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Where is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System?
🌍 Geography

Where is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System?

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Where is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System?

A Rainforest in Puerto Rico

El Yunque National Forest, located in northeastern Puerto Rico, holds a special title: it is the only tropical rainforest in the entire United States National Forest System. Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and a territory of the United States, which is what brings a true tropical rainforest under the American national forest network.

Small but Bursting with Life

El Yunque is actually one of the smallest national forests in the United States, covering around 29,000 acres. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in life. Thanks to its warm, wet, year-round tropical climate, it is one of the most biologically diverse national forests in the country, home to hundreds of plant species and many animals found nowhere else, including the rare Puerto Rican parrot.

A Forest of Rain and Clouds

The forest earns the name "rainforest" honestly. Some areas receive well over 100 inches of rain a year, feeding a landscape of rushing rivers, waterfalls, and dense green foliage. Clouds frequently wrap around its peaks, and the forest provides a large share of the fresh water for the surrounding region. It was also a sacred place to the Taino, the islands original inhabitants.

Source

This article was written using information from Wikipedia.