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Introduction

The United States Congress designated the Vieques Wilderness (this area has not yet been added to Wilderness.net's map) in 2001 and it now has a total of 900 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Puerto Rico and is managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Description

Vieques is a small island about seven miles off the east coast of Puerto Rico. It has a moderate climate year-round, abundant beaches, coral reefs, bioluminescent bays, and is home to over 120 species of birds as well as Puerto Rico's famous coqui and other tropical frogs. The waters off Vieques are home to manatees, dolphins, eagle rays, nurse sharks, barracuda and sea turtles, which come up on the beaches to lay their eggs in January and February.

Closed Wilderness Areas

Eleven of the National Wilderness Preservation System's 758 wilderness areas are closed to access and use by the general public. All these closed areas are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service, except the Mesa Verde Wilderness. The core mission of the Service's National Wildlife Refuge System is conservation of native fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats. The Vieques Wilderness, part of the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, is closed to visitation to protect wildlife and other natural, cultural, and/or other resources consistent with the conservation purpose(s) of the refuge. Wilderness designation provides an additional level of protection for the wilderness portion of this refuge, but does not open the area to public access or use.