Los Tres Picachos State Forest (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

: ''Bosque Estatal de Los Tres Picachos'') is one of the 20 forests that make up the public forest system of

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

. The forest is located in the

Central Mountain Range The Central Mountain Range is the principal mountain range on the island of Taiwan. It runs from the north of the island to the south. Due to this separation, connecting between the west and east is not very convenient. The tallest peak of th ...

or ''Cordillera Central'', along the Los Tres Picachos mountain ridge, one of the island's highest mountains, named after the distinctive three peaks of the highest mountain in the forest. The state forest is located in the municipalities of

Jayuya Jayuya (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the mountainous center region of the island, north of Ponce; east of Utuado; and west of Ciales. Jayuya is spread over 10 barrios and Jayuya Pueblo (the downtown and administra ...

and

Ciales Ciales (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico, located on the Central Mountain Range, northwest of Orocovis; south of Florida and Manatí; east of Utuado and Jayuya; and west of Morovis. Ciales is spread over eight barrios and Ciales P ...

History

Los Tres Picachos State Forest was proclaimed and designated in February 16, 1999 through executive order OE-199-10. This proclamation was made thanks to effort and interest from local residents, the municipal administrations of Ciales and Jayuya, and the ''Guardianes de la Montaña'' ecological group. Its purpose is to preserve the ecological integrity of the forest terrains from urban development.

Geography

The forest is found along two river basins: the

Arecibo Arecibo (; ) is a city and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. It is about west of San Juan, th ...

and Manatí Rivers, both flowing northward into the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. Other rivers found within the forest boundaries are the Cialitos,

Saliente Saliente is a barrio in the municipality of Jayuya, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 649. See also * List of communities in Puerto Rico In Puerto Rico, there are 78 municipalities and 902 municipio subdivisions made up of 827 barrios ...

and Toro Negro rivers. The forest is particularly vital for the hydrological preservation of the Toro Negro River. The most notable geographical feature of the forest reserve is the Tres Picachos mountain which rises to an elevation of 3,176 feet (968 m) above sea level. Tres Picachos literally translates to ''three little peaks'', and it is named as such after the three distinctive peaks found in the summit of the mountain. The state forest is found in a transition zone between a

karstic Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

area and another of

volcanic A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates a ...

origin.

Ecology

The forest is divided into three forest zones: the subtropical

broadleaf forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

, the montane or cloud forest and the tropical humid or

rain forest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainforest ...

. The ecological biomes found in the forest are the

dwarf forest Dwarf forest, elfin forest, or pygmy forest is an uncommon ecosystem featuring miniature trees, inhabited by small species of fauna such as rodents and lizards. They are usually located at high elevations, under conditions of sufficient air humi ...

(above 1,090 meters over sea level), the Sierra palm tree forest (between 850 and 1,090 meters above sea level), the ''tabonuco'' tree forest (between 700 and 850 meters), and the secondary forest found in former

coffee plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

areas which have now been reclaimed by nature.

Flora

Some of the plant species found in the forest are the western cherry laurel or ''almendron'' (''

Prunus occidentalis ''Prunus occidentalis'' is a plant in the family Rosaceae of the order Rosales.''Cerasus o ...

''), the ''tabloncillo'' tree ( ''Sideroxylon portoricense''), the moca tree (''

Andira inermis ''Andira inermis'' is a nitrogen-fixing tree native to the area from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America (Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil); it has been introduced to the Caribbean, the Antilles, Florida, and Africa. Th ...

''), the ''granadillo'' tree ('' Buchenavia capitata''), the Puerto Rican mangolia (''

Magnolia portoricensis ''Magnolia portoricensis'' is a tree of the Caribbean region. Its vernacular names include jagüilla and Puerto Rico magnolia. It is native to Puerto Rico and it is found in the Toro Negro State Forest Toro Negro State Forest (Spanish: ''B ...

''), the nutget or nemoca tree ('' Ocotea moschata''), the candlewood or ''tabonuco'' tree (''

Dacryodes excelsa ''Dacryodes excelsa'' is a tree native to Puerto Rico with a habitat that extends into the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean region. Its English vernacular names include gommier and candlewood. Its Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from o ...

