Finally! The El Verde station's new lodging facilities have been inaugurated. Representatives from several agencies and institutions attended the ceremony, including the USDA- Forest Service (Caribbean National Forest and International Institute for Tropical Forestry), the University of Puerto Rico System, and the Río Grande Municipality. Dr. Elvia Meléndez-Ackerman, ITES' Director, who opened the ceremony acknowledged the presence of the different agencies and institutions in the act as a reflection of the collaborative effort that the completion of this project entitled. Dra. Gladys Escalona de Motta, Chancellor of UPR's Río Piedras Campus, talked about the relevance and impact the research done at this station has had in Puerto Rico. The Dean of the Natural Science Faculty at the UPR Río Piedras Campus, Dr. Brad Wiener, commended those involved in the completion of this project, whose effort and tenacity he has witness in all the years it took to complete it. Dr. Jess Zimmerman, representing the National Science Foundation but also an ITES faculty member, related how the project was conceived and the key role the support given by the Dra. Escalona had in the completion of the project. Dr. Alonso Ramírez, current Director of EL Verde, highlighted the main events in the history of the research done at the station which started in the 1930's. Norberto Andujar Iglesias, special assistant to the Mayor of the city of Rio Grande, Hon Edwin Rivera announced the Mayor's commitment to enhance the access to the station, to provide surveillance and to offer assistance in case of emergencies. The speeches were full of emotion and reflected the collaborative effort that this project entitled. All speakers proceeded to cut the ribbon.
