Introduction

Major Organizations that operate within the LEF

Designated Research Areas within the LEF

General Rules Governing Research in the LEF

How to Obtain Permission to do Research in the LEF

When to Request a Special Use Permit from the Forest Service

The Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) has been a center of tropical forestry research for nearly a century. In addition, the LEF is a recreation site for over a half a million people per year, a water supply for approximately 20% of Puerto Rico's population, a regional center for electronic communication, and a refuge of Caribbean biodiversity. It is the goal of the USDA Forest Service and the University of Puerto to promote and maintain the forest's role as a center of active and dynamic scientific inquiry. However, to maintain the ecological integrity of the forest while balancing the many demands placed upon it's resources, certain protocol is required. This guide provides the major protocols that govern research in the LEF. These protocols are designed to help researchers protect the forests, obey the law, create an amiable and non-discriminatory work environment, and provide a historical record for future scientists.

All research activities within the Luquillo Experimental Forest are conducted under the auspices of the International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF), USDA Forest Service. The management of the forest lands is conducted by the USDA Forest Service through the Caribbean National Forest (CNF). In addition to these Forest Service units, several other organizations have permanent facilities within the forest.

International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service :
The Institute manages Forest Service activities of Research, State and Private Forestry, and International Forestry in Puerto Rico and the American Tropics. The mission of the institute is to improve tropical forest management through research, training, and demonstration.

The Director of the Institute is responsible for managing all of the Institute's activities, while the Assistant Director of Research is responsible for directing research activities. Facilities of the Institute include headquarters, an extensive library, and chemical laboratory in Rio Piedras. Within the forest are field offices, experimental watersheds, and an arboretum. The Institute also manages a network of permanent research plots in the LEF, Puerto Rico, Caribbean, and Tropical America. Current research scientists at the Institute work on various aspects of tropical forestry, including studies of plantations and natural forests, hydrology and geomorphology, global change and biogeochemical cycles, wildlife, ecology, biometrics, and resource economics.

Because the Institute is responsible for managing all research activities within the forest, all research in the LEF must ultimately be approved by IITF before it can begin.

Caribbean National Forest, USDA Forest Service :
The offices of the Caribbean National Forest are located is the El Portal Visitor Center and the Catalina Ranger Station. In addition the CNF maintains various administrative and recreation facilities within the forest. The CNF is responsible for managing recreation facilities, special use permits, wildlife, law enforcement, and the implementation of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and all other laws that governs the management and protection of National Forests.

The professional staff of the CNF includes foresters, wildlife biologists, engineers, planners, and recreation specialists. The Forest Supervisor is responsible for the overall management of the forest.

Forest Product Laboratory , USDA Forest Service
The Center for Forest Mycology Research group of the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has an ongoing research program on the systematics of Caribbean fungi. This project currently has 2 scientists and 1 technician who are temporarily located in facilities near the town of Palmer, but will be moving to the Sabana Field Station in mid 1997. This group needs to be informed of all mycological research that is conducted in the LEF.

US. Fish and Wildlife Service
In coordination with the USFS, the USFWS have been involved in research and management of the endangered Puerto Rican Parrot for the past 3 decades. Facilities of this organization include office space in Luquillo and an aviary located within the forest. Research scientists and field biologists with the organization have extensive experience with habitat assessment, monitoring and radio tracking of wildlife within the forest. To provide protection to the endangered parrot, several areas of the LEF are restricted to all visitors and access to others is limited during breeding season. Additional information on these restrictions can be obtained from the Caribbean National Forest.

US. Geological Survey
The USGS maintains over 10 stream gages in or near the forest and has an active research program under the support of their Water-Energy-Biogeochemical Budgets program. This research is primarily focused on studies of landslides, weathering and biogeochemical budgets in the Rio Blanco drainage basin. Additional information on the project or stream records can be obtained from the USGS Caribbean Office in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

University of Puerto Rico
The Institute for Tropical Ecosystem Studies of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) operates the El Verde Station and maintains research sites throughout the forest. They are responsible, under a special use agreement with the USDA Forest Service, for the management of research activities within the El Verde Field Station. The ITES is the organization responsible for the management of the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research program (see below).

In addition to ITES, the Biology Department of the UPR operates a field house within the forest. This facility is located on the East Peak Road and is primarily used by Department facility and students for research project within the forest. For further information of the facility, contact the department of the UPR Biology department.

