Vega State Forest
Ecology
The Vega Forest plays an important role in the protection of many underground water supplies as it contains sinkholes and areas of natural recharge for the northern aquifers of Puerto Rico. The limestone geology is important for numerous species of plants and animals.
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Karst mountains in the Vega Forest
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Vegetation in the Vega Forest
Flora
The forest is home to at least 72 species of trees, with the best represented families being Leguminosae (8 species) and Myrtaceae (6 species). The Sierra palm (Gaussia attenuata), the cock's-spur (Erythtrina eggersii) and palo de rosa (Ottoschulzia rhodoxylon) grow on limestone mogotes; the latter two are highly endangered due to habitat loss.
Fauna
Thirty-seven species of birds have been documented in the forest area, three of which are endemic to Puerto Rico: the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo (Coccyzus vieilloti), the Puerto Rican bullfinch (Melopyrrha portoricensis) and the Puerto Rican vireo (Vireo latimeri). The forest is also home to a number of endemic reptile and amphibian species.
Recreation
The forest contains sections which are open to visitors, located in Vega Alta. Its administrative office also contains a plant nursery.
See also
References
- ^ Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (2008). "Bosques de Puerto Rico: Bosque Estatal de Vega" (PDF). drna.pr.gov.
- ^ "Bosque estatal de Vega-Puerto Rico". www.prfrogui.com. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
- ^ "The Institute for Regional Conservation". www.regionalconservation.org. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
- ^ "Bosque Estatal de Vega – Aquí Está Puerto Rico" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-01-13.