FEMA backs ongoing reconstruction of historic Fajardo lighthouse

The Cabezas de San Juan Natural Reserve has 11 terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including the bioluminescent lagoon (Laguna Grande), the surrounding forest, and an extensive network of reefs and seagrass beds.

By The Star Staff

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is supporting the ongoing reconstruction of the historic Cabezas de San Juan Lighthouse through an obligation of nearly $726,200 to the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust for damage following Hurricane Maria.

The lighthouse in the municipality of Fajardo was built in 1880. In addition to its great historical value, it is a maritime navigation tool for the northeastern region of Puerto Rico.

“Projects like these that seek to preserve historical monuments, while caring for and educating about the preservation of our flora and fauna, are essential for the survival of our ecosystem,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José Baquero. “Our mission is for future generations to enjoy the natural beauty that defines our culture.”

The Cabezas de San Juan Natural Reserve has 11 terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including the bioluminescent lagoon (Laguna Grande), the surrounding forest, and an extensive network of reefs and seagrass beds. The organization receives between 50,000 and 60,000 visitors a year of all ages, both local visitors and tourists.

Johanna Santiago Torres, the superintendent of Cabezas de San Juan Natural Reserve, said the organization’s mission is to protect 33% of Puerto Rico’s ecosystems by 2033, in collaboration with the federal and local government, private entities and the communities surrounding those spaces.

The lighthouse is one of the sites visited as part of the reserve’s tours and is part of the National Register of Historic Places. Regarding the ongoing repairs, Santiago Torres said the restoration of the facilities strengthens the protection of ecosystems and guarantees safe spaces for environmental education, research and Puerto Rico’s natural resources.

In addition to the reserve’s value in helping reduce high temperatures and mitigate the effects of climate change, the superintendent emphasized that it is important to preserve Cabezas de San Juan because of the ecosystems that live there and because it is an oasis for the different migratory, endemic and native species that arrive.

“It is very important for the community, for the people who visit us, to have a space where they feel connected to nature, because we, human beings, are part of nature, so these spaces serve for that, to connect,” Santiago Torres said.