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I. The Executive Summary

Project title: “Historical Process: Vulnerability, Flooding and Resilience in coastal communities of the western area of Puerto Rico”

Date: February 28, 2020

Project number: Af151-3-18

Investigators and affiliation:

Edwin Asencio Pagán, PhD, PI

Centro de Investigación Social Aplicada (CISA)

Department of Social Sciences

University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

Dates Covered: 2018-2022

Objectives:

1. Select 5 municipalities and # of coastal settlements (communities) for the study.

a. At the moment, the research group has concentrated in three municipalities: Cabo Rojo, Mayagüez and Rincón. The communities that we have studied in these municipalities are: El Maní, La Boquilla, Santa Rosa de Lima, Jardines del Caribe, La Vía, Puerto Real, Joyuda and Stella. It should be noted that within the municipalities and communities mentioned above, the research group has developed and implemented five phases of the project. (Percent completed: 60%)

2. Perform social monitoring of the coastal units for the next four years.

a. During this academic year (2019-2020), the researchers are revisiting and retaking all the phases that were developed in the communities under study. In addition, the research group will continue working on this objective in the 2020-2021 academic year. (Percent completed: 50%)

3. Assess Post-Traumatic Stress after María

a. This phase was focused on researching the experience and characteristics of PTSD in residents of vulnerable communities under study one year after Hurricane María. During the 2019-2020 academic year, the research group has been monitoring participants to analyze the evolution of PTSD symptoms and the process of emotional resilience shown by residents two years after Hurricane María. (Percent completed: 70%)

4. Engage in the mapping and inventory of structures and damages after María.

a. The research group has developed maps and inventories on the structural losses and damages in homes, restaurants and fishmongers. During the current 2019-2020

academic year, the researchers are revisiting the communities to describe the resilienceprocessshownbytheresidents,twoyearsafterHurricaneMaría.(Percent completed: 50%)

5. Develop innovative social research techniques to assess resilience (qualitative and quantitative)

a. The research group used qualitative and quantitative methodologies to collect data from the communities under study. However, informal conversations, educational activities, meetings, conferences and workshops have been an essential part for the researchers to collect data. Though these techniques, researchers have had the opportunities to network with residents as well as gain access to information regarding these communities’ composition and mitigation practices.

6. Incorporate and train undergraduate and graduate students

a. Since the beginning of the research, the project has ventured to incorporate and train undergraduate students. The project currently has one undergraduate student and two graduate students. These students participate in the development of the project and the start of further phases. However, we contemplate incorporating more graduate students over the next two years to expand the research and the perspective of other disciplines. (Percent completed: 50%)

Emerging objectives:

As a result of all the data collected from working on the objectives above, the principal investigator found pertinent to identify and study the following areas:

1. Identify the characteristics of resilience in a sample of fishermen, restaurants and fishmongers after Hurricane María.

2. Identify community mitigation strategies and analyze public policies regarding mangrove conservation after the passage of Hurricane María.

3. Identify and describe the experiences of a group of law enforcement officers and agents after Hurricane María.

Advancement of the Field:

The principal investigator, along with his co-investigators, developed inventory maps of the vulnerable communities under study: El Maní, La Boquilla, Santa Rosa de Lima, Jardines del Caribe and La Vía. These five coastal communities are located in the municipality of Mayaguez, western region of Puerto Rico. The maps document the number of houses in the communities of study, that had structural damages after the impact of Hurricane María. In addition, the research group identified the permanent damages, the construction materials: wood, cement or mixed; and thephysicalplant(oneplant,twoplantandraised)ofthehousesinthefivecommunitiesmentioned above.

On the other hand, the research group created an inventory of the restaurants and fishmongers in the coastal zone of Cabo Rojo, Mayagüez and Rincón municipalities. This inventory documents the restaurants and fishmongers that are open, closed or were restored after Hurricane María. Also, it identifies the amount of time it took for business owners to restore operations. Therefore, it identifies businesses on the coast that have an insurance policy. Similarly, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) characteristics were auscultated in residents of Mayagüez, Cabo Rojo and Rincón municipalities; after the impact of Hurricane María.

