Caring for the People of Loreto

If we are going to protect Loreto and this One Ocean, we see now more than ever we cannot just treat the symptoms. The center of it all is sustainable economic development and food security. Caring for people and building community through the shared ethic of conservation has been Eco-Alianza’s core mission from the beginning.

As reported to Eco-Alianza’s big-hearted supporters earlier this month, Eco-Alianza’s fundraising effort on behalf of the Temporary Food Security Program for Unemployed Workers (due to the Pandemic) was matched 2:1 in collaboration with the International Community Foundation (ICF) www.icfdn.org. Eco-Alianza is pleased to advise we can now reveal that ICF’s anonymous challenge donor is Christy Walton, who for decades has generously supported sustainable community programs, especially in Baja California Sur. Learn more about Christy, her vision and mission, and Christy’s philanthropy, at www.ialumbra.com .

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Bay of Loreto National Park Receives CONANP’s Top Ranking
in Management Effectiveness Evaluation of
Mexico’s Protected Natural Areas

In the first week of May, the Bay of Loreto National Park received an amazing distinction when México’s National Commission on Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) and the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) released the results of a long-awaited comprehensive evaluation of management effectiveness of the country’s Protected Natural Areas (ANP’s).

Out of 129 ANP’s evaluated, only eight nationwide received the highest management effectiveness rating, that of “sobresaliente” or Outstanding. The Bay of Loreto National Park (PNBL) was one of the eight, and the only one in its region, Baja Peninsula and North Pacific. PNBL, in fact, was one of only two national parks in the country to receive the highest rating. The other protected areas to receive the sobresaliente distinction are Biosphere Reserves or other types of designated protected areas. The other national park to receive the sobresaliente rating is the Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park in the Western and Central Pacific Region.

Service Providers Begin to Welcome Tourists and Part-Year Residents Back to Loreto

Just as communities in the United States and Canada are beginning to ease Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, Loreto and other BCS communities are taking concrete steps to create a “new normal” that includes tourism that embraces pandemic safety while also allowing access. We reported in the first week of June that the “Punto Limpio” program for restaurants and hotels already had begun training programs for hospitality workers throughout BCS. More than 95 businesses in Loreto already had registered.

Restaurants and hotels are now opening up with limited seating and occupancy restrictions and the “ley seca” (dry law) has been eased, allowing beer and liquor purchases from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Takeout dining service was already widely available, and now dine-in service is beginning in more and more restaurants each week, currently allowing seating at up to 30 percent of a restaurant’s previous capacity. Restaurant and hotel association personnel have said the health and safety training programs have been extremely popular, to protect workers as well as patrons.

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UNESCO World Heritage Marine Sites Offer Both Hope
and Concern During the Covid-19 Pandemic

As we reported earlier this month, this year’s World Oceans Day celebration on June 8 was an entirely virtual event, offering a stark contrast to the usual large gathering and conference hosted by the United Nations. Some of the leading voices for ocean conservation presented inspiring online speeches as well as reason for concern, given the state of ocean pollution and threats like climate change and overfishing.

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Education Outreach Continues Despite the Lockdown

Although schools have been closed in Loreto and elsewhere during the Covid-19 lockdown, Eco-Alianza Education Program Coordinator Alma Rico has been using social media to reach out with conservation-oriented messaging and activities.

During the month of May, Alma said, the Education staff published activities through Facebook and other venues with the theme of an ongoing Earth Day Celebration. Activities for various age levels included reading, drawing, and an invitation to cook popcorn with the family and enjoy films and documentaries with environmental themes.

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