The eye of the reserve.

• Author: Goethals, Henry
• Position: Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve - Column

El Faro--the lighthouse--is a 316-acre site in the lush tropical landscape of northeastern Puerto Rico. Surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean, it encompasses forests, mangroves, lagoons, beaches, cliffs, offshore cays and coral reefs.

Entitled Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve, the site which was recently opened to the public, is administered by the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico and is home to a vast array of flora and fauna, including sea turtles and other endangered species. It also serves as a habitat for abundant underwater life, shore and migratory birds and as an important spawning ground for fish and crustaceans.

According to Javier Blanco, executive director of the Conservation Trust, El Faro, which was once threatened by development, "will forever serve as a haven for wildlife, as a laboratory for marine and natural scientists, and as a beautiful reminder of Puerto Rico's natural history for future generations."

Dominating...