Located in Hacienda La Esperanza Nature Reserve in Manatí, the arboretum created by the organization Para la Naturaleza features over 1,000 trees, shrubs, and native and endemic plants of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
Manatí, PR – The Miguel A. (Papo) Vives-Heyliger Arboretum recently obtained the Level II Arboretum Accreditation from The Morton Arboretum (ArbNet), a global network that facilitates the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and resources to help arboreta achieve institutional goals. The accreditation is based on the evaluation and documentation of compliance with arboretum accreditation standards, which include planning, governance, species diversity, staff or volunteer support, education and public programming, as well as tree science research and conservation.
“This recognition of professional standards and capabilities is an important milestone for the organization Para la Naturaleza. It represents progress toward specific objectives for public gardens focused on trees. As part of the Morton Register of Arboreta, you play a significant role in our shared purpose of planting and conserving trees. This accreditation acknowledges your commitment and compliance with professional criteria,” said Jill Koski, President and CEO of ArbNet.
The Miguel A. “Papo” Vives-Heyliger Arboretum, located within the Hacienda La Esperanza Nature Reserve in Manatí, is an effort led by Alcides Morales, coordinator of the management of Hacienda La Esperanza Nature Reserve and the conceptualizer of the arboretum. This space was dedicated in honor of Miguel A. “Papo” Vives-Heyliger, originally from the town of Quebradillas, is an educator and self-taught expert on the flora of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean islands. He has extensively contributed to advancing knowledge and raising awareness about the conservation of native flora in the Puerto Rican archipelago and the Caribbean.
The collection contains more than 1,000 scientifically documented trees, shrubs, and plants, representing over 46 families and 160 species from the Banco de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) and other parts of the insular Caribbean. More than 25% of Puerto Rico’s endemic tree species are cultivated within the collection, several of which are endangered. The seeds and propagules for most of the plants have been primarily sourced from natural wild populations, some located in small forest fragments with highly threatened populations.
Some of the planted species include: mato amarillo (Caesalpinia major), ortegón (Coccoloba rugosa), guayabota de Fajardo (Eugenia fajardensis), nisperillo (Manilkara valenzuelana), guasábara (Eugenia dominguensis), murta(Eugenia cordata), palmas reales (Roystonea borinquena), molinillo (Hura crepitans), and almendro (Terminalia cattapa).
The accreditation of the Miguel A. “Papo” Vives Heyliger Arboretum confirms the significance of its collection in protecting the diversity of native and endemic plants of the archipelago. “This accreditation offers us an opportunity for greater visibility, as the conservation work we carry out at Hacienda La Esperanza aligns with the efforts of accredited collections worldwide,” said Alcides Morales.
The mission of this natural space is to promote the conservation of native and endemic trees and flora of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean through a collection that highlights the importance of protecting ecosystems. The arboretum serves as a tool for conservation, education, and research, employing an interdisciplinary approach that studies seed propagation, plant-animal interactions, soils, phenology, life histories, landscaping, conservation biology, and planting protocols for various species.
The arboretum is open free of charge from Wednesday to Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, you can call 787-722-5834 or visit pln.org/arboretohle.