Protectores de Cuencas

What Protectores de Cuencas does

Protectores de Cuencas Inc. (PDC) is a Mayagüez-headquartered, Puerto Rico-based non-profit organization founded in 2012 that delivers science- and community-based watershed restoration services. It serves Puerto Rico government agencies, municipal governments, and U.S. federal agencies (notably NOAA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service) with a portfolio structured around three operational pillars: PLANT (a native plant nursery producing 60,000+ plants per year across 9+ species), MONITOR (water quality monitoring using HACH, YSI, HANA, and IDEXX instrumentation for turbidity, nutrients, ammonia, and bacteria), and RESTORE (landscape-scale green-infrastructure implementation including permeable parking lots, bioswales, rain gardens, hydroseeding, dirt road stabilization, and hydrological engineering).

Underlying the work is a heavy restoration fleet (12 pickup trucks, 6 dump trucks, 2 backhoes, 2 crawler dozers, 2 compacting rollers, 2 skid steers, 6 water trucks, mini and mid excavators, boats and trailers) and an integrated watershed management methodology that blends best management practices with green infrastructure to mitigate land-based sources of pollution and erosion. Project delivery spans at least ten named watersheds island-wide (Rio Guanajibo, Culebra, Rio Loco, Rio Culebrinas, Rio Grande de Anasco, Rio Guajataca, Rio Grande de Patillas, Rio Guayanés, Rio Grande de la Plata). PDC also operates the Del Monte al Mar Learning Exchange Network jointly with The Nature Conservancy, convening watershed managers across priority watersheds.

PDC is funded through professional-services-style grants and contracts with federal and territorial agencies, supplemented by partnerships with The Nature Conservancy, Tetra Tech, UPRM, NFWF, and municipalities. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; a $250,000 USDA Rural Development award is the latest disclosed contribution. The organization employs roughly 38 people — a core staff of 8 plus approximately 30 general-labor specialists — and is led by Director Robert Viqueira. There is no indication of paid commercial products; customer and pricing interactions occur through negotiated sub-awards and cooperative agreements.

Name

Protectores de Cuencas

Legal name

Protectores de Cuencas Inc.

Website

https://protectoresdecuencas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Protectores de Cuencas is a Puerto Rico-based non-profit that restores and monitors watersheds across the archipelago for government agencies and municipalities via native plant nurseries, water quality monitoring, and green-infrastructure implementation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mayaguez

HQ country

Puerto Rico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: Funded through collaborative projects with federal agencies including NOAA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, as well as Puerto Rico government agencies and municipalities

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Protectores de Cuencas Inc. (PDC) is a non-profit organization that restores and protects watersheds across Puerto Rico through three core service pillars: PLANT (native plant nursery producing 60,000+ native plants annually), MONITOR (water quality monitoring using specialized multiparameter equipment), and RESTORE (landscape-scale restoration including reforestation, bioswales, rain gardens, permeable parking lots, hydroseeding, dirt road stabilization, and hydrological engineering). The organization operates with island-wide scope through collaborative interagency partnerships with federal and Puerto Rico government agencies.

Product overview

Protectores de Cuencas Inc. (PDC) is a science and community-based non-profit organization offering an integrated suite of environmental restoration services for watersheds across Puerto Rico. The portfolio centers on three core service pillars: PLANT (Native Plant Nursery producing 60,000+ native plants annually), MONITOR (Water Quality Monitoring using specialized multiparameter equipment), and RESTORE (Landscape Scale Restoration including green infrastructure implementation). Key offerings include the Native Plant Nursery, water quality monitoring services with specialized equipment (HACH, YSI multiparameter systems), watershed restoration using green infrastructure (bioswales, rain gardens, permeable parking lots, hydroseeding), and the Del Monte al Mar Learning Exchange Network in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy. Projects span multiple watersheds island-wide with collaborative support from NOAA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, and Puerto Rico government agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Native Plant Nursery Produces more than 60,000 native plants annually for watershed restoration projects across Puerto Rico, including species such as ucar, roble, lija, mabí, tachuelo, uva playera, mangle boton, corcho, and pendula. The nursery supplies plants used in reforestation and riparian restoration efforts led by the organization.
• Water Quality Monitoring Services Environmental water quality monitoring services using specialized equipment including HACH 2100Q Portable Turbidimeter, HACH SL1000 Portable Nutrient Multiparameter, YSI Multiparameter, HANA Ammonia Medium Range Portable Photometer, and IDEXX Quanti-Tray System for bacteria detection. Provided to government agencies and partners to assess pollution inputs in Puerto Rico's watersheds.
• Watershed Restoration Services Implementation of watershed restoration projects including landscape-scale reforestation, green infrastructure (permeable parking lots, bioswales, rain gardens), hydroseeding, dirt road stabilization, and hydrological engineering. Delivered using an extensive equipment fleet of trucks, excavators, dozers, rollers, skid steers, water trucks, boats, and trailers.
• Del Monte al Mar Learning Exchange Network A learning exchange network initiative conducted in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) that coordinates activities in priority watersheds across Puerto Rico and compiles key messages, recommendations, and presentations from local watershed managers.
• Watershed Management Projects Science and community-based watershed restoration and protection projects across Puerto Rico, addressing land-based sources of pollution and erosion through best management practices and green infrastructure. Spans multiple watersheds including Rio Guanajibo, Culebra, Rio Loco, Rio Culebrinas, Rio Grande de Anasco, Rio Guajataca, Rio Grande de Patillas, Rio Guayanés, and Rio Grande de la Plata.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produces over 60,000 native plants annually for restoration projects

