| DEFENSORES DEL MEDIO AMBIENTE DE LOS TUXTLAS, A. C. ecological activism ACTIVITIES - 2011 |
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| ENVIRONMENTAL FESTIVAL 2011 Jungle, Water, Air, Fire and Earth June 4 - 5, 2011 |
| After a night of heavy wind and rain in the city of Catemaco, DEMATAC received an early phone call. We were asked to retrieve a wild duck (Pied–Billed Grebe) that was apparently migrating from the northern United States or Canada. Due to the extreme weather conditions the duck had become exhausted and separated from his companions. He landed on the property of our informant, unable to fly. After rest and recuperation, and a hearty seafood meal, the little guy was released in Lake Catemaco to rejoin his companions. |
| Lost Duck Januaruy 11, 2011 |
The associations "Por Los Derechos y el Bien de Los
Veracruzanos A. C.", "Defensores del Medio Ambiente
de Los Tuxtlas, A. C." and "3E Por un Mundo Mejor
A. C.", held a reunion to inform various social groups of
the projects offered in 2011; under the organization of
Ing. Adolfo....
The reunion was held in the Plaza Brunmar in Catemaco,
Veracruz at 9:30 a.m., including the following themes:
At meetings end the groups who have solicited projects
were informed that it is important that they present all
corresponding documentation promptly.
Veracruzanos A. C.", "Defensores del Medio Ambiente
de Los Tuxtlas, A. C." and "3E Por un Mundo Mejor
A. C.", held a reunion to inform various social groups of
the projects offered in 2011; under the organization of
Ing. Adolfo....
The reunion was held in the Plaza Brunmar in Catemaco,
Veracruz at 9:30 a.m., including the following themes:
- An environmental talk presented by La Reserva de
la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas - Reforestation Projects - CONAFOR
- Rules of operation for productive activities -
SAGARPA - Rules for program operation; Secretaria de la
Reforma Agraria: FAPPA, PROMUSAC, JERIST,
SEDESOL and FONAES
At meetings end the groups who have solicited projects
were informed that it is important that they present all
corresponding documentation promptly.
| Informative Reunion on Productive Projects - 2011 January 28, 2011 |
Our good friend, Don Gringo, of "Catemaco News" fame,
Los Tesoros” that a pelican was tied to an Apompo tree
in Playa Espagoya, next to the restaurant Palapa Gorel.
We went immediately to the municipal police for
assistance, but unfortunately, at the moment, there was
not sufficient personal available to accompany us.
However, the representative of Proteccion Civil,
Francisco Ramírez Absalón arrived and offered to meet
us at the restaurant in ten minutes.
Los Tesoros” that a pelican was tied to an Apompo tree
in Playa Espagoya, next to the restaurant Palapa Gorel.
We went immediately to the municipal police for
assistance, but unfortunately, at the moment, there was
not sufficient personal available to accompany us.
However, the representative of Proteccion Civil,
Francisco Ramírez Absalón arrived and offered to meet
us at the restaurant in ten minutes.
Arriving at the site we determined that the pelican
was tied to the tree. Investigating who was
responsible, we determined, through Palapa Gorel, that
it was a young man named Ernesto who lived behind the
restaurant.
When we spoke with Ernesto he initially denied
responsibility, but after we explained that the
capture and manipulation of wildlife is a federal crime;
as outlined in the Ley General de Vida Silvestre, he
admitted being responsible, and claimed that the bird
was injured and he tied it up to protect it (?).
was tied to the tree. Investigating who was
responsible, we determined, through Palapa Gorel, that
it was a young man named Ernesto who lived behind the
restaurant.
When we spoke with Ernesto he initially denied
responsibility, but after we explained that the
capture and manipulation of wildlife is a federal crime;
as outlined in the Ley General de Vida Silvestre, he
admitted being responsible, and claimed that the bird
was injured and he tied it up to protect it (?).
