Teens4PR representatives recently traveled to Puerto Rico to participate in recovery efforts they have helped fund, including a tree planting with Para la Naturaleza (PLN) - Puerto Rico's leading preservation organization. Salma, Yamila, Santiago, Ana Beatriz, Giovanni, Alexa and Sofía participated in a tree planting with local students from San Juan's Santiago Iglesias Pantín School -one of the public Montessori elementary schools under the innovative Instituto Nueva Escuela (INE).
Thanks to Teens4PR’s $5,000 donation, Para la Naturaleza will plant 200 trees like these in many of INE's 50 Montessori schools around the island. The contribution will cover personnel, seed collection, production in our nurseries and planting of the trees. To ensure tree survival, PLN has pledged to monitor and follow up on their progress and health for the next five years.
The 200 plantings made possible by this donation, are part of PLN's Project Habitat - a much larger plan to plant 750,000 new trees in the next 7 years. to make up for the 23-31 million trees lost due to hurricanes Irma and Maria last year, according to a study prepared by Berkeley University, in collaboration with the US Forest Service.
Habitat seeks to recover the forested ecosystems in natural protected areas and affected communities throughout the Island. It is designed to engage communities in reforestation practices, and to build ownership and responsibility in maintaining the health of our natural resources. Habitat seeks to recover and enhance biodiversity, improve watershed health, protect the habitats of endangered species, maintain soil health, and promote the overall benefits of nature.
Teens4PR pledges to continue to support Habitat, as Puerto Rico observes the first anniversary of these deadly and destructive disasters.