and precipitation, which can manifest as water scarcity or excess, above normal temperatures, sealevel rise, as well as frequent tropical storms. However, the implementation of conservation practices on agricultural lands helps to significantly reduce the effects of climate change.
In order to describe the existing connection between the best conservation practices and the mitigation of climate change effects, the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub designed the following infographic.(View more) |
Infographic: Agricultural Conservation Practices for Climate Risk Reduction | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 7173 | 2022 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: NRCS Caribbean Area Office, USDA Rural Development Description: Presentation at the Third Climate Change in the Caribbean virtual meeting Promoting Climate Resilience in Puerto Rico & the US Virgin Islands, April 19-20, 2022.
Moderator: Adrienne L. Williams-Octalien, Director of the USVI Office ofDisaster Recovery
● Kimme Bryce, Area Director, U. S. Virgin Islands Area Office-USDA Rural Development, USDA-Rural Development: Supporting Rural Communities
● Mario Rodríguez, State Resource Conservationist, USDA-NRCS and Manuel Matos Rodríguez, State Soil Scientist for Puerto Rico and USVI, USDA-NRCS, USDA-NRCS Tools and Programs for Communities and local Governments
● Rafael Canizares, Civil Engineer, Federal Emergency Management Agency. BRIC: Capacity Building and Funding Opportunities for Climate Resilience.(View more) |
Video: Federal Opportunities Supporting Climate Resiliency and Sustainable Development | 3rd Climate Change in the Caribbean Conference | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7178 | 2022 | Q3 | Decision Support Tools | Video | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: Foundation for Development Planning, Inc. Description: Session at the Third Climate Change in the Caribbean Conference, April 19-20, 2022: Climate change actions - Adaptation initiatives and opportunities.
Moderador: Luis Jorge Rivera Herrera, Analista de Programa, Sección de Planificación Comunitaria yDesarrollo de Capacidades, Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias
● Arturo Massol-Deyá, Director Ejecutivo, Casa Pueblo, Autogestión comunitaria en la adaptación climática
● Lloyd Gardner, Presidente, Foundation for Development Planning, Inc., Adaptación climática en las Islas Vírgenes de los EE. UU.: Estado actual y oportunidades
● John Englander, Director Ejecutivo, Caribbean Center for Rising Seas, Fideicomiso para Ciencia, Tecnología e Investigación de Puerto Rico, La elevación presenta oportunidades para la adaptación(View more) |
Video: Climate change actions - Adaptation initiatives and opportunities | 3rd Climate Change in the Caribbean Conference | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7180 | 2018 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Los efectos del cambio climático se han hecho sentir sobre las tierras agrícolas del Caribe. Estos incluyen cambios en temperatura y precipitación, que pueden manifestarse en forma de exceso o escasez de agua, temperaturas porencima del promedio, aumento del nivel del mar, así como tormentas tropicales frecuentes. Implementar prácticas de conservación en las tierras agrícolas ayuda a disminuir considerablemente los efectos del cambio climático.
Con el objetivo de explicar la conexión existente entre las mejores prácticas de conservación y la mitigación de los efectos producidos por el cambio climático, el Centro Climático del Caribe del USDA diseñó la siguiente infografía.(View more) |
Infographic: Prácticas de conservación agrícola para la reducción de riesgos climáticos | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 7181 | 2022 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining activities (ASM) in tropical forests are expanding rapidly, fueled by soaring gold prices and improved road access. Despite the “artisanal’ label, the associated mining activities use toxic chemicals and heavymachinery. Thus, ASM is causing irreversible damage to the ecosystems, including deforestation, increased sedimentation in waterways, and mercury pollution of water and soil. In response, many governments are trying to ‘formalize’ ASM by registering concessions and creating gold mining zones. The environmental outcomes associated with formalization efforts in the tropics have seldom been analyzed systematically. Here we shared lessons from our research on changes in deforestation associated with formalization of AM in the Department of Madre de Dios (MD), in the Peruvian Amazon.