Each designated research area has unique uses and a site manager who is responsible for assuring that all research within the site complies with the permit and guidelines that govern it's use. A necessarily prerequisite to working in any of these sites is the explicit approval of the site manager. Depending on the type of research proposed, additional approval or permits maybe required (see below).

El Verde Field Station
El Verde Field Station is one of the oldest research areas within the forest. Research in this 100 ha. area is conducted under a special use permit between ITES and the US Forest Service. The station has a housing capacity of 40 visiting researchers and limited office and laboratory space for staff and visiting researchers. Research facilities include long-term plots, a 16 ha vegetation plot, a canopy walk-way, artificial streams, and a long-term climate station. All research at the station must have prior approval from the station director. Reservations to use the facilities and additional information may be obtained directly from the El Verde Field Station (http://ites.upr.edu/EVFS/)

Bisley Experimental Watersheds
The Bisley watersheds are managed by the International Institute of Tropical Forestry and are a site of long-term studies on the hydrology, geomorphology, and ecology of montane tropical watersheds. Research facilities include walk up towers, permanent study plots and a MAB biodiversity plot, areas designated for aquatic research, climate stations, and three gaged watersheds, one of which is a permanent control that nobody is allowed to enter. All research in the Bisley watersheds must have prior approval from the IITF.

USFS Long-Term Plots
The IITF maintains a extensive network of long-term research plots within the LEF. Some of these plots are over 50 years old and are the oldest continuously maintained vegetation plots in the neo tropics. Because of their importance, the rules governing their use are some of the strictest in the LEF. Nobody is allowed in these plots without explicit, written, permission from the IITF. Access to the plots can only be obtained from the IITF.

USFS Arboretum
Since 1960 the IITF has maintained a 10 ha arboretum in the LEF near the El Verde Field Station. This arboretum has been used extensively for species adaptability and species-soil relationships studies. Access to the arboretum can be obtained from the IITF.

Cloud Forest Research
The cloud forest ecosystem of the LEF has attracted researchers for decades. However, due to the saturated soils, slow rates of regeneration, high occurrence of rare and endemic species, and difficult work conditions, the forest type is particular sensitive to human disturbance. Even walking within the forest can disturb the soil and leave tracks that are visible for decades. Because of the extremely sensitive nature of these forests, research has been restricted to a few sites areas. The TIES of the UPR has a special use permit to conduct research in one section of East Peak and must grant approval for research in those sites.

WEBB Research Site
The U.S. Geological Survey, under the auspices of their Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets program, has a special use permit to conduct research in a watershed within the Rio Blanco drainage of the LEF. Research facilities include climate stations and stream gages, erosion plots, and hillslopes instrumented for the study of hydrological and biogeochemical processes. Permission to enter or conduct research that is in accordance with the existing permit at this site can only be obtained from the site manager located at the Caribbean Field Office of the USGS.

Icacos riparian well field
Dr. Bill McDowell of the University of New Hampshire has a special use permit with the University of Puerto Rico to conduct research in a riparian floodplain adjacent to the Icacos river. This research is focused on the nutrient dynamics of riparian areas. Facilities included a instrumented set of wells and piezometers. Permission to enter or conduct research that is in accordance with the existing permit in the can only be obtained from Dr. McDowell.

Coarse Woody Debris Plots
Dr. Kristina Vogt, Dr. Dan Vogt of Yale University, and Dr. Alan Covich of Colorado State University have a special use permit to conduct research on the influence of coarse woody debris on ecosystem processes in three areas of the LEF. Each permit area covers plots in forest and adjacent riparian areas. Two of the permit areas are located in the Bisley watershed area and one is located within the El Verde research area. Permission to enter or conduct research that is in accordance with the existing permit in must be obtained from the Vogts and Dr. Covich.

Aquatic Research Sites
Due to the importance of hydrologic resources of the forest, aquatic research is encouraged. However, since Luquillo streams are also used for recreation and water supply purposes, stream segments above water intakes and areas of heavy recreational use are restricted from research unless there is explicit permission given from both IITF and CNF. Like all other research, projects on stream segments in any of the designated research areas must have approval of the site manager.

Landslide and gap research Sites
Slope failures and tree fall gaps are a common disturbance in the LEF and are receiving considerable attention from both research and management. Under the auspices of the Luquillo LTER permit, several landslides and tree fall gaps have been designated for a variety of research purposes. These include, a LTER network of intensive and extensive slides, USGS instrumented slides in the Icacos drainage, University of Pennsylvania long-term plots on a chronosequence of slides in the southern area of the forest, and IITF monitored slides along the major roads of the LEF. 

