On November 30, 2025, ASEZ WAO volunteers gathered at the Finca Nolla Nature Reserve in Camuy to plant native coastal trees. Their goal was to support dune restoration and strengthen the local ecosystem. Rising sea levels and climate change continue to affect Puerto Rico’s coastlines. Many areas face rapid erosion and habitat loss, threatening plants, animals, and nearby communities that often experience storms and hurricanes. Volunteers came together with strong hearts of service to help protect this fragile environment.
A total of 78 ASEZ WAO volunteers planted 125 coastal trees, including button mangroves, icacos, cayur, glass trees, sea grapes, and grasses. Their work supported the primary dune system, which plays a vital role in protecting the shoreline. The planting also encouraged awareness about the importance of dunes and biodiversity.
Goals of the Project
The activities at Finca Nolla supported several environmental goals. The team focused on dune restoration by planting native coastal plants that strengthen the dunes and protect local species. Volunteers also worked to raise awareness about the importance of dunes, encouraging community participation in future projects.
In addition, their efforts helped conserve ecosystems by preserving habitats for plants and animals. Finally, planting these trees contributed to mitigating climate change by increasing the coastline’s resilience against rising sea levels and erosion.
Restoring Finca Nolla Nature Reserve Together
José Juan Vera, Marine Life Coordinator and Representative, said, “We are extremely grateful for this collaboration; for this effort we are undertaking together, not only to rehabilitate our natural resources but also to improve our community, our people, and our town. That is why we are doing this. Today, we have dedicated ourselves to planting these native coastal plant species to reinforce and restore the primary dune ecosystem here in Camuy. What we are doing today is extremely important for this natural habitat, and in addition to restoring the natural habitat to benefit all plant and animal species, we are also improving the quality of life for our community, which extends beyond this nature reserve. This is what we are accomplishing today. Thank you, ASEZ WAO, for this opportunity, for helping us, and for your commitment to the environment and the community to make all these activities possible. I am very grateful.”
Verónica Nieves, COCO PR Coordinator, added, “We are very grateful to the members of ASEZ WAO and to everyone who reached out to help us make this environmental impact with this coastal planting. The beach, the dunes, all these coastlines in Puerto Rico are extremely important for our mental and physical health. What you are doing today contributes not only to environmental health but also to emotional well-being, and we sincerely thank you for that.”
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