All Videos Tagged Yunque (Indigenous Caribbean Network) - Indigenous Caribbean Network

El Yunque

2010-03-19T01:05:27.839Z

El Yunque is located in a green belt like most Tropical forest around the Equator, The Equator cover approximately seven percent of the Earths surface. El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rain forest in the United States National Forest System. The Sierra de Luquillo Mountains which transverse this area receive over 200 inches of rain a year.
Located in the east side of Puerto Rico, the forests covers an area of 28,000 acres.El Yunque is big in diversity, There are more species of trees in the Forest that there are in all the other forests of the National Forest System put together.
The Taino believed their gods lived in the Sierra de Luquillo.As the home of Yuquiyu, The good God who protected them from all that was evil, gave the cloudy peaks a name which means white or sacred lands. The Spanish explores translated the Taino tern in error to "Yunque
Petroglyphs are etched in some of the forests rocks as a reminder of the early inhabitants of the area, The Taino Indians for whom the forest had a spiritual significance
Over 200 inches of rain, or about 100 billion gallons, fall every year over the expanse of El Yunque .Eleven of Puerto Ricos major rivers rise here. An estimated 20% of the islands populations depend on the forests water for domestic use. Filtered by forest vegetation these are some of the purest water found on the island
The Yokahu Tower can be seen from various forest locations. The view offers the opportunity to study the four different forest types, mountain peaks and the remaining effects of Hurricane Hugo.

El Portal del Yunque part 2

2010-03-19T01:01:52.641Z

The Forest is made up to four very distinctive types of the Tabonuco,Sierra Palm, Palo Colorado, and Cloud Forests.The Tabonuco Forest type which cover14,106 acres in found from Subtropical Moist, Wet and Rain Forest Life Zones at altitudes of 150m to about 700m above sea level .At lower elevations, this forest is home to large straight trees with enormous crowns which emerge above and form a completely dark canopy.The Yagrumo hembra , or weathervane tree and the Yagrumo macho,or matchwood are also quite abundant. Their leaves move to the rhythm of the breeze showing their silver and gold colors.The Sierra Palm, or Palma de Sierra Forest is associated with all zones occurring in the Forest. Found chiefly on steep slopes and stream beds above 1,500 feet above sea level, it commonly forms almost pure strands of Sierra Palms
.Since 1946 El Yunque has been a Commonweath Wildlife Refuge .
There are120 vertebrate species which include bats,lizards and birds. Also ,15 species of amphibians inhabit the forest,
In the cool streams,small fish,shrimp and crabs are found. Small lizards are common everywhere, while the Puerto Rican Giant Green Lizard, which can grow up to 16 inches in length , is found mostly in the limestone hills.Bats are the only native species of mammals found in the forest,though the introduced mongoose and rat are also residents. Various land snails thrive in the heavy rainfall of El Yunque . Spiders, centipedes,butterflies and a variety of insects add to the diversity of the fauna.
There are 16 species of tree frogs in Puerto Rico but only two produce the special co-kee sound which has become a symbol of all tree frogs in the Island. Some call to defend their territory, others are made by mating male to discourage other males from attracting females .The Coqui does not go through a tadpole stage. The female lays 28 eggs and at the end of the incubation, tiny froglets, replicas of the adults, emerge.Coquis living in the coastal lowlands are tree-dwellers: those living in the highlands live mostly on the ground
The Puerto Rican Boa (Epicrates inomatus) is among the snakes that inhabit the forest, although it is seldom seen. A non-poisonous snake, it is hunted for its oil used as folk remedy. It is the largest native species of snake, growing to over 6 feet in length. There is ongoing research to decide whether the Boa should be considered endangered or not at this time. Everything in the forest is protected.

El Portal del Yunque" The Architecture"

2010-03-19T00:59:58.094Z

El Portal means gateways.This unique Center is the gateway to new experiences,a place to enjoy while learning about El Yunque. The tropical architecture blends with the forest to celebrate the bond between people and the environment.The Portal are for young and old alike. Exploration and sensory experiences are way to involve visitors in the process of discovering the many wonders tropical forests have reveal.
Ecosystem management in El Yunque National Forest is combination of scientific knowledge with sustainable forestry. It blends the needs of people and environmental values in such a way that the Forest maintains a diverse.healthy, productive and sustainable ecosystem
In 1976, The United Nations designated the Forest as part of the international network of biosphere reserves

Puerto Rico El Yunque National Rain Forest

2009-10-13T04:05:15.351Z

http://www.arbolesdepuertorico.org El Yunque National Forest is located in the Sierra de Luquillo Mountains, about 25 miles east of the San Juan area. A short ten-minute drive through the village of Palmer in Río Grande and up PR Road #191 will lead you to El Yunque. Covering over 28,000 acres of land, the forest derives its name from the Taíno word Yuké meaning sacred or white lands. From its peaks, it offers visitors some of the most breathtaking vistas found in the Caribbean. Temperatures range from almost 80 degrees Fahrenheit on the lower parts of the forest to a cool 65 degrees in areas closer to 3,300 feet above sea level.

El Yunques biodiversity makes it unique among other forests in the United States National Forest System. Frequent rain showers generate close to 100 billion gallons of rainwater a year and conspire with Puerto Ricos warm tropical climate to accommodate over 240 species of native trees, 50 species of orchids, and 150 species of ferns. Almost a third of the tree species are native to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and 10 percent of them are endemic to El Yunque and cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

The forests animal life is dominated by reptiles, amphibians, and birds, including the endangered Higuaca or Puerto Rican Parrot. The forest attracts over a million visitors each year, who come to hike its more than 13 miles of trails while enjoying the lush scenery and fresh mountain air. Guided tours of these trails are available through the USDA Forest Services innovative Forest Adventure Tours and Rent-A-Ranger programs.

The core of El Yunque National Forest remains largely untouched to this day and has proven to be an exceptional asset to the worlds scientific community. It not only serves as a leading research site for numerous studies, but also provides a unique window to the past, when the original forest covered Puerto Rico in its entirety.