Puerto Rico is known as La Isla del Encanto, or the “Enchanted Island.” No doubt, the beaches with crystal clear waters, gorgeous keys and small islands, and a mountainous rainforest, including El Yunque National Forest, are big parts of what makes Puerto Rico feel like an enchanted place. But I’d add the Bosque Estatal Guánica, or Guánica State Forest, to that list.
A Dry Forest’s Ecology
The Guánica State Forest is not your typical forest; it’s a dry forest. It’s estimated that only 1% of this kind of dry forest remains, with much of the area having been developed for agriculture, charcoal production or harvested to make fence posts. However, the Guánica dry forest has been designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and many of the areas of second growth have recovered to a point that they are sometimes indistinguishable from older forests.
The dry forest is distinguished by its low annual rainfall – around 30 inches a year. Plants range from the deciduous to the semi-evergreen forest to the scrub forest. Compared to El Yunque, plant diversity here is low, with about 700 plant species, which translates to about 30 to 50 species per hectare. You can also find a variety of birds, reptiles and amphibians, including 50 percent of the island’s birds and 9 of the 16 endemic species and, of course, the coquí.
Planning Your Visit
A visit here should definitely include hiking some of the 30 miles of trails, as it’s the best way to get up close and personal with the forest and truly experience what it has to offer.
Make sure to bring plenty of water, more than you think you’ll need, as there are no water sources and it gets extremely hot. The good news is that there is a balneario, or a public beach, close by, so you can go for a dip in the Caribbean to cool off after a hike.