NABF Newsletter
#7
Feature #6
Visit to the Guanica Dry Forest
By Diego I. Saavedra
Arecibo, PR
There is always a place in our minds that we want to visit,
to see nature in a challenging environment where the vegetation
is subject to a fierce fight for survival. In our Island that
place is the Guanica Dry Forest, best known as "El Bosque
Seco".
Puerto Rico is a tropical island with the Atlantic Ocean
on the north and the Caribbean Sea on the south. The dry forest
is located in the south west of the island, being the town
of Guanica where most of its area is located. It's a national
forest since 1919 and the area is restricted for the preservation
of the species in this habitat. Visitors are always welcome
to this beautiful area, but we need to emphasize that this
is an area where preservation is essential
El Bosque Seco is located in the driest zone of the island,
with minimal rain during the year -- only about 20" to
40" inches per year. The temperature of the region varies
but it can reach the 100s degrees F in the hot sunny days
of summer. To visit the coastal area of the "Bosque Seco,"
you need to travel to the town of Guanica (road 116) and then
take road 333 and drive toward the end of the road. The road
333 is close to the sea and just at the start of the trip
you see the sign that identifies the area as "Bosque
Seco; restricted area."
Jaboncillo Beach
On the way to the Dry Forest, you will pass beautiful scenery,
including the Guánica Bay, Jaboncillo beach, the old
light house and the mangroves area. Farther in your travels
you will see the Playa Caña Gorda -- a public beach
where white sands and turquoise waters with warm temperature
always tempt visitors to stay there. The scenery is beautiful
and unique. Just close to Caña Gorda Beach there is
a private hotel, Copa Marina, which is a peculiar hotel due
to its location and natural surroundings. After you pass the
hotel, the environment and its nature starts to change faster
and you recognize that you are in that area where the environment
is always challenging.
The bonsai artist or amateur always dreams of places to visit
to see nature limited by its environment, particularly where
those limitations create trees growing with all types of forms.
There are some small mountains -- in P.R. we call them "cerros"
-- and in this region you can see them continuously and are
covered with rocks. The rocky area has little soil on it and
the vegetation growing on it is sparse. The rocks have sharp
edges and some of the vegetation also has spines that, if
you are not cautious, can cut or stick you.
Continuing to travel to the end of the road, on the right
you will see the Caribbean Sea and on the left will be a chain
of small mountains. Here, nature is changing and in some areas
you can see desert-like vegetation, several varieties of cactus
and trees with small leaves. When you arrive to the end of
the road, continue on foot. You will see an spectacular area
when you walk to the east and stay to the right of the rocks
closer to the sea. On this path, the vegetation is crawling
on the rocks due to the harsh environment.
Buttonwood tree, Conocarpus erectus
"Window" to the sea
Buttonwood tree, Conocarpus erectus
While walking close to the sea, you will find the buttonwoods
(Conocarpus erectus) crawling on the rock to get protection
from the elements, creating unique trees that you only will
see here. Please protect them by selecting where you walk
and always looking to not impact this wonderful area. Other
trees that you may find are "ucar" (bucida buseras),
"uva de playa" (coccoloba uvifera) and some other
species that now I do not remember. The walk continues and
you will find areas the sea has carved into the rock revealing
"tosca" (dry limestone) formations.
On an early morning walk, you can travel one or two hours
to the east close to the sea. You may decide to turn around
when you find the first formation of cactus -- succulent spiny
plants growing in dry areas, like the melocactus (oval-type
cactus). You will also see the "tuna" (prickly pear
or Opuntia rubescens Salm-Dyck), recognized by the single
spiny trunk, spiny oblong flattened green-greenish pads, growing
vertically.
On the way back, you can take a trail to the west. It is
farther from the sea but the vegetation there is different;
in that area, the trees protect each other from the impact
of the elements. There you can see taller, natural wind-swept
trees, and also you can see the effect of the wind on the
trees. It is something to see. In this section, the trees
are taller (4 to 10 ft.) and some of the trunks are thicker.
Some of the species that we can find are roble (Tabebuia heterophila),
"almácigo" (bursera simaruba), turpentine
tree, tachuelo (Pictetia aculeate) and the guayacán
(guaiacum officinalis)
Turpentine tree
Tabebuia heterophyla
Guayacan, Guaicacum officinalis
Tabebuia heterophyla
Flowers of the tabebuia
The trail will bring you back to where you began your journey.
When you visit a place like the Dry Forest, you will be able
to take with you when you leave only your photographic pictures.
This is an area that every visitor needs to preserve.
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