Forest Bridge

Weaving Ancestral Knowledge and Sustainability in Our Forests

The Puente Forestal Puerto Rico project, led by Caribbean Regenerative Community Development (CRCD), aims to empower stewards of underserved forest lands by facilitating their transition to sustainable agroforestry practices and fostering the growth of a green economy. This approach prioritizes the production and commercialization of both timber and non-timber forest products, promoting environmental sustainability and the economic well-being of local communities.

Project Goals (2024–2028)

Provide technical assistance for the implementation of climate-smart practices, including the planting of native, fruit, and timber species, soil amendments with biochar, and vine management. These actions aim to strengthen ecosystem connectivity within the Guánica–Maricao Priority Landscape.

Deliver ongoing workshops to train participants in sustainable agroforestry practices, forest product processing and commercialization, and other topics of interest. These workshops will promote collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and community empowerment.

Foster market opportunities for sustainable forest products—both timber and non-timber—through the development of a distinct certification label. Additionally, the project will monitor greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental, social, and economic benefits to help establish voluntary markets.

Guánica–Maricao Priority Landscape

The Guánica–Maricao landscape includes the Guánica, Susúa, and Maricao State Forests, which form a mosaic of ecosystems essential for biodiversity and ecological resilience in the region. Connected by a biological corridor, these forests facilitate species movement, genetic exchange, and the restoration of degraded ecosystems.

Natural forest succession contributes to soil regeneration, carbon sequestration, and the strengthening of key habitats. Within this landscape, Puente Forestal focuses on advancing sustainability, recovering ancestral knowledge, and promoting regenerative agroforestry practices that reconnect communities with their natural environment (a map of the region can be found in the images below).

Puente Forestal PR is more than a project—it is a commitment to sustainability, environmental regeneration, the preservation of ancestral knowledge, and the strengthening of our communities.