Urban Roots Meet Forest Futures: Urbe Apie visits Las Casas de la Selva
We recently had the pleasure of hosting members of Urbe Apie, a dynamic community-based nonprofit from Caguas, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2015 by residents of the Traditional Urban Center of Caguas, Urbe Apie is dedicated to breathing new life into abandoned or unused urban spaces, transforming them into hubs for cultural, social, and economic growth. https://www.urbeapie.com/
During their lunch visit to Las Casas de la Selva, we exchanged ideas about sustainability, land stewardship, and the intersections between urban revitalization and forest conservation. It was inspiring to share what we’re doing here in the mountains—protecting and enriching secondary rainforest, managing forest resources sustainably, and hosting programs that support ecological awareness and youth and community engagement.
Urbe Apie’s mission to create repopulated, vibrant, and permanent urban communities through community support, self-management, rehabilitation, and the sustainable use of spaces aligns beautifully with our own values. Their work addresses critical issues like the high percentage of abandoned buildings and the need for community meeting spaces—challenges that require creativity, resilience, and collective action.
We’re grateful for the visit, the conversation, and the connection. We look forward to future collaborations between forest and city, where both rural and urban communities can thrive through shared vision and action. Thank you, Urbe Apie, especially organizers Erid Roman Rosario, and Quinten Rivera Toro, for your visit and for your tireless work in building a more resilient and self-sustaining Puerto Rico!
