Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico
The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico is a private, nonprofit organization protecting natural areas; constituting conservation easements; restoring, rehabilitating and preserving historical structures; developing educational programs that foster the protection of natural areas; and directing a tree nursery program for native and endemic species, among others. The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico has been accredited by The Land Trust Accreditation Commission. The Conservation Trust is also a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, a global environmental organization with more than 1,200 public and private members from 160 countries.
In June 2013, the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico launched its nonprofit unit, Para la Naturaleza. Its goal is to integrate society at large in the conservation of natural ecosystems, in order to increase the amount of protected lands in Puerto Rico, from the actual 8 percent, to 33 percent by the year 2033. Para la Naturaleza seeks to provide each person and each community with transformative experiences that can inspire and motivate concrete actionsfor nature, such as doing volunteer work, donating money and land, or establishing conservation easements. The unit groups all of the Trust’s educational programming, volunteer and Citizen Science events, and all fundraising initiatives of the organization. Para la Naturaleza also manages all visitor centers and natural areas protected by the Trust, including Hacienda Buena Vista in Ponce, Hacienda La Esperanza in Manatí and Cabezas de San Juan in Fajardo, among others.