Author(s): Nora Álvarez-Berríos, Jessica L’Roe, and Lisa Naughton-Treves
Date: January, 2022
Source: International Institute for Tropical Forestry, Middlebury College, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Citation: Álvarez-Berríos, L’Roe, and Naughton-Treves. 2022. Formalizing artisanal gold mining to mitigate environmental impacts: Lessons learned from Madre de Dios, Perú – Research Brief for Policy Makers.
Note: The complete manuscript is available at Environmental Research Letters (https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/abede9).(View more) |
Factsheet: Formalizing artisanal gold mining to mitigate environmental impacts: Lessons learned from Madre de Dios, Perú | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry | |
| 7186 | 2021 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Presentation for the North Carolina State University Center for Integrated Pest Management (CIPM) monthly seminar series. April 8, 2021(View more) |
Presentation: Addressing climate change in tropical forestry and agriculture at the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7188 | 2021 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Description: Puerto Rico GAP Analysis Project - Identifying gaps in biodiversity protection to maintain common species in common. Presented at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Metro campus, Data Science Research Methods
class, April 15, 2021(View more) |
Presentation: Proyecto de Análisis GAP de Puerto Rico | San Juan PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7184 | 2022 | Q2 | Science Development | Grey literature | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Las actividades de mineria de oro artesanal y de pequeña escala (MAPE) en los bosques tropicales se están expandiendo rápidamente, impulsadas por la subida de los precios del oro y la mejora del acceso porcarretera. A pesar de la etiqueta de “artesanal”, las actividades miners asociadas utilizan productos quimicos tóxicos y maquinaria pesada. Asi, la MAPE está causando daños irreversibles en los ecosistemas, como la deforestación, el aumento de la sedimentación en los cursos de agua y la contaminación del agua y el suelo por mercurio. Como respuesta, muchos gobiernos están intentando “formalizar” la MAPE mediante el registro de concesiones y la creación de zonas de extracción de oro. Los resultados medioambientales asociados a los esfuerzos de formalización en los trópicos rara vez se han analizado de forma sistemática. Aquí compartimos las lecciones de nuestra investigación sobre los cambios en la deforestación asociados a la formalización de la MAPE en el Departamento de Madre de Dios (MdD), en la Amazonia peruana.
Autores: Nora Álvarez-Berríos, Jessica L’Roe, y Lisa Naughton-Treves
Fecha: enero 2022
Recursos: International Institute for Tropical Forestry, Middlebury College, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Cita sugerida: Álvarez-Berríos, L’Roe, and Naughton-Treves. 2022. Formalización de la minería artesanal del oro para mitigar el impacto ambiental: Lecciones aprendidas de Madre de Dios, Perú – Resumen científico para forjadores de política pública.