''), the Sierra palm tree (''

Prestoea montana ''Prestoea montana'' (Vernacular English: Sierran palm;Spathodea campanulata ''Spathodea'' is a genus in the plant family Bignoniaceae. The single species it contains, ''Spathodea campanulata'', is commonly known as the African tulip tree. The tree grows between tall and is native to tropical dry forests of Africa. It ha ...

'') which is found mostly in the secondary or second-growth forest area. The forest is also home to epiphytic plants such as

bromeliads The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a family of monocot flowering plants of about 80 genera and 3700 known species, native mainly to the tropical Americas, with several species found in the American subtropics and one in tropical west Africa, ...

and

orchids Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

Fauna

Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned hawk perched on tree limb

The forest is rich in animal species and it is home to a large number of endemic species. The following are some of the species found in the forest and its rivers.

Fish

* Mountain mullet ('' Dajaus monticola'', Spanish: ''dajao'') * American eel ('' Anguilla rostrata'', Spanish: ''anguila americana'') * Violet goby ('' Gobioides broussonnetii'', Spanish: ''chupa-piedra'') * Bigmouth sleeper (''

Gobiomorus dormitor ''Gobiomorus'' is a genus of fishes in the family Eleotridae native to marine, fresh and brackish waters along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass ...

'', Spanish: ''guavina'') * Sirajo goby (''

Sicydium plumieri ''Sicydium plumieri'' (Spanish vernacular: ''Olivo'', ''Ceti''; English vernacular: ''Sirajo Goby'') is a freshwater species of the goby native to the Antilles from Cuba to Trinidad and Tobago, though not recorded from all islands. This species ...

'', Spanish: ''olivo'' or ''ceti'')

Amphibians

* Red-eyed coqui ( ''Eleutherodactylus antillensis'', Spanish: ''churí'' or ''coquí churí'') * Grass coqui ('' Eleutherodactylus brittoni'', Spanish: ''coquí de las hierbas'') * Whistling coqui ('' Eleutherodactylus cochranae'', Spanish: ''coquí pitito'') * Common coqui ('' Eleutherodactylus coqui'', Spanish: ''coquí'' or ''coquí común'') * Cricket coqui ( ''Eleutherodactylus gryllus'', Spanish: ''coquí grillo'') * Mountain or upland coqui (''

Eleutherodactylus portoricensis ''Eleutherodactylus portoricensis'' (vernacular Spanish: ''coquí de la montaña'') is a frog native to Puerto Rico that belongs to the family Eleutherodactylidae. Its vernacular English names are upland coqui, mountain coqui, and Puerto Rican ...

'', Spanish: ''coquí de montaña'') * Melodious coqui ( Eleutherodactylus wightmanae, Spanish: ''coquí melodioso'')

Reptiles

* Puerto Rican crested anole (''

Anolis cristatellus ''Anolis cristatellus'' is a small species of anole, belonging to the Dactyloidae family of reptiles, which is native to Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, with introduced populations in locations around the Caribbean. The ma ...

'', Spanish: ''lagartijo común'') * Emerald anole (''

Anolis evermanni ''Anolis evermanni'', also known Common name, commonly as the emerald anole, Evermann's anole, and the small green anole, is a species of lizard included within the Family (biology), family Dactyloidae. ''A. evermanni'' is native to Puerto Rico, ...

'', Spanish: ''lagartijo verde'') * Yellow-bearded anole (''

Anolis gundlachi ''Anolis gundlachi'', also commonly known as the yellow-chinned anole, Gundlach's anole, or yellow-beard anole, is an oviparous, sexually dimorphic species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Puerto Ri ...

'', Spanish: ''lagartijo de barba amarilla'') * Krug's anole ('' Anolis krugi'', Spanish: ''lagartijo de montaña'') * Dwarf anole or Puerto Rican twig anole (''

Anolis occultus The Puerto Rican twig anole or dwarf anole (''Anolis occultus'') is a species of small, arboreal anole endemic to Puerto Rico and primarily inhabiting the Cordillera Central from the Sierra de Cayey range in the Southeast to the central-western r ...

'', Spanish: ''lagartijo enano'') * Puerto Rican anole ('' Anolis pulchellus'', Spanish: ''lagartijo de jardín'') * Puerto Rican spotted anole (''

Anolis stratulus ''Anolis stratulus'' is a moderately-sized species of anole () (family Dactyloidae) found in Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. It is a gray-colored lizard spotted with brown markings. It is arboreal, u ...