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPDC collaborates with TNC on the Del Monte al Mar Learning Exchange Network initiative, coordinating activities in priority watersheds across Puerto Rico and compiling key messages, recommendations, and presentations from local watershed managers.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner providing interagency support for watershed management and restoration projects across Puerto Rico.
• US Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner providing interagency support for watershed and coastal ecosystem restoration.
• USDA Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner providing interagency support for watershed management and forest ecosystem restoration.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner providing technical and financial assistance for natural resource conservation.
• Tetra TechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering and consulting firm partner shown in logo section.
• Municipio CulebraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for watershed restoration projects in Culebra municipality.
• University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez (UPRM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution partner shown in logo section for research and technical support.
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation funding organization partner shown in logo section.
• Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government agency partner for watershed management in Puerto Rico, collaborating on management strategies and restoration projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Surfrider Foundation: National nonprofit protecting oceans and coasts, with active Puerto Rico chapters focused on water quality and coastal pollution. Overlaps strongly with PDC's coastal water-quality monitoring and erosion/pollution reduction work.
• Trout Unlimited: National nonprofit dedicated to cold- and freshwater habitat conservation and river restoration across the U.S. Closely comparable mission to PDC's watershed restoration work, though primarily focused on trout habitat in the continental U.S. rather than tropical island watersheds.
• Conservation International: Global environmental nonprofit with Caribbean programs focused on biodiversity, climate, and oceans. Operates at a much larger scale but pursues similar science-based, community-partnered conservation in island geographies.
• American Rivers: National advocacy and on-the-ground nonprofit focused on protecting and restoring U.S. rivers and watersheds. Shares PDC's integrated approach combining policy advocacy, community engagement, and direct restoration implementation.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global environmental nonprofit with an active Puerto Rico program and an explicit partnership with PDC through the Del Monte al Mar Learning Exchange Network. Operates a much broader portfolio of conservation work but overlaps materially with PDC in watershed and coastal ecosystem protection.
• River Network: National nonprofit that supports a network of local watershed groups with training, funding, and convening. Highly comparable to PDC's role as a community-based interagency coordinator for watershed protection.

Others

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: U.S. congressionally chartered nonprofit that administers grant programs funding on-the-ground conservation including watershed and coastal work in Puerto Rico. Functions more as a funder/convener than implementor, but partners closely with PDC.
• Tetra Tech: Large global engineering and environmental consulting firm and a listed PDC partner. Provides technical and engineering capacity (hydrology, environmental assessment) that complements rather than competes with PDC's community-based implementation model.

Direct peers

• Island Conservation: Nonprofit specializing in preventing extinctions and restoring island ecosystems across the Caribbean, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Shares PDC's island-focused restoration scope and use of community-based implementation models.

Emerging players

• Caribbean Biodiversity & Ecosystem Network (Caribbean Coastal Foundation equivalent): Category placeholder for smaller, region-specific environmental nonprofits working on Caribbean coastal and watershed restoration (e.g., Para La Naturaleza, Grupo Jaragua). Comparable niche scope to PDC within a similar geographic and ecological context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/protectoresdecuencas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Protectores de Cuencas