El Yunque National Forest

The El Yunque National Forest quarter is the first of 2012 and the 11^th overall in the America the Beautiful Quarters^® Program. El Yunque National Forest, located in Puerto Rico, is the sole tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. Despite the forest's relatively small 28,000-acre size, it is significant for its immense biodiversity and is popular with visitors for its year-round tropical climate. More than 1 million visitors from all over the world visit the forest each year to sample its eco-tourism pleasures while developing a greater understanding of its ecological importance by walking along the many beautiful trails. It was first established as a national site on January 17, 1903 (32 Stat. 2029).

The reverse design depicts a Coqui tree frog sitting on a leaf and a Puerto Rican parrot behind an epiphyte plant with tropical flora in the background. The Puerto Rican parrot is a highly endangered species unique to Puerto Rico, and its recovery began with the few birds left in El Yunque. Inscriptions are EL YUNQUE, PUERTO RICO, 2012 and E PLURIBUS UNUM. Design candidates were developed in consultation with representatives of El Yunque National Forest.

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