Future Management Strategies for El Yunque National Forest

Abstract

U.S. National Forests revise their management plans every ten to fifteen years; in the next several years, El Yunque National Forest (EYNF), Puerto Rico, is slated to update its Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). This research has four focal areas intended to aid in the development of this LRMP: (1) Visitor use profile assessment; (2) climate change and variation within the forest; (3) mapping biological vulnerability to climate change within the forest; and (4) invasive species management. Major results of the research are as follows: (1) Surveys conducted in August 2007 show that Puerto Rican residents largely come to EYNF for the purpose of relaxation and socialization while the majority of non-residents come to explore the forest, making apparent the need for a broad approach to guest accommodation in future management strategies in order to gratify the desires of guests from varying geographic origins and cultural backgrounds. (2) The climate change and variation analysis showed a significant increase (0.12°C per decade) in temperature within the forest over the past 50 years. Specifically within EYNF, the rate of temperature increase exceeds the global rate of increase. Precipitation did not show a significant trend within the time period studied. (3) Biological vulnerability to climate change was mapped using GIS analysis from overlaid weighted habitat models of 15 sensitive vertebrate species. The resulting map can be useful in prioritizing areas for management action and enables EYNF to take climate change into account in management decisions. (4) Several challenges and opportunities exist for addressing terrestrial invasive plants. To maintain the integrity of this Puerto Rican symbol of patria (homeland), USFS will need to take a hard look at both the particular tropical island biology and existing institutional capacity.