The Trust (CTPR)

Mission:

The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to secure functional and healthy ecosystems in the islands of Puerto Rico, and to instill in their inhabitants a sense of responsibility toward the conservation of our natural resources, so that we may count on the ecosystem services that will help us achieve our social, economic and quality-of-life goals.

Vision:

The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico believes that we can achieve our full potential, both individually and collectively, if we can sustain the ecosystem services of the islands of Puerto Rico and respect all forms of life with which we share our natural environment.

Scope of Action

The Trust carries out this mission by acquiring natural areas to be protected, by constituting conservation easements, through habitat and species restoration initiatives and through the rehabilitation of historical landmarks, among others. As part of its mission, the Trust develops educational programs aimed at generating public awareness and enabling active participation to meet the needs of protecting and conserving the island’s natural areas. These efforts go hand in hand with the management of a tree nursery program dedicated to producing, distributing and planting native trees in Puerto Rico.

Additionally, the Trust has implemented a plan aimed at reversing the loss of natural areas in the islands of Puerto Rico and achieving a sustainable balance between the capacity of our islands’ natural ecosystems, and our own economic, social and cultural activities. The plan consists of three main goals:

33 X 2033: thirty-three percent of Puerto Rico’s land protected by the year 2033 through the conservation of key ecosystems to maximize functionality and biodiversity.

Inspire stewards of natural and historic heritage: providing diverse programming for visitors in our nature reserves to help them connect with nature and to foster a sense of responsibility toward our natural and cultural assets;

Promote a conservation culture: developing and supporting environmental policies seeking Puerto Rico’s economic prosperity while taking into account the protection of our ecological wealth.

History

The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico was created in 1968 through a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States Department of the Interior and the Government of Puerto Rico. It became legally established through a Deed of Constitution of Charitable Trust in 1970. At the time, Puerto Rico’s economy was undergoing a period of aggressive modernization and industrialization, which placed an enormous burden on the island’s natural environment. Urban sprawl and deforestation, among other factors, began to take a huge toll on the island’s natural resources, and the need to protect and restore vital ecosystems became imperative. Thus, the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico was created to serve as a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of Puerto Rico’s great ecological wealth by acquiring and managing lands of ecological, historical, and/or cultural value.

Since then, the Trust has become a leading and influential nonprofit conservation organization, dedicated to both ecosystem protection and management, and to providing quality nature education.

Throughout the years, the Trust has engaged tens of thousands of participants through nature immersion activities, volunteer programs, and active conservation efforts. Active participation opportunities enable experiences that help increase awareness about the way people relate to nature, promoting healthier behaviors towards the natural environment. The Trust has received numerous awards and recognitions for its contributions to protecting and restoring nature in the islands of Puerto Rico, its achievements in historical preservation and restoration, and its excellence in environmental education programming.