With our Green Guide to the Mexican Caribbean,we are competing in this contest organized by National Geographic and Ashoka Changemakers. The purpose of the 2009 Geotourism Challenge is to identify and showcase innovators that support good destination stewardship and the approach known as geotourism: tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.
To support our entry, leave your comments here.
May
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Humans depend directly from their surrounding ecosystems for their social and economic wellbeing. A clear example are the Mayan settlements of the Yucatan, which are found primarily near cenotes which supplied them with fresh water, even during droughts. Currently most of these ecosystem services have been degraded or are diminished, and the problem resides in the fact that technology cannot do natures job, and/or is too expensive.
Ecosystems provide us with goods (such as wood to build shelter, or food) and services (recreation and spiritual renewal). Depending on their character, ecosystem services can be classified as support (nutrient recycling, soil formation), supply (food, water), regulation (of climate or disease), and cultural (aesthetic value and tourism). Continued
Continuing with our Mexico Posible series, we bring you another successful example of sustainable natural resource management.
Located on the Sonora coast, the Seri are one of the smallest indigenous minorities in Mexico, and only about 600 remain. However, we have a lot to learn from them. While other fisheries have collapsed, the capture levels in their fishery have remained constant for over three decades…
To find out how have they managed this, click here.
Given the importance of proper organic waste management, our Organic Waste Management program offers training workshops aimed at all who are interested in learning more about the environmental issues, landscaping and gardening. We touch on the fundamentals, tools and techniques needed for proper composting of our waste.
These workshops are coordinated by our Agronomist, Paola Ubiergo. They are 4 hours long, divided in two 2 hour sessions over two days (or according to the group’s needs). The cost per person is 300 pesos, and we offer a 10% discount to individuals accredited by some organization.
The workshops can be held at the Casa de la Cultura in Tulum, or in anywhere in Quintana Roo, as needed.The content and duration can be adjusted to suit the needs of those contracting our services. For further details, contact us.
In conjunction with The EcoTipping Points Project (www.ecotippingpoints.org), Mexiconservación has begun a new project in which we will share environmental sustainability success stories from Mexico, and the lessons learned from them. This project is called México Posible.
Our first success story covers how indigenous communities in the jungles of Quintana Roo have made the transition from unsustainable slash-and-burn agriculture to a model of agroforestry that incorporates fruit trees and wood-tree plantations, reversing deforestation trends and becoming a model of sustainable for the world: Sustainable Agroforestry in the Mayan Zone of Quintana Roo
Last March 28th, Mexiconservación joined forces with Hojas Verdes, Organicamente and Tulum’s Casa de la Cultura in organizing the first Organic Garden Workshop in Tulum, which was led by Sheila Collado, a permaculture specialist. The event explored the principles of Permaculture, Composting, Biofertilizers, Pest Control and Organic Seeds, along with the design of instant urban gardens.
Participants included individuals working on environmental, ecotourism and social issues in both Tulum and Playa del Carmen. For us it was a great experience and the beginning of future efforts to benefit both the community and the environment.
From this workshop we have developed a proposal to establish a Permaculture Education Unit at the Casa de Cultura, and we would like to invite you to join the group of volunteers that will run it. To get involved, contact Paola.