All researchers must prepare and submit for approval a study plan before initiating any research. Proposed projects in the designated research sites must be approved by the relevant site managers before they can begin. Work outside the designated research areas may require a special Forest Service permit if it is not already approved under an existing permit.

All researchers should be sensitive to the fact that they are guests in a unique cultural environment. Discrimination of any form is not tolerated.

Safe working procedures must be used in all field and laboratory activities.

All field projects must be well marked with the name, date and affiliation of the investigator and all projects must be geographically referenced. Permanent plots must be registered with the local site manager or the Forest Service if they are outside specific research sites. Protocols for identifying projects vary slightly between research sites and organizations and must be coordinated with local site managers. All markers and equipment must be removed from the forest when the study is terminated.

Long-term permanent plots for the study of vegetation, wildlife, soils and other ecosystem parameters are scattered throughout the LEF. Nobody is allowed in these plots without specific permission of the principal investigator of the plots. While it is the responsibility of the principal investigator to insure that plots are clearly identified, it is also the responsibility of the individual investigator to know where they doing their research.

Recreation is a major activity in the Forest. Research projects or the behavior of researchers should not interfere with recreational activities.

Without a special permit (see below), destruction of vegetation and wildlife, or disturbance of soil is not allowed anywhere at anytime.

Reports and reprints of all research must be sent to both the LTER data manager and the IITF Library.

Scientists and visitors are responsible for the behavior of their technicians, students, cooperators, and associates. 

1) Develop study plan of research that includes the location of study sites, type and extent of the research activity.

2) If the proposed research will be in designated research site, submit study plan to site manager. With site manager, determine if the research needs a special use permit from the USFS, USFWS, or other governmental agency. If the research activity may need a special use permit contact the Special Use Officer of the Caribbean National Forest.

3) If the proposed research will not be located in a designated research site, submit a study plan to your research sponsor or directly to the Assistant Director of Research for the IITF. Research sponsors include all organizations that have special use permits to work within the LEF. With the research sponsor, determine if the research needs a special use permit from the USFS, USFWS, or other governmental agency. If the research activity may need a special use permit contact the Special Use Officer of the Caribbean National Forest. Visit the"Caribbean National Forest" site at http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/caribbean/passes/index.shtml for permits and instructions.

4) If a researcher does not have a authorized sponsor or it is determined that the research needs a special use permit, contact the Special Use Officer of the Caribbean National Forest.

5) If their are significant changes in the research activities after the study plan been approved, contact the local site manager or the Special Use Officer of the Caribbean National Forest.

All National Forests issue permits for the special use of the Federal Lands. In the Caribbean National Forest, these permits cover such diverse activities as multi-million dollar electronic communication facilities, water intakes, camping, research stations, the filming of commercial movies, and the collection of plants and animals. These permits are designed to insure the wise and lawful use of the forest and to reduce conflicts between potential users.

Individual researchers may need to obtain a permit for special research purposes. How permits are issues depends on the scope of the project proposed. Construction, manipulations of biota, or projects that could conflict with existing uses of the forest or result in permanent modification to the landscape may require an extensive environmental assessments. Non-destructive projects may only require written permission.

General guidelines for determining when permits are or are not needed are listed below. If there is any doubt, please contact the Special Use Officer of the CNF or the Assistant Director of Research at IITF.

When a USFS Special Use permit is definitely required.
Research involves the installation of a permanent structure or permanent modification to the landscape.

Research will occur outside a designated research area and is (a) not already covered under a existing permit, (b) is not being done as part of permitted research effort or (c) is not being done in cooperation with an USFS scientist.

Research involves the manipulation or removal of vegetation, soil, or wildlife.

Research involves use of chemicals, fertilizers, or any other substances that may affect the environment.

Research that could interfere with existing uses of the forest or is near a long-term plot, recreation area, water intake, or other special use area.

Research involves endangered species or the habitat that could affect these species.

When a permit is probably not required

None of the above conditions apply.

Research will be done in designated research site and has been approved by site manager of the research site.

Research is observational, non-destructive, and does not interfere with other uses of the forest.

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Last Updated By: A. Ramírez C/O Eda C. Meléndez-Colom: January 26, 2007