House Youth Commission reviews bill to create young volunteer wardens program under DRNA

The Commission on Youth of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico held a public hearing April 25, 2025, in Salón 3 of the Capitol to review Proyecto de la Cámara 414, a bill to create “ley de cuerpo de jóvenes vigilantes voluntarios” — a volunteer program under the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) to allow people ages 18 to 29 to assist the agency’s vigilantes in protecting and conserving natural resources.

University of Puerto Rico officials told the commission they support the objective of fostering environmental stewardship among youth but recommended integrating the program into existing UPR academic and extension structures rather than creating a new university seminar. “Respetuosamente proponemos considerar una alternativa a la creación de un nuevo seminario universitario,” said Mariel Nieves Hernández, vice president for academic affairs and research at the University of Puerto Rico. UPR staff proposed using INTD internships, Plan COOP, continuing-education modules through the Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies (DSEP), extension-agriculture workshops and other existing fixtures to award credit or certification for volunteer hours.

UPR representatives raised practical limits tied to the university’s fiscal…