La conservacion y vulnerabilidad a la urbanizacion del karso puertorriqueño

Abstract

The Puerto Rican karst region covers 27 percent of the surface of the Island and contains valuable natural resources that are needed to sustain the island’s life quality. We discuss the characteristics and values of the Puerto Rican karst, review the laws, regulations, and mechanisms available to conserve this region, and analyze its vulnerability to urbanization and incompatible uses. We found that Puerto Rico has an adequate body of laws and regulations, and mechanisms to protect its natural resources, including the karst. However, the island government appears to lack the will to implement them. The rate of urbanization in the karst appears to be increasing, and 8.4 percent is vulnerable to additional development in the short-term. We conclude that to assure the perpetual conservation of the Puerto Rican karst region, more land needs to be incorporated into the public domain and at the same time ovsersight over the government’s environmental actions needs to increase and improve in its effectiveness.

Citation

Lugo, Ariel E.; Helmer, Eileen H.; Vale, Abel. 2007. La conservacion y vulnerabilidad a la urbanizacion del karso puertorriqueño. Acta Cientifica. 21(1-3):67-80.