The Pterocarpus Forest Is Walkable Again, and Palmas del Mar's First Dog Walk Is Heading There
Two years ago the Pterocarpus Forest behind the church in Palmas del Mar was closed. Tropical Storm Ernesto damaged the forest and its boardwalk in August 2024. After a short reopening for storm cleanup, the Palmas del Mar Homeowners Association closed the reserve again in late October of that year. On Saturday, November 14, the same forest will host the first 3Knino @ Paw-lmas. It's a three-kilometer pet walk that benefits Pet SOS Foundation, with an animal blessing and dog yoga, and it runs from 8 a.m. to noon, according to WALO Radio.
Between those two dates the forest was rebuilt piece by piece. Its main route works again, its signs are new, and it runs an education program it didn't have before. If your mental map of Palmas still marks the forest as closed, it needs updating before the walk.
The volunteer board that runs the forest posts quarterly updates on GlobalGiving. Together they show a slow recovery that took about eighteen months.
The same June report explains who paid for what. Major maintenance and infrastructure work relies heavily on technical and financial support from PHA. Money raised by the Friends of the Forest pays for environmental education, interpretive materials, biodiversity documentation and outreach. The forest's official project page says PHA bought the land and leads the restoration with the Friends of the Forest, which is incorporated as PHA Pterocarpus Forest, Inc. Primera Hora also notes that Para la Naturaleza has protected the forest since 2011.
That split matters. The boardwalk you'll walk on is mostly a homeowners association project, and the signs you'll read along it are mostly a donor project.
The forest is a swamp of Pterocarpus officinalis, the tree known locally as palo de pollo. The official visitor page lists the reserve at 51 acres and calls it one of Puerto Rico's most unusual ecosystems. Here is the status of each feature, based on the latest dated report from the people who run it.
| Feature | Status | Most recent word |
|---|---|---|
| ¾-mile elevated boardwalk | Almost all of it open after repairs and repainting | June 10, 2026 board report |
| Gazebo | Open after roof and stair repairs | January 8 and June 10, 2026 reports |
| Interpretive signs | More than 30 replaced along the boardwalk and around the pond | June 10, 2026 report |
| 40-foot observation tower | Future still under evaluation | June 10, 2026 report |
| Pond | Sediment has reduced water clarity; new aeration system still to come | June 10, 2026 report |
The tower is the one piece still unresolved. The forest's visitor page still describes it as a 40-foot structure next to the entrance with a view over the canopy. The June board report gives a fuller picture. Vegetation has grown over the years and changed the panoramic view from the top. Combined with rising repair costs and ecological concerns, that has the board weighing how to handle the structure at all. Check its status at the entrance before you promise anyone a view from the top.
The boardwalk is the main draw. It runs ¾ of a mile, or 1.2 kilometers, into the wetland on raised decking, so you can see the forest's plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fungi without stepping on any of it. The forest's iNaturalist catalog had 2,868 observations covering 385 species as of May 31, 2026, up from 2,628 observations in January. If you photograph a turtle or a mushroom on your morning loop, you can add it to the Catálogo de Organismos del Bosque de Pterocarpus.
The forest's posted rules allow pets. The visitor page sets these conditions and adds the logistics around them:
The surrounding logistics are friendly to dog owners. The forest is open every day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closes only on December 25 and January 1. Entry is free. Parking is also free in a lot next to the forest. Past the Catholic church, turn right on Nursery Road and follow the signs. Restrooms are along the footpath from the parking lot, before the passive recreation area. Picnicking is allowed only in the designated area at the entrance, with no grills or fires. There is step-free access from the parking lot along the footpath to the pond area and the lower level of the gazebo, which helps if your walking group includes a stroller or a wheelchair.
Two more rules matter if you're bringing friends. Groups of ten or more must book ahead through the forest's group reservation form. Commercial photography or video anywhere in Palmas del Mar or the forest requires prior consent from PHA or Pterocarpus Forest, Inc.
The walk is a fundraiser for Pet SOS Foundation. WALO Radio describes its goal as promoting the well-being and health of families and their pets and the bond between them. The program runs from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, November 14, 2026. It includes:
The event is open to the public and takes place at the forest's grounds behind the church in Palmas del Mar.
Signing up for the walk takes a $25 donation through MiCarreraPR. The listing gives an 8 a.m. start. WALO reports that several organizations and sponsors are supporting the event. Check the MiCarreraPR listing for packet pickup details closer to the date.
The forest's posted rules are worth practicing before the walk. The forest opens daily at 6 a.m., so a dog that hasn't been on the raised decking can try a short practice loop on the boardwalk on any morning before November 14.
The event is one morning. The forest's 2026 program goes further, and it gives a reason to come back without a race bib.
On June 6 the forest held the first session of its new Educational Field Seminar Series. Titled "The Living Forest," it was led by Dr. Ivelisse Irizarry, a university professor who leads the forest's biodiversity cataloging. The morning combined a presentation, field observation and an introduction to logging species on iNaturalist. According to the board's August report, the series is meant to expand into plant ecology, fungi, ornithology, herpetology and wetland conservation. Along the boardwalk, QR codes let visitors read at their own pace about biodiversity, recovery from Hurricane María and how the wetland works.
The forest also counts on its neighbors financially. Its 2025 GivingTuesday campaign raised $9,750, with $7,250 through GlobalGiving and $2,500 through other platforms. That money supported educational talks and on-site improvements into 2026. It's a modest sum for a 51-acre preserve, and it explains why the June report treats each repaired sign and each visitor as part of the forest's long-term care.
The forest belongs on the same weekend calendar as the Palmas del Mar Saturday markets and the club pickleball ladder. It's free, open daily at 6 a.m., and fine with a dog on a leash.
At ARK Real Estate, we follow the places that make day-to-day life in Palmas del Mar what it is, from the harbor to the boardwalk behind the church. If you're weighing how a home near the forest, the marina or the beach club fits the way you spend your mornings, schedule your private consultation with our team.
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