Para la Naturaleza (PLN), the leading conservation unit of the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust, is dedicated to protecting Puerto Rico’s natural ecosystems while fostering meaningful community engagement, historical preservation, and sustainable practices. PLN currently protects and manages more than 41,000 acres of land of high ecological value across Puerto Rico, including forests, wetlands, coastal areas, caves, and other important natural landscapes. Through this work, PLN helps safeguard biodiversity, preserve critical habitats, and strengthen the island’s resilience to climate change and other environmental challenges.

Through the stewardship of protected natural areas and a robust public programming agenda, PLN advances ecological awareness and action throughout Borikén (Puerto Rico). Its mission is to protect biodiversity and cultivate an ecological culture through conservation and restorative history initiatives that promote an equitable and integrated coexistence between human and non-human communities and the natural world.

PLN’s work is organized around three core program areas:

Protected Areas Stewardship focuses on the conservation and long-term management of more than 41,000 acres of ecologically significant lands, ensuring the protection of critical ecosystems and the species that depend on them. These efforts contribute to biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, climate resilience, and the preservation of Puerto Rico’s natural heritage.

Community Engagement and Environmental Education connects people with nature through volunteer opportunities, citizen science, educational experiences, and community outreach. These programs encourage individuals and communities to become active stewards of Puerto Rico’s natural resources and foster a culture of environmental responsibility across the island.

The third area, Restorative History and Cultural Heritage, preserves historic sites and cultural landscapes while integrating conservation with the protection of Puerto Rico’s natural and cultural legacy. Through this work, PLN promotes a more equitable and meaningful relationship between communities, their history, and the environment, recognizing that conservation is deeply connected to Puerto Rico’s cultural identity and collective well-being.