Culebra - These Waters Once Ran Clear...Not 100 years, not 50, not even 25, but literally, only a few years ago!

Here are some of the realities of Culebra that are painful. Why? Because the beauty of Culebra is being threatened again and still. The tranquility that we who love this island cherish - of the land and of the sea, have been discovered by those who see Culebra as nothing more than a vehicle for their own desires. Well, we all have our own desires, don't we? But when our wants reach out in destruction of one of the few special places in our world, impacting a whole culture and visitors to that culture and place, silence is not possible...well, for some of us loud mouths anyway! The Goliath of the Navy (with all the political snarlings of US and PR politics) was vanquished by the courage of a few David's - and Davidess's - private developers now are a bigger threat...(the photos of the salt pond flamingo and ducks - and children brought out to see them - are here because the violence waged by Victor Gonzalez that is destroying the muellecito area is adjacent to the salt pond...and it is being impacted badly as well - take a look for yourselves if you have a chance).

I got the following videos in my email from Mary Ann of Coralations. Those of you familiar with the years' long ongoing battles for the sanctity of the land and sea that make up Culebra and her surrounding waters will know the players. They all have deep pockets and Greed is their middle name. They are lovers of hoped for profits and power; they do NOT love Culebra nor care about her people, or the creatures of both land and sea that make Culebra unique. I am being judicious in choosing my words here, but I will use one word that I hope carries the impact I intend, as both a victim myself and for others who understand the true meaning of the word. That word is Rape. And that is what I see these men doing to Culebra, using money as the penis of their power. Yes, I really do believe that.

While now into my ninth year living on Culebra, I still see myself as a newcomer. But I know and hold dear in my heart many born and brought up on this island - some of whom raise their voices and act, some of whom are silent in public but very vocal in private conversations. It is a heart-breakingly unified voice I hear, over and over again. It is not enough to 'wish it would stop' and while some activists may be seen as troublemakers, I do believe that the troublemakers of the world are the ones who often stop the degrading acts that humans perpetrate on each other, usually for the sake of personal greed - greed for power, greed for money; which often equals power - these are small minded, insecure humans who, with their resources, could be doing so much good for so many but only have themselves in mind and heart. Shriveled souls...and in the end, at the very end, they will know that, as so many of their kind find out.

Ok, enough of my rant. Here are the visual realities:

History and now - by Mary Ann Lucking:

"Victor Gonzalez as PR Land and Fruit completely destroyed a boulder forest on top of Mt. Resaca in 2005, and blocked access down the road that reaches the muellecito with a series of Jurassic Park gates installed in areas that were not within the boundaries of what he now alleges to be his private property. 

He poured a 16 inch thick concrete wall to block access to the muellecito and then constructed a concrete tower across the road that was alleged to be a bird watching tower. Both have been torn down after serious community battles and protests.  He is continues to fight with the local municipality regarding access.  Other land owners have stepped forward for the area he claims as private.  He got an agreement and money from USFWS to "reforest" coastal areas.  Three completely illegal dirt roads were built....poorly planned and now eroding into coastal waters.  Two pass over powerful river beds, one considered a boulder forest.  One was built down the side of the road toward the shore and despite the use of erosion control matting the poor placement of the road still caused damage. Gonzalez privatized the shady picnic/parking area used by summer camps, locals, and handicapped and elderly as the easy access to reach the shore.  Here he deforested the shade trees and planted a few small sea grapes and introduced a few, 6 foot tall endangered trees to block and privatize the access. The scientist (?) Alfonso Silva was paid to guard the area and arbitrarily  prevented pedestrians from entering.  This has resulted in a years of tug-of-war with the local community over the exclusive private ownership of this shoreline, clearly by any definition within the Public's Domain of the beach. The damage done to the area is not limited to what is on this list or what is seen in this video.   In 1975, the Culebra Segment of Puerto Rico's Coastal Zone Management Plan recommended a protective zoning for the area becuase of the highly erodable volcanic soils.  This was adopted by the Planning Board.  This project is being self promoted as "green" and as a "reforestation" and  "restoration." There are four, 300 ft tall windmills planned for this mountain top, next to a lagoon important to Caribbean threatened and endangered migratory bird populations." 

 But wait...there's more. Unfortunately. Here's a look at what the Dubon brothers & partners have done on the other side of the island (down from Dinghy Dock, across three hills to the sea). And more damaging work is planned by others. This photo is of the area that would be covered in buildings, the 'green' project of lies pandered by the developers. The only green here is the money they hope to take to the bank, leaving us another pillaged area of empty promises.

From Mary Ann:

"CORALations [with the involved Culebrense community] intervened in Manuel Dubon's, Villa Mi Terruno project during the alleged planning process, when we saw the damage it was causing to coastal waters. This damage is caused by poorly planned and constructed dirt roads placed in areas with protective zoning due to the highly erodable volcanic soil type.  The area proposed is a high risk for land slides.  The eroding roads were constructed using multiple simple permits from the DRNA (illegal)  The simple permits also prohibit the construction of sedimentation catchment ponds which you see in this video failing due to poor construction, and physical soil constraints of the coastal area. EPA issued a violation.  They both agreed on a fine and then EPA completely dropped the need for the project to come into compliance with NPDES storm water discharge regulations. 

The proposed project is extremely dense....another city with shopping center, restaurants and hotels planned on an island with stressed infrastructure that depends on coastal water quality for fishing, tourism economy and personal quality of life." 

In both of these situations, I strongly suggest you do your own research to see for yourself where the truth resides. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it, no matter what side you currently fall on. This isn't about politics or labels, this is about cherishing a fragile place in the world that deserves all diligent care. It is about right and wrong, bottom line. And about people who, if not self propelled to hold a higher standard, must be kept from dragging down an unwilling population for the greed of a few who would destroy it and walk away, back to the city they really live in, without a backward glance at what they leave behind them. It's up to all of us who care about Culebra.

Watch. Read. Think. Act.