Furthermore, the research group started three new phases of study. First, it is contemplated to identify the characteristics of resilience in a sample of fishermen, restaurants and fishmongers in coastal communities of the western Puerto Rico, after the impact of Hurricane María. Second, analyzing the public politics and strategies of community mitigation in the conservation of mangroves in Puerto Rico. Lastly, describing the experience of a group of law enforcements officials and agents in the face of explicit limitations in public security with the resulting effects caused by Hurricane María in the western region of Puerto Rico. The research group is still working on the phases mentioned above.

Taking in consideration that the investigation is a prospective longitudinal one; during the 2019-2020 academic year, the research group will go back to the communities under study. This time, the research group will describe the process and evolution of the communities after two years of Hurricane María. At the same time, the co-investigators are elaborating educational materials focused on mitigation, preparation and resilience for the communities under study.

Therefore, in the next few months the research group will be holding several meetings to identify educational activities that could be done inside or outside UPR-Mayaguez Campus. Due to the complexity of all of the above, the researchers started a process of recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students in order to achieve all the objectives set. Also, in the coming months the project will organize to offer workshops to the new students that join the team. All with the purpose of training and enriching their knowledge in the field of applied sciences.

Methods:

The following research methods have been used in this research project: (i) prospective longitudinal design, (ii) qualitative and quantitative methodologies, (iii) phenomenological interviews both semi-structures and open, (iv) like scale questionnaires, (v) validation process and reliability of the instruments (questionnaires and interviews), and (vi) visit to the communities –field work.

PI Supported:

Edwin Asencio Pagán, PhD May 9, 2019 – June 8, 2019

Students supported:

Semester August – December 2019

Students supported Contact information Period 2019

Allan Rodríguez González allan.rodriguez3@upr.edu Aug 26 – Dec 1 8 hours a week $812.00

Claudia Cruz Tirado claudia.cruz4@upr.edu Aug 26 – Dec 1 8 hours a week $812.00

Laiana Lugo Santori laiana.lugo@upr.edu Sep 23 – Dec 20 150

Nashaly Acevedo Rodríguez nashaly.acevedo@upr.edu Aug 19 – Dec 1 12

$1,087.50

$1,800.00

Santos Rivera Cardona santos.rivera@upr.edu Aug 19 – Dec 1 12 hours a week $1,800.00

Víctor Gregory Miranda victor.gregory@upr.edu Aug 26 – Dec 1 7 hours a week $710.50

Semester January – May 2020

Students supported Contact information Period 2020 Time and Effort

Santos Rivera Cardona santos.rivera@upr.edu Jan 27 – Dec 3 14 hours a week In process

Nashaly Acevedo Rodriguez nashaly.acevedo@upr.edu Feb 16 – May 31 300 hours In process

Claudia Cruz Tirado claudia.cruz4@upr.edu In process 150 hours In process

Semester January – May 2020 # of new students #of continuing students # of degrees awarded

Sea Grant supported MS/MA 2

Sea Grant supported BA/BS 1

Note: Currently, the research group in conducting interviews to the new candidates that will possibly join the team as volunteer.

Presentations:

1. XI Congreso de investigación y creación académica de la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Carolina. (May 17-18, 2018.)

2. 5to Encuentro Subgraduado de Investigación y Creación del programa: iniciativas de Investigación y Actividad Creativa Subgraduadas (IINAS) de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras (September 14-15, 2018)

3. Puerto Rican Studies Association’s 5th Biennial Conference on Navigating Insecurities; Crisis, Power, and Protest in Puerto Rican Communities at the Douglas Student Center in Rutgers University- New Brunswick as part of the PRSA. (October 25-28, 2018)

4. 2nda Conferencia: Avances en investigación y acción con la niñez y la juventud: Participación Social. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez. (September 7-8, 2018.)

5. XXV Simposio de Ciencias Sociales del Departamento de Ciencias Sociales y Departamento de Psicología de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez. (April 25, 2019.)

6. Primer Congreso de Geografía Eugenio María de Hostos, Puerta de Tierra, San Juan Puerto Rico. (November 1-3, 2019.)

Publications:

Alvarado León, G. (27 de mayo de 2018). Miden la resiliencia post-María. El Nuevo Día, págs. 32-33.

