U.S. Coral Reefs Task Force Honors Coalition's Achievements

Miami, FL (10 October 2002) — The Rincon Quality of Life Coalition, the Surfrider Foundation, and Environmental Defense were honored on Wednesday, October 2 with an achievement award from the U. S. Coral Reef Task Force. The award recognized the group’s “outstanding leadership and commitment in protecting Puerto Rico’s valuable coral reefs by promoting designation of a nature reserve in Rincon.” The Tres Palmas natural reserve will be established on the Northwest Coast of Puerto Rico to protect one of the finest elkhorn coral reef systems in the region, and it has the support of local leaders, including the fishing community.

“This has been a team effort from the local residents to the Puerto Rico legislature.” said Dr. Ken Lindeman, a senior scientist with Environmental Defense. “Citizens, scientists, and lawmakers have created an initiative that will help control coastal sprawl and protect exceptional coral reefs.”

“This recognition is a strong validation for the local volunteer grassroots activists in Rincon who have been working hard to defend their quality of life and their local environment”, said Chad Nelsen, environmental director of the Surfrider Foundation. “It demonstrates that a peoples movement of locals can achieve their goal to permanently protect their coral reefs and beautiful coastal zone.”

The rural shore of Rincon, in northwest Puerto Rico, has been threatened by proposals to build massive hotel complexes in front of some of the finest coral reefs and beaches in the region. A key element of this grassroots campaign has been the garnering of local support. “Our coalition volunteers gathered over 5,000 local signatures and 25,000 international online signatures endorsing the creation of the Tres Palmas Natural Reserve,” said Azur Moulaert, coastal analyst with Environmental Defense.

The members of the Rincon Quality of Life Coalition includes the Surfrider Foundation, Environmental Defense, the Ecological League of Rincon, Surfer’s Environmental Alliance, University of Puerto Rico Sea Grant Program, Puerto Rico Waterkeeper, the Ecological League of Northwest Puerto Rico, Caribbean Action Network, and other groups.