Programs | ISER Caribe

Ocean Conservation & Restoration

Ocean conservation and restoration requires dedicated efforts to safeguard and enhance marine ecosystems. Through sustainable practices, habitat protection, and active restoration initiatives, ISER Caribe aims to preserve biodiversity, mitigate climate impacts, and ensure the health and resilience of our oceans for future generations.

Coral Reef Restoration

ISER Caribe takes an ecosystem-based approach to improving the health and conditions of Caribbean coral reefs. Our approach goes beyond the mere restoration of corals; it emphasizes the repopulation of herbivorous organisms, which play a crucial role in clearing harmful algae from reefs. These organisms play an indispensable part in maintaining the overall health of the coral reef ecosystem.

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Aquaculture

ISER Caribe's aquaculture program presently concentrates on cultivating Ulva ohnoi, widely recognized as sea lettuce. This seaweed is the preferred food source for many herbivores raised at our CIROM facilities, contributing to our coral reef restoration initiatives. Looking ahead, ISER aspires to broaden its aquaculture programs by incorporating additional seaweed species and other marine organisms in the future!

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Fisheries

The fisheries of the Caribbean are both diverse and crucial to the region's economy, food security, and cultural heritage. Initiatives like those undertaken by ISER Caribe, focus on implementing a range of strategies for fisheries management. By supporting livelihoods, enhancing food security, and safeguarding marine ecosystems, these efforts strive to secure a prosperous and thriving future for generations to come.

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Climate Justice

In the Caribbean, climate justice entails addressing the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, advocating for equitable adaptation and mitigation strategies, and fostering resilience in the face of environmental challenges to ensure a fair and sustainable future for all.

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Climate Justice Hub

The Hub is slated to be at our central office, conveniently positioned near the Cabo Rojo Plaza. The Hub will be a central place to coordinate research, teaching, and outreach activities that address environmental and climate change injustices, focusing on building collaborations. The Hub will become a stable, nurturing, and generative space that supports decentralized organizing and ensures the sustainability of grassroots movements.

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DRRUM

The Dust, Rainfall, & Reefs- Understanding the Mechanisms (DRRUM) project will investigate the linkages between Saharan dust, rainfall, and the connections/impacts on Puerto Rico’s coral reefs and society. The project led by PI Dr. Nathan Hosannah, and Co-PI Dr. Ryan Mann-Hamilton was selected as a recipient of an NSF NCAR Collaborative Opportunities for Research Engagement (CORE) award.

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Weather Prognosis & Vulnerability

Weather forecasting is an indispensable utility that facilitates efficient crop irrigation, transportation, and preparation for extreme events. Accurate forecasts are particularly important to communities in the tropics. ISER Caribe collaborated with governments, scientific institutions, civil society organizations, and local communities to ensure effective utilization of weather information and vulnerability assessments in decision-making processes in the Caribbean region.

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Educational Experiences and
Cultural Heritage

ISER Caribe offers educational experiences for study abroad graduate and undergraduate students to pursue field-based research in tropical terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystems. In addition, ISER Caribe is exploring and conserving our Caribbean Cultural Heritage involves delving into the rich traditions, languages, art, music, and historical narratives that shape the identity of the region. ISER Caribe’s endeavor encompasses the celebration and transmission of intangible cultural elements, fostering a deep appreciation for the diverse and interconnected histories that define the unique cultural heritage of the Caribbean.

Educational Experiences - Study Abroad

ISER Caribe offers immersive undergraduate and graduate study abroad experiences, exploring Puerto Rico’s diverse ecosystems from reef to ridge. Students engage with experts in marine ecology, forest ecology, renewable energy, and community development through hands-on learning in Ceiba and La Parguera. These programs provide direct exposure to coral reefs, mangroves, tropical forest ecosystems, and sustainable energy initiatives while fostering community engagement. ISER Caribe ensures seamless trip coordination and logistics, allowing participants to focus on transformative field experiences. By integrating science, conservation, and local knowledge, ISER Caribe’s programs cultivate a deeper understanding of ecological and social resilience in the Caribbean.