Asencio Pagán, E. (7-13 de junio de 2018). RUM investigan área costera de Mayaguez. Visión, págs. 14.

Asencio Pagán, E. (2018). Resiliencia de las comunidades vulnerables de Mayaguez ante los efectos del huracán María. Revista Ambiental Marejada, 14-18.

Other products:

The purpose of this research project is studying resilience in vulnerable coastal communities. Therefore, the research group finds it imperative to educate and disseminate information that guarantees the safety of the citizens in Puerto Rico, specifically coastal community residents, due to the threat of atmospheric phenomena. For that reason, a web page was developed to provide information regarding the purpose of the project, its different phases, publications and presentations. In addition, it presents the collaborators who participated and developed this research project. Web page link: https://www.uprm.edu/rvcc/

IMPACT STATEMENT

TITLE: “Historical Process: Vulnerability, Flooding and Resilience in coastal communities of the western area of Puerto Rico”

Name and affiliation of researchers:

Manuel Valdés Pizzini, PhD, Co-PI

Interdisciplinary Center for Coastal Studies

Social Science Department

University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

Results and findings:

This is a 4 year project lead by Edwin Asencio Pagán, PhD (Social Sciences, UPR-Mayagüez) that is gauging the opinions, attitudes and strategies of coastal communities in the southwest coast of Puerto Rico, in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, and the impact of the March swells throughout the coast in 2018.

The main component led by the Asencio Team is focusing on the responses of the communities and measuring their level of resilience, assessing the signs of Post Traumaticas well as the social, economic and psychological impact of the events. The project also aims to redefine resilience according to the experience of those communities.

The component led by Valdés Pizzini is collecting information on the impact of the hurricanes to fisheries dependent communities, with attention to Añasco Playa in the municipality of Añasco, next one to the north of Mayagüez. This component is reconstructing the history of coastal settlements and their location in flood prone areas. This brief report corresponds to the latter component led by Valdés Pizzini.

RECAP:PuertoRico,dueto its geographical position,is susceptibleto facing atmosphericevents. Therefore, the island has an impressive history filled with hurricanes and tropical storms such as San Felipe II, Santa Clara, Eloisa, Hugo, Hortensia, Georges and María. These atmospheric events caused numerous effects; such as phycological impacts, floods, material and economic losses, and lack of public safety being some of the imminent threats affecting vulnerable communities.

RELEVANCE: Due to the biophysical vulnerability to which coastal communities (under study) are exposed, it is necessary to identify the mitigation strategies that residents implement and thus, analyze the characteristics that limit their resilience.

RESPONSE: Sea Grant funding provided a unique opportunity to study biophysical vulnerability and resilience characteristic of coastal communities.

RESULTS:Theresearch project is collectinginformation andquantifyingvaluablestatistical data on biophysical vulnerability and resilience characteristics of coastal communities. In addition, mitigation strategies that residents from coastal communities have implemented to mitigate the effects of Hurricane María have been identified to further disseminate. On the other hand, inventory maps were developed to show structural losses in the vulnerable coastal communities

under study: El Maní, La Boquilla, Santa Rosa de Lima, Jardines del Caribe and La Vía in the municipality of Mayagüez. An inventory on the coastal businesses in the municipalities of Cabo Rojo, Rincón, and Mayagüez was also created. Similarly, characteristics of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were auscultated in residents living in the municipalities of Cabo Rojo, Rincón and Mayagüez; after the impact of Hurricane María.

Furthermore, the research group started three new phases of study. First, it is contemplated to identify the characteristics of resilience in a sample of fishermen, restaurants and fishmongers in coastal communities of the western Puerto Rico, after the impact of Hurricane María. Second, analyzing the public politics and strategies of community mitigation in the conservation of mangroves in Puerto Rico. Lastly, describing the experience of a group of law enforcements officials and agents in the face of explicit limitations in public security, as a result of the effects caused by Hurricane María in the western region of Puerto Rico. The research group is still working on the phases mentioned above. At the same time, the co-investigators are elaborating educational materials focused on mitigation, preparation and resilience for the communities under study.

Presentations:

“Historical complexities of beaches and coastal areas in Puerto Rico: Anthropological Challenges.” On the beach: Ethnographic practice and critique, SANA-SUNTA (Society for the Anthropology of North America-Society for Urban, National and Transnational Anthropology). May 3, 2019.