In minutes the representative of Protección Civil, accompanied by the Regidor
Cuarto, Juan Alberto Martínez Chapol and his secretary arrived. They helped to
carefully and patiently free the poor pelican; who we determined was not injured.
After preening briefly and stretching it's wings several time, the pelican calmly,
and we hope, happily, took off.
The Regidor and the representative of Protección Civil spoke with Ernesto;
explaining yet again that the capture of wild animals is a federal offense.
Cuarto, Juan Alberto Martínez Chapol and his secretary arrived. They helped to
carefully and patiently free the poor pelican; who we determined was not injured.
After preening briefly and stretching it's wings several time, the pelican calmly,
and we hope, happily, took off.
The Regidor and the representative of Protección Civil spoke with Ernesto;
explaining yet again that the capture of wild animals is a federal offense.
| Pelican Rescue in Lake Catemaco February 16, 2011 |
| RELEASE OF A BOA January 27, 2010 Eduardo Fco. Álvarez Ríos, Board Member of DEMATAC, released a boa constrictor that was delivered to his office by the son of a local farmer, who discovered it while clearing his land. PROFEPA and the DEMATAC office were advised. The constrictor was released in the area of the San Martin Volcano. |
| Meeting of the Board of Directors of DEMATAC March 23, 2011 The meeting was held at La Casa de Los Tesoros to discuss activities related to the Festival Ambiental 2011 and Hike 2011. The Festival Ambiental 2011 (Environmental Festival), organized by various NGOs and social groups, has had a series of modificayions that may be seen at: Envionmental Festival 2011 With respect to HIKE 2011, very shortly you will be able to see the information at: Hike 2011 |
The Síndico Cuarto (trustee number 4), Juan Alberto Martínez Chapol invited DEMATAC's participation in this forum, along with
diverse institutions such as: La Reserva de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas, Instituto de Ecología de la UNAM, PROFEPA, Universidad
Veracruzana, Agente Municipal de Coscoapan, CONAFOR.
The objective was the expression of environmental problems existent in the municipality of Catemaco; and analysing the following
themes:
1.- Contamination of water, land and air
2.- Conservation of La Reserva de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas
3.- Municipal parks and gardens
4.- Reforestation and rescue of natural springs
5.- Solid waste management
6.- Contamination and management of Lake Catemaco
Each institution expressed their point of view, and proposed possible solutions relating to these problems.
Ultimately a resume of the meeting was given to the Síndico, to be presented to "specialists" preparing the Management Plan for the
Municipality of Catemaco.
diverse institutions such as: La Reserva de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas, Instituto de Ecología de la UNAM, PROFEPA, Universidad
Veracruzana, Agente Municipal de Coscoapan, CONAFOR.
The objective was the expression of environmental problems existent in the municipality of Catemaco; and analysing the following
themes:
1.- Contamination of water, land and air
2.- Conservation of La Reserva de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas
3.- Municipal parks and gardens
4.- Reforestation and rescue of natural springs
5.- Solid waste management
6.- Contamination and management of Lake Catemaco
Each institution expressed their point of view, and proposed possible solutions relating to these problems.
Ultimately a resume of the meeting was given to the Síndico, to be presented to "specialists" preparing the Management Plan for the
Municipality of Catemaco.
| Open Forum for the Elaboration of the Plan for Devopement for the Municipality of Catemaco March 24, 2011 |
| Workshop: Ecoturism in Los Tuxtlas May 13, 2011 |
DEMATAC was invited to participate in the workshop for "PROYECTO INSTITUCIONAL DE CONCURRENCIA
TERRITORIAL – MICROCUENCAS" (Institutional Project for Territorial Concurrance - Micro-basins) of SAGARPA and
administrated by FIRCO, Fideicomiso de Riesgo Compartido. The workshop was held in the Sala de Cabildos in the
Municipal Palace.
The objective of the project is to boost integral exploitation of thew land and water contained in sub-basins and micro-basins;
exploiting the production potential and promoting competitive territorial, with the result of improving the integration of small
producers.
