This Reserve will now become one of Puerto Rico's' greatest ecological treasures, in the years to come, when all else will be covered in cement houses. The sheer beauty of this coastline is priceless and now forever saved from destruction by the Governors' Executive Order, when all other avenues of government failed. Developers were exerting maximum pressure to build 1,500 villas on this precious land.

The heart, of the people of Puerto Rico, is in the right place and when gathered in force, can be very persuasive. So persuasive that it even overcame this, particularly misguided, development plan.

The La Selva Reserve is now a Reality!

Puerto Rico, a densely populated island in the Caribbean, is surrounded by miles of coastal beaches. La Selva's' beaches are some of the few left untouched, mostly because they border important wetlands.

THIS is our heritage. This is what will matter in 50-100 years.

This stretch of beach is the most important leatherback turtle nesting site in the Caribbean. . . . let us leave future generations something undestroyed in Puerto Rico and this is the best and most important choice.

May 8, 2007 La Selva Beach Leatherback turtle track Photo Sherri.

LA SELVA IS NOW A RESERVE ! a protective zone consisting of 3,240 acres (cuerdas) of wetlands, mangroves, coastal forest and beaches.

Why this beach? It is all that is left in this area and the most important turtle nesting site in the Caribbean. This is partly due to several unique factors. The wave action helps these giant beasts get out of the water every 4 years or so to lay their eggs. There are no lights nor other disturbances to cause the baby hatchlings to go the wrong way and go inland ( where they die) instead of finding their way to the ocean. The turtles need this beach.

Baby Leatherback hatchling reaches the sea. Only one in 1,000 survive.

The Sierra Club Vision and Map, Click Here.

Above is the overbuilt town of Fajardo next to the newly designated reserve and below is the town of Luquillo with La Selva Beach and turtle nesting site in the foreground.

La Selva, the most important Leatherback turtle nesting site in the Caribbean. Luquillo town in the background. This is the westernmost end of the new reserve.

We owe future generations our best effort to leave them a healthy viable planet. Or as one commenter beautifully put it: "We are patriots when we act not on our own behalf, but on behalf of future generations yet unborn."

The Department of Natural Resources ( DRNA) is presently working on a plan to allow visitation to this beach. They will eventually provide a few facilities here....

You can walk to this beach, from the town of Luquillo ( but it is absolutely not safe to walk here at night). Take a morning walk with a few other people, down this stretch of deserted beach. . When conditions are rough here, you should not swim.

The town of Luquillo has several beaches that are calmer and safer for swimming. The Luquillo Balneario is always calm.

Seven Seas Beach in Fajardo is a terrific beach to swim in in all conditions.