“Social Legacies (history and memory) and the conservation of natural areas: Reflections on La Parguera, El Yunque and the Guánica Lagoon. First Symposium on History and the Environment, at the University of Gurabo, April 25, 2019.

Publications:

Most of the writings produced--up to this point--have been published in a digital Journal (80grados.net) in Puerto Rico

Valdés Pizzini, M. 2019. El denso tejido urbano de los barrios Marina Meridional y Marina Septentrional. April 19, de abril. https://www.80grados.net/el-denso-tejido-urbano-de-losbarrios-marina-meridional-y-marina-septentrional/ (On the history of the coastal quarters of Mayagüez during the first half of the 20th century.)

Valdés Pizzini, M. 2019. La Coal: relato breve sobre un lugar desapercibido. 15 de marzo. https://www.80grados.net/la-coal-relato-breve-sobre-un-lugar-desapercibido/ (On the history of the transformation of the San Juan Harbor and the coastal and urban poor communities.)

Website:

This component of the project is developing a website with the reports and findings of our research. The site is under construction, at the following address:

https://www.decaralmar.org

One of the key products of this project consists in the digitalization of historical documents (primary sources) related to the history of coastal communities. At the present time we have digitized the Police Records of the municipality of Mayagüez, and started this year (2020) with the Police Records of the municipality of Cabo Rojo. Both are rich source of information on: maritime activities, transformations of the littoral landscape and seascape, fishing and the occupation of the coastal zone.

Case study: Coastal community resilience, Puerto Rico se levanta (raises from disaster): an ethnographic analysis of coastal communities’ resilience in the face of hurricane María. Research leader: Eddie Joel Pesante González

Our project develop a case study strategy to understand the complex processes in which the Tres Hermanos community (west coast, north of Mayagüez) engaged after the impact of the hurricanes and organized themselves to face the challenges imposed by the aftermath of those extreme events. Data for this case study is from historiographic research, analysis of primary and secondary resources, and rapid ethnographic assessment in the summer and fall of 2019. The main objectives of this continuing effort are, to: (i) Understand how this community faces the effects of natural disasters / atmospheric events, and their relationship with coastal resources; (ii) Document the community’s organizations and their participation in the protection of lives and infrastructure of the area after the passing of Hurricanes Irma and María; (iii) Expose the difficulties that coastal communities have and their vulnerability in the wake of climate change, slow government response, and the sociopolitical crisis in Puerto Rico. The Tres Hermanos community –heavily affected by hurricane María decided to reinforce community action organizations to respond to the community’s problems and to the slow government response. These organizations were: The Neighborhood Watch Program (Consejo de Seguridad Vecinal), The Inclusive Group (Los Inclusivos), Team Playa, and the Fishers’ Association. Team Playa developed an alliance with Project Refuge, a diasporic based organization aimed at community aid (through food supplies, and the transfer of funds, equipment and material), empowerment and anti-privatization policies. Each organization contributed to the environmental, social and physical recuperation and resilience of Añasco Playa. This phase of the project will finalize by February 2021.

Students: Year 2019

Students supported

Eddie Pesante

Emmanuel González

Alfonso Velasco (graduate, Sociology)