Nota: El manuscrito completo está disponible en Environmental Research Letters (https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/abede9).(View more) |
Factsheet (Spanish): Formalización de la minería artesanal del oro para mitigar el impacto ambiental: Lecciones aprendidas de Madre de Dios, Perú | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry | |
| 7195 | 2020 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q3 Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub - Updates on research, tools, and outreach | Río Piedras PR Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Presented by invitation to the Luquillo Long Term Ecological Research meeting April 21, 2020(View more) |
Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub - Updates on research, tools, and outreach | Río Piedras PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7199 | 2021 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Presented by invitation to the Building Agricultural Resilience to Natural Disasters Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Policy Seminar 3, December 10, 2020.(View more) |
Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub - Building resilience to climate disaster in tropical forestry and agriculture | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 7203 | 2021 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation to the NRCS State Technical Committee meeting in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico on December 8, 2020.(View more) |
Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub update to the NRCS State Technical Committee | Río Piedras PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7205 | 2021 | Q3 | Science Development | Peer-reviewed | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: A global surge in ‘artisanal’, smallscale mining (ASM) threatens biodiverse tropical forests and exposes residents to dangerous levels of mercury. In response, governments and development agencies are investing millions on ASM formalization; registering concessions anddemarcating extraction zones to promote regulatory adherence and direct mining away from ecologically sensitive areas. The environmental outcomes of these initiatives are seldom systematically assessed. We examine patterns of mining-related deforestation associated with formalization efforts in a gold-rich region of the Peruvian Amazon. We track changes from 2001 to 2014 when agencies: (a) issued 1701 provisional titles and (b) tried to restrict mining to a >5000 km2 ‘corridor’. We use fixed-effect regression and matching methods to control for gold price, geology, and accessibility. Mining increased dramatically during this period, clearing ∼40 000 ha of forest. After the mining corridor was declared and enforcement increased, new mining sites were opened more frequently within titled areas and inside the corridor than elsewhere. However, mining also increased in protected area buffer zones and native communities, and the proportion of mining area occurring outside the corridor grew, concentrated in a few hotspots. Interviews (n = 47) revealed that the hoped-for regulatory adherence failed to materialize because miners who were issued provisional titles started operations without complying with attendant environmental rules. Overlapping land claims for agriculture and forest extraction proved a major obstacle for obtaining full legal rights to mine. Miners resented the slow, costly formalization process but many sought titles to bolster territorial claims, avoid policing, obtain credit and recruit paying ‘guest’ miners who generally ignored regulations. We find that responses to formalization varied with changing context and while formalization may curb mining in some circumstances, it may exacerbate it in others. Without adequate enforcement, interagency coordination, and attention to competing land claims, formalizing ASM may accelerate ecological destruction.(View more) |
Research paper: Does formalizing artisanal gold mining mitigate environmental impacts? Deforestation evidence from the Peruvian Amazon | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry | |
| 7207 | 2018 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2018 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Download the full article: Correlating drought conservation practices and drought vulnerability in a tropical agricultural system. Álvarez-Berríos, N., Soto-Bayó, S., Holupchinski, E., Fain, S., & Gould, W. (2018). Published in the June 2018 Special Issuein Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems,33(3), 279-291. doi:10.1017/S174217051800011X for free until 31st July 2018(View more) |
Blog: Confronting Drought Impacts in Puerto Rico | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 7215 | 2021 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Fiscal Year: 2021 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub |
Blog: UW researchers investigate mining-related deforestation in the Amazon | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry | |
| 7217 | 2024 | Q3 | Science Development | Grey literature | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub |
Newspaper article: Bryan-Roach Administration Receives Climate Change Assessment | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education | |
| 7221 | 2019 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation on the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub efforts to learn from hurricanes. Presented at the Forest Service First Friday All Climate Change talks Friday August 2, 2019.(View more) |