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Samana Community Archive

After Spanish Haiti and the Republic of Haiti were integrated into one nation in 1822, invitations were extended in 1824 to freed African American communities in the United States to help build the first Black republic in the Americas. The largest grouping of these descendant communities still lives in Samaná, Dominican Republic. ISER Caribe is supporting the transnational celebration of this migration's 200-year anniversary by helping in the development of the Historical center, supporting the formation of a music academy and developing a virtual archive to conserve and share historical documents pertaining to the daily lives of the community.

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Community Outreach

ISER Caribe’s community outreach program connects with and serves communities through targeted activities, events, or services. These programs aim to build positive relationships, address community needs, and promote mutual understanding, fostering a sense of collaboration and support for the overall well-being and development of the community.

Nursery Tours

ISER Caribe offers guided tours of the Centro de Investigación y Restauración de Organismos Marinos (CIROM) facilities where we grow corals and herbivores such as crabs and sea urchins for coral reef restoration. This immersive experience, suitable for all, offers a firsthand exploration of marine biology at our nurseries.

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Montessori Internships

ISER Caribe’s Montessori Internship Program is a transformative experience for middle to high school students of the Alejandro Tapia y Rivera Montessori School. Through a semester-long commitment, students not only gain practical experience in coral and sea-urchin husbandry but also engage in meaningful research projects, fostering a deep understanding of marine ecosystems.

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Fiscal Sponsorship Groups

ISER Caribe provides fiscal sponsorship for various community groups including, Taller Libertá in Mayagüez, Centro de Apoyo Mutuo (CAM) Jíbaro - Bartolo Lares, Centro de Apoyo Mutuo (CAM) Bartolo Lares, Centro de Apoyo Mutuo (CAM) Utuado, and Coalición Restauración Ecosistemas Santurcinos (CRES PR). Fiscal sponsorship is a legal and financial arrangement in which a nonprofit organization, known as the fiscal sponsor, provides support and oversight to another project, initiative, or individual that lacks its own tax-exempt status.

Disaster Relief Efforts

We organized and implemented an extensive emergency relief campaign during the environmental and social hazards created by Hurricanes Irma and María and the earthquakes in the southwest of Puerto Rico. ISER Caribe distributed more than 3000 solar powered lamps and water filters. In addition, we also distributed more than 75,000 lbs. of primary necessity articles such as water filters, solar lights, food, etc.

La Playa Reverdece

La Playa Reverdece is a community-sponsored initiative from the Playa de Ponce focused on improving the livelihoods of the playeros by supporting the arts and culture. The Playa Reverdece advocates for responsible stewardship of the marine and coastal resources of Ponce and works towards developing a new sustainable urban development of the Ponce beach area.

Gardening Workshops

About one-third of adult residents in Puerto Rico experience food insecurity due to reliance on foreign food imports. To help combat this problem and create more locally produced food, ISER Caribe conducted a series of workshops to teach the community how to develop different types of gardens. These series of workshops are freely available on >> ISER Caribe’s YouTube channel.

Rain Gardens

Green infrastructures are rare in Puerto Rico and solutions are needed to address water quality issues throughout the island. To help address water quality, ISER Caribe developed five rain gardens in communities at the Playa de Ponce that suffer from flooding problems and non-point source water contamination. The rain gardens were developed in collaboration with the School of Architecture of the Universidad Católica de Ponce.

WATTA Mobile Emergency System

ISER Caribe collaborated with BEMBA PR, an art collective that works out of Taller Lumpen in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, to install two water collection systems. In addition, we collaborated on the development of the Watta, which is a mobile device that can be used to provide water and power to communities in need of these services. These collaborations were under the Mayagüez Art District (M.A.D.) project.

Ocean Conservation & Restoration

Climate Justice

Educational Experiences and
Cultural Heritage

Community Outreach

SUPPORT ISER CARIBE'S
PROJECTS & ENDEAVORS

EMAIL

PHONE

ADDRESS

MAIL

Ocean Conservation & Restoration

Climate Justice

Educational Experiences and Cultural Heritage

Community Outreach

SUPPORT ISER CARIBE'S PROJECTS & ENDEAVORS

EMAIL

PHONE

ADDRESS

MAIL

Educational Experiences and
Cultural Heritage

SUPPORT ISER CARIBE'S
PROJECTS & ENDEAVORS