II. Final Report Narrative

Contact information Time and Effort

eddie.pesante@upr.edu

emmanuel.gonzález6@upr.edu

alfonso.velasco.upr.edu

15 hours a week

Coastal social processes are complex and develop over time, as coastal spaces and places engage in a number of socioeconomic and cultural strategies in their interface with nature and the world-economy. Puerto Rico, due to its geographical position, is susceptible to facing atmospheric events. Therefore, the island has an impressive history filled with hurricanes and tropical storms such as SanFelipeII,SantaClara,Eloisa,Hugo,Hortensia,Georges andMaría.Theseatmospheric events caused numerous effects such as: phycological impacts, floods, material and economic losses, and lack of public safety; these being some of the imminent threats affecting vulnerable communities. For this reason, it is necessary to identify the mitigation strategies that residents implement and thus, analyze the characteristics that limit their resilience. As a result, this research project focuses on evaluating and understanding historical processes in the coastal communities of the western area of Puerto Rico after the impact of Hurricane María in 2017. The project is built on the research efforts of the Department of Social Sciences focused on the surveys of coastal communities in Mayagüez, and the assessment of their vulnerability and resilience facing hurricane María (Asencio-Pagán) supported by UPR Sea Grant. The research project is collecting information and quantifying valuable statistical data on biophysical vulnerability, flooding and resilience characteristics of coastal communities on different temporal scales, focusing on the pre and post Hurricane María period. In order to achieve the previously stated, the following methods have been used in this research project: (i) prospective longitudinal design, (ii) qualitative and quantitative methodologies, (iii) phenomenological interviews both semi-structures and open, (iv) like scale questionnaires, (v) validation process and reliability of the instruments (questionnaires and interviews), and (vi) visit to the communities – field work. The application of these methods has allowed the research group to develop different phases of study in coastal communities.

The different phases that the principal investigator has been working on with the coinvestigators are presented below. The first phase is the longitudinal one. It should be noted that this is a continuation of the first research, that was carried out during the 2017-2018 academic year. In this phase, the researchers developed inventory maps of the vulnerable communities under study: El Maní, La Boquilla, Santa Rosa de Lima, Jardines del Caribe and La Vía. These five communities are in the municipality of Mayaguez, west coast of Puerto Rico. The maps that were developed, show thenumber ofhouses in the communities understudy thathad structural damages after the impact of Hurricane María. In addition, the research group identified the permanent

damages, building materials: wood, cement or mixed (both wood and cement); and the floors of the houses (one floor, two floors or elevated) in the five mentioned communities. Simultaneously, the research group created an inventory of the restaurants and fishmongers in the coastal area of the municipalities of Cabo Rojo, Mayagüez and Rincón. This inventory documents the restaurants and fishmongers that were open, closed or restored after the impact of Hurricane María. This inventory also identifies the period of time it took for business owners to restore operations, and the business that have an insurance policy.

On the other hand, the second phase of the research used the qualitative methodology and had two approached: the experience of flooding of the residents of vulnerable communities in the municipalityofMayaguez.Inaddition,theresearchersstudiedthecharacteristicsofPost-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on residents of the coastal municipalities of Mayaguez, Cabo Rojo and Rincón after the impact of Hurricane María. Also, the research group started three new phases. First, it is contemplated to identify the resilience characteristics on a sample of fishermen, restaurants and fishmongers in coastal communities of western Puerto Rico after the impact of Hurricane María. Second, analyze the public policies and community mitigation strategies in the conservationofmangrovesinPuertoRico.Lastly,theresearcherswillbedescribingtheexperience of a group of law enforcements officials and agents in the face of explicit limitations in public security with the resulting effects caused by Hurricane María in the western region of Puerto Rico. The research group is still working on the phases mentioned above.

Taking in consideration that the research project is a longitudinal prospective one; during the 2019-2020 academic year, the research group will return to the communities under study. However, this time the research group will aim to describe the process and development of the communities under study two years after the impact of Hurricane María. In addition, the coinvestigators are elaborating educational materials focused on mitigation, preparation and resilience for the communities under study. Therefore, in the next few months the research group will be holding several meetings to identify educational activities that could be done inside or outside UPR-Mayaguez Campus. For example, the researchers will organize different conferences for each phase of the research and will also develop educational infographics aimed at residents of the communities under study. On the other hand, the Principal Investigator (PI) is contemplating the participation and representation of the research group in academic activities outside UPRMayaguez Campus. For example, it is being considered the conference entitled: “Building a Resilient Pacific” of Pacific Risk Management Ohana (PRiMO) at the Hawaii Convention Center.

Due to the complexity of all of the above, the researchers started a process of recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students in order to achieve all the objectives set. Currently, the research group in conducting interviews to the preselected candidates that will possibly join the team. The project is considering on recruiting eight to twelve new students with the purpose of subdividing the group into each phase in the research. Also, in the coming months the project will organize to offer workshops to the new students that join the team. These workshops will be focused on methodology (qualitative and quantitative), data collecting, statistical programs (SPSS and Qualtrics), and content/result analysis. All with the purpose of training and enriching their knowledge in the field of applied sciences.