Presentation: Lessons from Extreme Climate Events: Learning to improve preparation, response and recovery from hurricanes | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 7213 | 2020 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Recent droughts in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean have emphasized the region's agricultural vulnerability to this hazard and the increasing need for adaptation mechanisms to support sustainable production. In this study, we assessed thegeographic extent of agricultural conservation practices incentivized by US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and evaluated their large-scale contribution to drought adaptability. We identified concentrations of drought-related practices (e.g. cover crops, ponds) applied between 2000 and 2016. Using information from spatial databases and interviews with experts, we assessed the spatial correlation between these practices and areas exposed to drought as identified by the US Drought Monitor. Between 2000 and 2016, Puerto Rico experienced seven drought episodes concentrated around the south, east and southeastern regions. The most profound drought occurred between 2014 and 2016 when the island experienced 80 consecutive weeks of moderate drought, 48 of severe drought and 33 of extreme drought conditions. A total of 44 drought-related conservation practices were applied at 6984 locations throughout 860 km2 of farmlands between 2000 and 2016 through the NRCS-Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Practices related to water availability were statistically clustered along the coasts, whereas soil and plant health practices were clustered in the mountainous region. While these concentrations strongly correlated with areas exposed to moderate drought conditions, >80% did not coincide with areas that experienced severe or extreme drought conditions, suggesting that areas highly exposed to drought conditions generally lacked drought preparedness assisted by EQIP. Climate projections indicate an increase in the frequency and intensity of drought events, particularly in the eastern region of Puerto Rico. Our analysis highlighted the need to implement more conservation practices in these areas subject to drought intensification and exposure.(View more) |
Presentation: Correlating drought conservation practices and drought vulnerability in a tropical agricultural system | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 7225 | 2020 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2020 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation on learning from hurricane disasters to the University of Puerto Rico Biology Department Río Piedras Campus, October 15, 2019.(View more) |
Presentation: Learning from extreme climate events: Social and ecological research to improve hurricane preparation, response and recovery | Río Piedras PR | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 7227 | 2024 | Q4 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Climate Solutions | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub |
Newspaper article: Desde escasez de agua hasta enfermedades: cambio climático desafía la industria del cacao en Puerto Rico | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 7230 | 2022 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Caribbean Drought Learning Network | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub |
Newspaper article: Entidades crean la Red de Aprendizaje sobre la Sequía en el Caribe | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 7232 | 2022 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2022 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub |
Newspaper article: Exponen las necesidades agrícolas a cuatro años del paso del huracán María | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 7234 | 2019 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Hurricane Assessments | Fiscal Year: 2019 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub |
Newspaper article: El rescate maderero nunca llegó | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7236 | 2014 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2014 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation to the 2nd Protected Areas Congress, San Juan, Puerto Rico, on August 29, 2014.(View more) |
Presentation: Defining shared conservation priorities, planning and action in response to climate change | San Juan PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7277 | 2017 | Q2 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q2 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Invited presentation at the conference Frontiers in Environmental Microbiology: Agricultural Innovation, Turabo University, Match 17, 2017.(View more) |
Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub - Reducing climate related risks to tropical agriculture and forestry | Gurabo PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 7290 | 2017 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2017 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Listening session for the Fourth National Climate Assessment, Caribbean Chapter, at the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico on August 15, 2027.(View more) |
Presentation: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub - Riesgos Climáticos en el Caribe | Río Piedras PR | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 8758 | 2026 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Centro para la Conservación del Paisaje, Para la Naturaleza, University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service Description: This workshop provided information and training for decision-making considering risks during the first five years of tree planting in forest management. The activity included informational tables in collaboration with various reforestation support organizations and aguided field trip to explore reforestation efforts in the region.(View more) |