The team for the Competitividad y el Desarrollo Sustentable (ECODES) (Competitive Sustainable Growth), is the team that
realises the project in cooperation with service professionals in the following areas:
The work of ECODES is to identify through investigation and with the participation of local residents, a network of values that
support major growth in social, environmental, and economic areas.
The members of the group are:
The workshop was attended by some of the centers eco-tourism in Los Tuxtlas, as well as members of local municipal government,
civil associations (including DEMATAC) and the director de La Reserva de La Biosfera-Los Tuxtlas.
TERRITORIAL – MICROCUENCAS" (Institutional Project for Territorial Concurrance - Micro-basins) of SAGARPA and
administrated by FIRCO, Fideicomiso de Riesgo Compartido. The workshop was held in the Sala de Cabildos in the
Municipal Palace.
The objective of the project is to boost integral exploitation of thew land and water contained in sub-basins and micro-basins;
exploiting the production potential and promoting competitive territorial, with the result of improving the integration of small
producers.
The team for the Competitividad y el Desarrollo Sustentable (ECODES) (Competitive Sustainable Growth), is the team that
realises the project in cooperation with service professionals in the following areas:
- Systems of Agricultural and livestock production
- Sustainable Resource Management
- Organizational Promotion
- Commercial Product Management
The work of ECODES is to identify through investigation and with the participation of local residents, a network of values that
support major growth in social, environmental, and economic areas.
The members of the group are:
- Ing. Arturo Mejía García
- Ing. Víctor Parra Morales
- Ing. Ferenc González Morales
- Ing. Iván López Sánchez
The workshop was attended by some of the centers eco-tourism in Los Tuxtlas, as well as members of local municipal government,
civil associations (including DEMATAC) and the director de La Reserva de La Biosfera-Los Tuxtlas.
| Interview with the President of DEMATAC, Lic. Jessica Hitandegüi Swanson Santiago, by "Agencia Imagen del Golfo" Water Reserves in Danger in the Biosphere of Los Tuxtlas from Deforestation Catemaco Agenda July 13, 2011 (Interview in Spanish) El agua en la región de Los Tuxtlas podría acabarse por la intensa deforestación que sufre el Volcán San Martín, alertó la asociación civil Defensores del Medio Ambiente de Los Tuxtlas. Republicacìon de Agencia Imagen del Golfo, 2011-07-12, escrito por Olivia Hernández Ortiz La presidenta de DEMATAC, Jessica Swanson Santiago, informó que las zonas núcleo de La Reserva de La Biósfera - Los Tuxtlas en peligro de extinción son los volcanes San Martín Tuxtla, San Martín Pajapan y Santa Martha. “Yo creo que esos tres lugares están en riesgo porque nunca se han respetado ni las zonas de amortiguamiento ni las zonas núcleo, sigue habiendo cacería ilegal y sigue habiendo tala”, denunció Swanson Santiago. La tala inmoderada a la orilla de los ríos y la invasión a su cauce han propiciado la falta de vegetación, y según la ecologista esto propicia que al no haber árboles tampoco haya agua. “El Cuetzalapan era un río muy bonito, profundo y ahorita no queda casi nada. Lo mismo pasa en las cascadas y en las pozas. En temporada de secas están fatales y en temporada de lluvias ya no están como hace 5 o 10 años. “La gente de la comunidad, yo a veces no lo entiendo, pero creo que ellos piensan que nunca se van a quedar sin agua y lo peor de todo es que la poco agua que nos queda ya está contaminada”, platicó la presidenta de DEMATAC. La región de Los Tuxtlas, cuenta con una superficie de 165 mil hectáreas, de las cuales, el 24% está cubierto de bosque. Sin embargo, los últimos reportes de DEMATAC dictan que de la vegetación que había desde hace poco menos de 100 años sólo queda 7 por ciento, y hace una década quedaba 10 por ciento. Los reportes de la asociación civil dictan que en 10 años hubo una disminución de 3 por ciento en la vegetación de la zona. En