Plans for Karst Institute to be unveiled at environmental fair

The fair will feature talks by experts on the endangered Puerto Rican crested toad (sapo concho), the island’s unique karst system, and climate change.

By The Star Staff

At a time when climate change and ecosystem loss threaten biodiversity and endanger vital resources across the island, Ciudadanos del Karso (CDK) is inviting the public to attend “Karst in Action for the Earth,” an environmental fair to be held on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. at the former Roosevelt School in Arecibo.

The event will feature talks by experts on the endangered Puerto Rican crested toad (sapo concho), the island’s unique karst system, and climate change, along with hands-on art workshops for children and adults, local artisan and agricultural exhibits, and presentations from grassroots organizations.

Among the keynote speakers are Dr. Alberto Puente, a professor of biology at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, who will speak on the conservation of the sapo concho; Dr. Ariel Lugo, an ecologist and former director of the International Institute of Tropical Forestry under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who will address rising sea levels and climate impacts; and Abel Vale, president and founder of Ciudadanos del Karso, who will discuss the critical role of the karst region in Puerto Rico’s environmental health.

“This will be a space for learning and collective action, bringing together scientists, community leaders, artists, artisans, and farmers committed to environmental justice and ecological education,” Vale said.

Organizers will unveil plans for the construction of the Karst Institute of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Natural History Museum of Puerto Rico during the event, which will also include sustainable art workshops led by artists Rogelio Báez, Natalia Sánchez and Carlos De Gracia.

The fair commemorates over three decades of CDK’s ongoing commitment to protecting Puerto Rico’s natural systems, with special focus on the island’s fragile and essential karst region.