Workshop: Reforestation series - Early planting, Hacienda La Esperanza | Manatí PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 9598 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: The Northwest and California Climate Hubs have developed post-wildfire reforestation guidance materials, workshops, and web tools to assist forest managers and private landowners. These resources help managers enhance post-fire reforestation efforts by offering expert recommendationsand fostering shared learning on selecting appropriate plant materials for forest recovery.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Guidance for Post-fire Restoration | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 9604 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: The California Climate Hub has facilitated several hands-on workshops for forestry professionals to use cutting-edge geospatial landscape data and decision support tools. Each workshop is tailored to the audience’s needs and provides interactive exercises topractice using the data and tools.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Forest Manager Training in Decision Support Tools | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7292 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: On June 26th, Dr. Nora Álvarez-Berríos discussed her research on gold-mining related deforestation and formalization initiatives in the Peruvian Amazon at the Universidad Andina del Cusco in Peru. Her presentation was part of a conferenceled by Prof. Lisa Naughton (University of Wisconsin-Madison), intending to share findings from over twenty years of research on land-tenure and deforestation in Ecuador and Perú. The activity was attended by around 38 students and professors.(View more) |
Presentation: ¿Mitiga el daño ambiental la formalización de la minería artesanal del oro? Evidencia de la Amazonía Peruana | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7294 | 2024 | Q4 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Decision support tools | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q4 Collaborators: USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: Dr. Nora Álvarez-Berríos shared insights and research experiences on tropical deforestation and land tenure with students, professors, regional environmental authorities, and NGOs in Peru. The travel to Perú and Dr. Álvarez-Berríos participation was made possibleby a seed grant to the University of Wisconsin, which seeks to bring evidence to debates surrounding land titling and forest conservation. On July 1, Dr. Alvarez-Berríos spoke at USAID in Lima, about formalizing artisanal gold mining and mitigating environmental impacts, drawing lessons from Madre de Dios, Perú. The conference had 37 participants representing eight organizations, including USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Perú, USAID Ecuador, Wildlife Conservation Society Perú, CINCIA, and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes. In addition, Dr. Alvarez-Berríos visited Pucallpa and presented her gold-deforestation research findings at the Universidad Nacional de Ucayali. The talk was attended by a group of 72 students.(View more) |
Presentation: Sharing research and experiences on gold mining, deforestation and land tenure with stakeholders in Perú | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 7299 | 2024 | Q3 | Outreach & Engagement | Presentations | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2024 | Quarter: Q3 Collaborators: Foundation for Development Planning, Inc., University of the Virgin Islands, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub Description: On June 12th members of the writing team for the Congressionally mandated Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5 - https://nca2023.globalchange.gov/chapter/23/ ), chapter 23 on the US Caribbean, were presenters at a 2-hour meeting agreed toby the Governor of the US Virgin Islands, the Honorable Albert Bryan Jr. The objective of the session was to provide information regarding the value of the data and the ideas that are available in the NCA5, especially the US Caribbean chapter, and to explore the opportunities and perhaps the necessity of moving forward in a way that is different than in the past because of the current conditions created by climate change for the people of the US Caribbean and the world in the present. The team that put together this particular session is a subgroup of the US Caribbean writing team which included 21 members. Presenters included Dr. Nora Alvarez-Berrios from the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub in Puerto Rico, Mr. Lloyd Gardner, a multi-country environmental planner and Executive Director for the Foundation for Development Planning, Inc., and Dr. LaVerne Ragster, a reviewer of NCA4, President Emerita of the University of Virgin Islands and Retired Professor of Marine Biology. The session included presentations on major findings and messages from the US Caribbean chapter; constraints and possibilities for development in the context of climate change current and beyond; examples of efforts underway in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands from the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, and recommendations for the Territory going forward in a changing environment. The information presented was well received by the public sector leaders of the USVI.(View more) |
Presentation: Value and Potential of the Fifth National Climate Assessment, US Caribbean Chapter, to the USVI Climate Adaptation Efforts | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 9607 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: The Northern Forests Climate Hub partners with public and private forest land managers and Forest Service staff to help train and support loggers, truckers, and other industry staff in adapting their businesses and operations towarmer and more variable winter weather conditions.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Adapting Forest Industry Operations to Changing Winter Conditions | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 9629 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: Hurricanes in Puerto Rico typically leave millions of cubic yards of vegetative debris from downed and damaged trees. Making the best use of these wood resources requires a wood products industry with the capacity toscale up in times of need and provide valued products to markets adapted to the irregular supply of salvage wood.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Building a Wood Products Industry in Puerto Rico | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 9635 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: The Northeast and Southeast Hubs engage with Extension, researchers, and producers to better understand the state of science around soil salinization and saltwater intrusion. New knowledge and toolswill help land managers better address these issuesto minimize losses to crop and timber productivity.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Understanding Saltwater Intrusion | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 9637 | 2026 | Q1 | Outreach & Engagement | Workshop | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Para la Naturaleza, University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension Service Description: This workshop delivered key information and training for producing quality trees in nurseries for the purpose of supplying reforestation efforts. The activity included information tables in collaboration with various reforestation support organizations and a practicalworkshop on planting trees in nurseries.(View more) |