Los Tuxtlas viven más de 300 mil habitantes y hay más de tres mil 300 especies de plantas, 42 de anfibios, 113 reptiles, 561 aves y 63 tipos de mamíferos. Según La Reserva de La Biósfera - Los Tuxtlas, esta es el área de captación y cabecera de las cuencas hidrológicas que aportan el 30% de agua a importantes poblados como: Coatzacoalcos, Minatitlán, Acayucan, Hueyapan de Ocampo. Además surten la totalidad de agua a San Andrés Tuxtla, Catemaco, Tatahuicapan, soteapan, Mecayapan, Pajapan, la Laguna de Sontecomapan y Laguna del Ostión. Imagen del Golfo: Peligran reservas de agua en La Biósfera de Los Tuxtlas por deforestación |
| Reunion of the "Consejo Asesor Forestal de la UMAFOR" Hueyapan de Ocampo, Veracruz May 25, 2011 |
| "Consejo Asesor Forestal de la UMAFOR (Unidades de Manejo Forestal)" (Forest Management Consultant Board) reunions are for the purpose of informing the members and local residents of the permits, solicited or granted, affecting forestation in the region of Los Tuxtlas; and for members and residents to express their opinion regarding said permits. What appeared strange at this reunion is that we were advised that only three permits have been authorized: one for San Andrés Tuxtla, another for Ángel R. Cabada, and one for Hueyapan de Ocampo; but they failed to define those permits. We were also informed during the meeting that there are nine more permits in process for San Andrés Tuxtla, seven for Hueyapan de Ocampo and one for Catemaco. Again, no details were provided. In the future, we will be asking: Where have the trees gone? Where is the fresh water? Why is there no wildlife? And, what happened to La Reserva de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas. This will be the result of our governmental institutions granting permits in areas of ecological importance and high risk to forestation; permits that we doubt have been properly investigated or verified, and that are not properly enforced once granted - as has happened all too frequently in the past. |
| DEMATAC participated in the visit by the Environmental Secretary of the State of Veracruz, Víctor Alvarado Martínez, in Catemaco; accompanied by Presidente Municipal of San Andrés Tuxtla, Rafael Fararoni and Presidente Municipal of We visited La Isla de los Monos, where Domingo Canales, professor at UV (Universidad Veracruzana) explained a new project that the university plans to implement regarding the monkeys on the island (For more information and opinion, see: Catemaco Noticias). We then visited a plant nursery in the community of Tebanca operated by Antonio Azula. The tour ended with a visit to Reserva Ecológica La Otra Opción, owned by Arturo Knopflmacher, in Miguel Hidalgo. In La Otra Opción we visited the exhibits of local wildlife; which include: tucanes, hocofaisán, tepezcuintle, jabalí de labio blanco and mazate) During the trip, the Secretary of Environment expressed his interest in supporting environmental conservation in the region of Los Tuxtlas, and his intention to support projects with that objective. |
| Secretary of the Environment for the State of Veracruz Visits Los Tuxtlas August 19, 2011 |
| Foto: Diario Eyipantla |
| Examples of area wildlife found in the Reserva Ecológica La Otra Opción |
| Rafael Fararoni Mortera, Eliuth A. Cervantes Ramírez, Víctor Alvarado Martínez, Arturo Azuela, Lic. Jessica Hitandegüi Swanson Santiago, Biólogo Francisco Jose Gomez Marin, M. C. Edith Carrera |
| Boa Constrictor Freed October 2, 2011 DEMATAC members released, near the Estación de Biología de la UNAM, a Boa. We were called when it was discovered breakfasting on Catemaco chickens. |
| "Program for Touristic Growth in the Corridor of Los Tuxtlas" November 07, 2011 |
The meeting held in "La Sala de Cabildos" in the municipal palace in Santiago Tuxtla was attended by: tourist service oriented
businesses, municipal authorities, civil associations, educational institutions, and government institutions concerned with the
conservation and protection of the Reserva de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas.
