Et cetera : FEMA Corps Team Leaves Their Mark at El Yunque National Forest

  By John Dolan   FEMA Corps team, Pine 7, piled into their van and embarked on the half hour journey to El Yunque National Forest, a tropical rainforest located in northeastern Puerto Rico, where they worked with Amigos De El Yunque, a nonprofit organization committed to creating conservation, education, and responsible recreation initiatives in the forest.   Pine 7 met up with Amigos De El Yunque and other local volunteers at the El Toro Trail. The goal was to clear dense vegetation and dig runoff ditches in order to make the trail more accessible for the community. Pine 7 used a variety of tools including machetes, hoes, pickaxes, and shovels. Despite the challenging weather conditions, 20 percent of the trail was cleared.   “At first, we were not sure what to expect coming in,” says team member Tara Eling. “In the end, we were pleasantly surprised with the results of our work and enjoyed the experience.”   After Hurricane Maria, El Yunque National Forest was heavily damaged. This has not stopped Amigos De El Yunque’s commitment to protect and preserve El Yuque National Forest through a creative partnership with the Forest Service, effective participation of citizens and innovative communication strategies, in addition to creating an active commitment to the economic improvement and environmental sustainability of the surrounding communities.   “The maintenance and rehabilitation of El Toro trail is highly important not only for preserving this site with high ecological value due to the endemic species that live there, but also for the maintenance of the historic trail integrity and the enjoyment of national and international visitors,” says Lissette González of Amigos De El Yunque. For more information you can contact info@amigosdelyunque.org or visit www.amigosdelyunque.org.   Outside of their ISP (Independent Service Project) event, the team has spent the majority of their time working on their FEMA project at the Caribbean Area Division (CAD) in Guaynabo. Both on and off hours, Pine 7 has had numerous experience to grow as a team. More importantly, the team has bonded through their service work, knowing they serve an important cause that is bigger than themselves.