The Community Interface Resource Management Area (CIRMA) is a part of the El Yunque National Forest located in Puerto Rico. The goal of this project was to help the United States Forest Service identify suitable lands for community land uses within the CIRMA. This information will serve as the foundation for the USFS to help them create more community integrated developments. Through collaboration with the US Forest Service, we developed a list of geographic features and ecological constraints that determined if sections of the CIRMA were suitable for the uses the community had identified. We gathered all the necessary geographic and ecological data for El Yunque from the USFS. We identified suitable areas for, biking, hiking, camping, gardening, water activities, general infrastructure and water infrastructure using suitability maps created with ArcGIS. Using a map of these suitable regions, we gathered input from community leaders and residents from municipalities around El Yunque National Forest regarding our proposed land uses and how it might effects surrounding their communities. From these interviews, we concluded that our list of land uses did a good job covering recreational activities but missed several specific infrastructure needs such as bathrooms, roads and viewing areas. This is something that we recommend for the USFS as they carry on this project.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Zhang, Calvin
• Vega, Mason G.
• Miller, Gillian R.
• Buyck, Victoria E.

Subject

• Infrastructure
• Environment
• Sustainability
• Well-Being

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-051321-234615
• 24576

Palabra Clave

• US Forest Service
• El Yunque National Forest
• suitability

Advisor

• Sphar, Jefferson Alex
• Higgins, Lorraine D.

Year

• 2021

Center

• San Juan, Puerto Rico Project Center - IQP

Sponsor

• United States Forest Service

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
• 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
• 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Date created

• 2021-05-13

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Última modificación

• 2021-08-29