The “Programa de Desarrollo Turístico del Corredor de Los Tuxtlas” (Program for Touristic Growth in the Corridor of Los
Tuxtlas) was presented by Centro de Estudios de Urbanismo y Arquitectura S. A. de C. V. (CEURA).
businesses, municipal authorities, civil associations, educational institutions, and government institutions concerned with the
conservation and protection of the Reserva de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas.
The “Programa de Desarrollo Turístico del Corredor de Los Tuxtlas” (Program for Touristic Growth in the Corridor of Los
Tuxtlas) was presented by Centro de Estudios de Urbanismo y Arquitectura S. A. de C. V. (CEURA).
The objective of the program is the motivation of a vision integrating the actual
and future growth of tourism in the corridor of Los Tuxtlas: Catemaco, San
Andres Tuxtla, and Santiago Tuxtla; oriented to deal with the concepts of
sustainability, diversity, and quality; establishing the strategies, actions, and
investments that promote tourism and related products as a stimulus for
regional development.
The meeting complemented the general diagnosis of the corridor, as executed by
CEURA; evaluating and complimenting the general touristic strategy and the
proposals of support for tourist activities in an orderly manner for the present
and in the future.
and future growth of tourism in the corridor of Los Tuxtlas: Catemaco, San
Andres Tuxtla, and Santiago Tuxtla; oriented to deal with the concepts of
sustainability, diversity, and quality; establishing the strategies, actions, and
investments that promote tourism and related products as a stimulus for
regional development.
The meeting complemented the general diagnosis of the corridor, as executed by
CEURA; evaluating and complimenting the general touristic strategy and the
proposals of support for tourist activities in an orderly manner for the present
and in the future.
| Third Annual Reunion of the Consejo Forestal de la Zona de la UMAFOR Los Tuxtlas October 31, 2011 |
Represented in the meeting were: SEMARNAT, La Reserva
de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas, DEMATAC, UNAM,
CONAFOR, and local business in the tourism related field.
SEDARPA informed the participants of the authorizations
granted in relation to the forests and woodlands in the region
and of two solicitations by Catemaco municipal
government related to the protected area (zona de
amortiguamiento) of the Reserva de la Biosfera – Los
Tuxlas.
Each organization presented their opinions and
commentaries regarding present conditions in the area and
the planned use of forests areas. A visit was planned to see
firsthand effects of illegal logging, and the extent to which it
continues, in the nuclear area of Volcano San Martín.
de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas, DEMATAC, UNAM,
CONAFOR, and local business in the tourism related field.
SEDARPA informed the participants of the authorizations
granted in relation to the forests and woodlands in the region
and of two solicitations by Catemaco municipal
government related to the protected area (zona de
amortiguamiento) of the Reserva de la Biosfera – Los
Tuxlas.
Each organization presented their opinions and
commentaries regarding present conditions in the area and
the planned use of forests areas. A visit was planned to see
firsthand effects of illegal logging, and the extent to which it
continues, in the nuclear area of Volcano San Martín.
| Photos of the Tourist Pier in Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico (under construction) November 7, 2011 |
| We invite your comments lostuxtlas@dematac.org |
| "Program for Touristic Growth in the Corridor of Los Tuxtlas" December 2, 2011 The second and last workshop for stratigic planning for the “Programa de Desarrollo Turísticos del Corredor de Los Tuxtlas” (Program for Touristic Growth in the Corridor of Los Tuxtlas), was held in the Salón de Eventos at Hotel Playa Cristal. The program includes Santiago Tuxtla, San Andrés Tuxtla and Catemaco; and is financed by FONATUR and SECTUR. During the first workshop, held in the "Sala de Cabildos" in the municipal palace in Santiago Tuxtla, the proposals for each participating municipality were presented and a survey was taken to determine the projects favored by the participants and the citizenry present. In this, the second workshop, modifications derived from the surveys and new propositions were presented, and a final survey was taken to determine the level of satisfaction of of the participants in relation to the proposals. The program concluded with the presentation of diplomas of participation being presented to the participants. |