Workshop: Reforestation series - Nurseries, Hacienda La Esperanza | Manatí PR | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 9647 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist, USDA Southeast Climate Hub Description: The Southeast Climate Hub engages with various partners to better understand the state of science around hurricane preparation and recovery on working lands. This project covers a variety of sectors, for example, it includes aguide for pine forest landowners to help them plan before hurricanes for short-term pre-hurricane management planning and post-hurricane evaluation and recovery.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery Commodity Guides | Disasters & Extreme Weather: Hurricanes, Wildfire, Flooding & Heat |
| 9654 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: Grass-Cast helps ranchers anticipate whether forage production (pounds per acre) is likely to be above-normal, near-normal, or below-normal in the upcoming growing season. Grass-Cast is first released in the spring and updated every two weeksusing newly observed weather data. It becomes more accurate as the growing season unfolds, so is most helpful when consulted regularly.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Grass Cast - Grassland Productivity Forecast | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 9661 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Agricultural Research Service, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: The USDA Midwest Climate Hub and partners combine expertise to provide tools for agricultural producers to plan for changing weather and support crop yield. The tools provide easy access to historical freeze dates and useprecipitation forecasts to assess and share impacts to agriculture.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Seasonal Weather Outlooks and Long-term Freeze Dates for Agricultural Producers | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 9667 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: The Climate Hubs support farmers, ranchers, and foresters in reducing the risks of drought by connecting producers with experts and information on drought conditions, impacts, and ways to respond. Regional drought awareness and risk reductionprojects exemplify the Hub network’s commitment to supporting producers in drought preparation and response.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Reducing Drought Risk | Drought: Adaptation Practices, Reducing Risk, Monitoring Rainfall & Communicating Conditions |
| 9673 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Northeast Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: The USDA Climate Hubs and partners coordinate to provide cost-saving resources to agricultural producers through sharing improved soil management practices. Online publications from the Hubs demonstrate the economic benefits of improved soil management techniques suchas no-tillage and cover-crops.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Economic Benefits of Long-Term Soil Health Practices | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 9686 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA International Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: The International Climate Hub connects domestic users to a suite of global interactive tools that go beyond weather and climate information to include international agricultural disaster assessment, planning, risk management, and international trade analysis.(View more) |
National Factsheet: International Production and Climate Tools Support U.S. Agricultural Exports | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
| 9700 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist, USDA Southwest Climate Hub Description: The USDA Climate Hubs and partners coordinate to provide decision-support resources to cattle producers in the Southwest and Ogallala Aquifer region as they consider supply chain options.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Cattle Production Resources and Supply Chain Options | Farm & Range Management: Crops, Dairy, Livestock & Soil Health |
| 9707 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist, USDA Southeast Climate Hub Description: The Silvics of North America (SNA) is the most widely used forest management guide in the word. Since 1965, the SNA continues to be an important silvicultural resource for foresters, producers, and resource managers. TheUSDA Southeast Climate Hub, in collaboration with the Canadian Forest Service and National Forest Commission of Mexico, is updating the SNA to ensure current relevance and accuracy amid changes in species’ range, ecology, and economic value.(View more) |
National Factsheet: Updating The Silvics of North America Supporting Foresters and Producers | Forest Management: Wood Products, Ecosystem Services, Reforestation, Silviculture & Agroforestry |
| 9713 | 2026 | Q1 | Science Development | Grey literature | Reducing Climate Risk - Education and Communication | Fiscal Year: 2026 | Quarter: Q1 Collaborators: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA Caribbean Climate Hub, USDA Office of the Chief Economist Description: The USDA Climate Hubs serve American farmers, ranchers, and forest managers by sharing science and resources, creating tools, and convening experts for data-informed, region-specific decision-making.(View more) |
National Factsheet: USDA Climate Hubs Overview | Climate Risk & Variability: Projections, Assessments, Syntheses & Education |
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