Pedro Valle Carlo
Encyclopedia
Dr. Pedro Valle Carlo born in San Juan, Puerto Rico
, is a retired college professor and noted environmentalist leader based in western Puerto Rico
.
Pedro Valle Carlo was born in Santurce
. His mother was Blanca Carlo and his father Pedro Valle Bonilla. He was raised in Cabo Rojo
, attending the local public grammar school and high school.
Valle Carlo enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
as a civil engineering major in 1962. He soon changed majors to management
. He earned his degree in 1966. After graduation, he married Dafne Javier Montalvo, whom he had met at a local social event. Valle Carlo then moved on to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras while Javier Montalvo worked on her own graduate degree in psychology
at the same institution.
After graduation, the couple first moved to Spain and then to New York City to pursue doctoral studies. Valle Carlo earned a PhD
in labor management from New York University
in 1984.
From 1976 to 1995, Valle Carlo was a professor at the Business Administration department of the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
. In 1995, he was named director of the graduate program at his alma mater in Mayagüez. He retired from active academics in 2005.
forest by the US Armed Forces.
In 1996, Valle Carlo was the driving force behind the formation of the West Chapter of the Asociacion de Acampadores de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Campers Association.)
In 2000, Valle Carlo became involved with Caborrojeños Pro Salud y Ambiente
, a local environmentalist group. He was part of the movement to save the Los Morrillos Lighthouse
and the surrounding salt mine
s. He was instrumental in the acquisition and creation of the Centro Interpretativo, a visitor's center that offers tourists free guided tours to the surrounding forest and natural preserve.
Valle Carlo also spearheaded the initiative to save Isla de Ratones
(Mice Island), a small key off the coast of Cabo Rojo that israpidly losing its surface area through erosion. He led the effort to replant mangroves and repopulate the coral reef
in order to stop the island's erosion.
In 2005 he was named president of Caborrojeños Pro Salud y Ambiente.
at the local plaza, Valle Carlo and his wife decided to do something to help the local artistic community. The couple, and a group of local volunteers, incorporated Arte en la Plaza Betances, a unique community group dedicated to bringing art to the urban center of Cabo Rojo, specifically the Ramón Emeterio Betances
plaza at the town's center.
The group sponsors a yearly art open air exhibit and competition of young local painters as well as other activities, such as a concert by the Arturo Somohano Philarmonic Orchestra
at the Betances plaza. The example of Arte en la Plaza Betances has been well received and other Arte en la Plaza organizations have begun to prop up around the island of Puerto Rico.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, is a retired college professor and noted environmentalist leader based in western Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
Pedro Valle Carlo was born in Santurce
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Santurce is a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico.-Summary:Santurce is one of the top ten most populated areas of the island holding Miramar, Loíza, Isla Grande, Barrio Obrero, and Condado as main cultural hot spots for art, music, cuisine, fashion, hotels, technology, multimedia, film, textile and...
. His mother was Blanca Carlo and his father Pedro Valle Bonilla. He was raised in Cabo Rojo
Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Cabo Rojo is a municipality situated on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico and forms part of the San Germán–Cabo Rojo metropolitan area as well as the larger Mayagüez–San Germán–Cabo Rojo Combined Statistical Area....
, attending the local public grammar school and high school.
Valle Carlo enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
as a civil engineering major in 1962. He soon changed majors to management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
. He earned his degree in 1966. After graduation, he married Dafne Javier Montalvo, whom he had met at a local social event. Valle Carlo then moved on to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras while Javier Montalvo worked on her own graduate degree in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at the same institution.
After graduation, the couple first moved to Spain and then to New York City to pursue doctoral studies. Valle Carlo earned a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in labor management from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1984.
From 1976 to 1995, Valle Carlo was a professor at the Business Administration department of the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
The University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is a state university located in the municipality of Cayey, Puerto Rico.-General information:The University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is among the fifty U.S...
. In 1995, he was named director of the graduate program at his alma mater in Mayagüez. He retired from active academics in 2005.
Environmental work
Valle Carlo began his involvement with the environmentalist movement in the early 1990s by joining the Sociedad de Historia Natural, a local environmentalist group. With the group, Valle Carlo was involved in several initiatives, including protesting the use of El YunqueEl Yunque, Puerto Rico
The mountain lies completely within the boundaries of the El Yunque National Forest, part of the U.S. Forest Service, which is the only rainforest that belongs to the U.S. Forest Service. The peak itself is one of the highest in Puerto Rico, standing at 1,080 meters above sea level...
forest by the US Armed Forces.
In 1996, Valle Carlo was the driving force behind the formation of the West Chapter of the Asociacion de Acampadores de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Campers Association.)
In 2000, Valle Carlo became involved with Caborrojeños Pro Salud y Ambiente
Caborrojeños Pro Salud y Ambiente
Caborrojeños Pro Salud y Ambiente, Inc. is an environmentalist organization based in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico....
, a local environmentalist group. He was part of the movement to save the Los Morrillos Lighthouse
Los Morrillos Lighthouse
Los Morrillos Light, also known as Faro Los Morrillos de Cabo Rojo, is a historic lighthouse located in the municipality of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.-History:...
and the surrounding salt mine
Salt mine
A salt mine is a mining operation involved in the extraction of rock salt or halite from evaporite deposits.-Occurrence:Areas known for their salt mines include Kilroot near Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland ; Khewra and Warcha in Pakistan; Tuzla in Bosnia; Wieliczka and Bochnia in Poland A salt mine...
s. He was instrumental in the acquisition and creation of the Centro Interpretativo, a visitor's center that offers tourists free guided tours to the surrounding forest and natural preserve.
Valle Carlo also spearheaded the initiative to save Isla de Ratones
Isla de Ratones
Isla de Ratones is a small island located near the Joyuda Lagoon in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. The island is a popular spot for snorkeling.-History:...
(Mice Island), a small key off the coast of Cabo Rojo that israpidly losing its surface area through erosion. He led the effort to replant mangroves and repopulate the coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
in order to stop the island's erosion.
In 2005 he was named president of Caborrojeños Pro Salud y Ambiente.
Community work
In 2000, following a conversation with famed Puerto Rican painter Alfonso AranaAlfonso Arana
Alfonso Meléndez Arana was aPuerto Rican painter.Arana was born in New York City from Mexican father and Puerto Rican mother. When he was young, the family moved to San Sebastián, Puerto Rico, where the young painter spent his youth. At age six, Arana made his first picture and presented it to his...
at the local plaza, Valle Carlo and his wife decided to do something to help the local artistic community. The couple, and a group of local volunteers, incorporated Arte en la Plaza Betances, a unique community group dedicated to bringing art to the urban center of Cabo Rojo, specifically the Ramón Emeterio Betances
Ramón Emeterio Betances
Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán was a Puerto Rican nationalist. He was the primary instigator of the Grito de Lares revolution, and as such, is considered to be the father of the Puerto Rican independence movement...
plaza at the town's center.
The group sponsors a yearly art open air exhibit and competition of young local painters as well as other activities, such as a concert by the Arturo Somohano Philarmonic Orchestra
Arturo Somohano
Arturo Somohano was a musical composer and the director of the San Juan Symphony Orchestra, which is now named after him.-Early years:...
at the Betances plaza. The example of Arte en la Plaza Betances has been well received and other Arte en la Plaza organizations have begun to prop up around the island of Puerto Rico.