'', Spanish: ''lagartijo manchado'' or colloquially ''camaleón'') * Puerto Rican boa ( ''Chilabothrus inornatus'', Spanish: ''boa puertorriqueña'' or ''culebrón puertorriqueño'') * Puerto Rican galliwasp ( Diploglossus pleii, Spanish: ''culebrita de cuatro patas'')

Birds

* Puerto Rican sharp-shinned hawk ( ''Accipiter striatus venator'', Spanish: ''falcón de sierra'' or ''gavilán pecho rufo'') * Puerto Rican broad-winged hawk ('' Buteo platypterus brunnescens'', Spanish: ''gavilán de bosque'' or ''guaraguao de bosque'') * Orange-cheeked waxbill ( ''Estrilda melpoda'', Spanish: ''finche veterano''), introduced * Venezuelan troupial ( ''Icterus icterus'', Spanish: ''turpial''), introduced * Puerto Rican woodpecker ( Melanerpes portoricensis, Spanish: ''carpintero puertorriqueño'') * Puerto Rican bullfinch ( ''Melopyrrha portoricensis'', Spanish: ''comeñame'') * Ovenbird ( ''Seiurus aurocapilla'', Spanish: ''pizpita dorada''), migratory * Cape May warbler ( ''Setophaga tigrina'', Spanish: ''reinita tigre''), migratory * Puerto Rican spindalis (''

Spindalis portoricensis The Puerto Rican spindalis (''Spindalis portoricensis'') is a bird endemic to the island of Puerto Rico, where it is commonly known as ''reina mora''. The species is widely distributed throughout the island and is an important part of the Puerto ...

'', Spanish: ''reina mora'') * Puerto Rican tody (''

Todus mexicanus The Puerto Rican tody (''Todus mexicanus'') is a bird Endemism in birds, endemic to Puerto Rico. It is locally known in Puerto Rican Spanish, Spanish as "San Pedrito" ("little Saint Peter") and "medio peso" ("half-dollar bird"). Taxonomy Todie ...

'', Spanish: ''San Pedrito'' or ''medio peso'') * Puerto Rican vireo ('' Vireo latimeri'', Spanish: ''bien-te-veo'')

Mammals

* Greater Antillean long-tongued bat ('' Monophyllus redmani'', Spanish: ''murciélago lengüilargo'')

Recreation

The forest currently does not have infrastructure for the purpose of recreation and there is no parking or sanitary services either. There is however a single trail that leads to two of the three peaks of Los Tres Picachos mountain summit.

Coabey Coabey is a barrio in the municipality of Jayuya, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 2,166. Coabey is a newer barrio which was formed from areas of Jayuya barrio-pueblo and its first census was done in 1930. Features The El Cemí Museum () ...

is the closest town to the forest and it can be accessed by

PR-10 Puerto Rico Highway 10 (PR-10) is a major highway in Puerto Rico. The primary state road connects the city of Ponce in the south coast to Arecibo in the north; it is also the shortest route between the two cities. Construction on the modern PR ...

and

PR-123 Puerto Rico Highway 123 (PR-123) is a secondary highway that connects the city Arecibo to the city of Ponce. It runs through the towns of Utuado and Adjuntas, before reaching Ponce. A parallel road is being built, PR-10, that is expected to tak ...

roads from Ponce. A famous sight within the forest is the Las Delicias Falls (), a series of waterfalls found along the Cialitos River. The main waterfall can be accessed through

PR-149 Puerto Rico Highway 149 (PR-149) is a secondary highway in Puerto Rico that connects the towns of Manatí in the north coast of Puerto Rico, from PR-22 to Juana Díaz in the south coast, ending at PR-1. It goes through Ciales, and is a divide ...

by a short scramble through rocks, however parking in the area is highly limited with there being only four spots to park.

References

{{coord, 18.215, -66.536, type:landmark_region:PR_dim:5000, display=title Puerto Rico state forests Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests of the United States Puerto Rican moist forests Protected areas of Puerto Rico Ciales, Puerto Rico Jayuya, Puerto Rico 1999 establishments in Puerto Rico Protected areas established in 1999