| DEFENSORES DEL MEDIO AMBIENTE DE LOS TUXTLAS, A. C. ecological activism ACTIVITIES - 2010 |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
|
| Your tax deductible donation will help protect the endangered northernmost tropical rain forest in the Americas, and contribute to environmental awareness worldwide. |
| Six large sacks of new and used clothing donated by friends and relatives of DEMATAC associates is being given to local communities. Three bags were donated to the community of Pajapan, Municipality of Pajapan, Veracruz. The remaining three sacks will be given to residents of Punto Puntilla early in March. DEMATAC hopes to continue this project of collecting clothing, and perhaps other articles that can be of use to rural communities. More on this later. |
| Clothing Donated January, 2010 |
| Reforestation in Dos Amates March 18, 2010 |
DEMATAC members helped plant 140 seedlings of mahogany and other trees on land bordering the river in Dos Amates, property of Biologist Salvador Rivera. This property, though private, may be used by the public for cultural and conservation purposes. |
| Reunion on Environment Issues at Hotel La Finca, Catemaco March 17, 2010 |
| DEMATAC attended a reunion in La Finca Hotel in Catemaco organized by the PAN candidate for governor of Veracruz (Yunes). The objective of the reunion was the proposal of environmental and conservation projects in Los Tuxtlas. |
| Inspection of Proposed Road - Ruiz Cortinez to Miguel Hidalgo March 3, 2010 |
| DEMATAC participated in a tour of inspection in La Reserva de la Biosfera- Los Tuxtlas, to determine the environmental impact of the construction by the Municipality of San Andrés Tuxtla, Ver. of a road connecting San Andr'es with the coast; Miguel Hidalgo. Because this section includes four kilometers through the nucleus zone of the Reserva, it was fundamental that personnel from CONANP and REBIOTUX inspect the area in order to grant approval. The following institutions, academics, and ONGs were invited to participate: • Commission Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP) Ing. Raúl Álvarez Oseguera – Director de Impacto Ambiental en la Planicie Costera del Golfo de México • Reserva de la Biosfera - Los Tuxtlas (REBIOTUX), Ing. José Escobar Chontal – Director de la Reserva; Ing. Katya Andrade Escobar – Sub-directora de la Reserva and Sergio González Bustamante • Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente (PROFEPA), Biól. Ma. Dolores Castillo Gallegos and Biól. Odette Isabel Cadena Morales • Sría. del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), Efraín Flores Centeno • Estación de Biología Tropical de los Tuxtlas UNAM (EBTLT) Biól. Rosemond Coates Lutes and Biól. Francisco José Gómez Marín • Ayuntamiento de San Andrés Tuxtla, Ing. José Miguel Oseguera Figueroa; Lic. Joaquín Ameca Gamboa Dir. de Desarrollo Económico y Turismo; Guillermo Pelayo T. Director de Fomento Agropecuario; Biól. Wilfrido Hernández Ramírez, Responsable Técnico • Defensores del Medio Ambiente de los Tuxtlas, A.C. (DEMATAC), L.E. Eduardo Fco. Álvarez Ríos In preparation for the road construction, those responsible marked the 15 trees that they determined must be removed. However, CONANP and REBIOTUX authorised that only two be cut. It was also determined that check points must be established in the Perla de San Martín section, at the intersection point between Lázaro Cárdenas and Miguel Hidalgo. |
| Photos: Lic. Jessica Hitandegüi Swanson Santiago |
| Photos: Lic. Jessica Hitandegüi Swanson Santiago |
| Workshops “Environmental Law and the Importance of La Reserva de la Biosfera – Los Tuxtlas” May 30, 2010 DEMATAC held a workshop in the community of El Diamante, in the municipality of San Andrés Tuxtla, at the request of Miguel Ángel Acosta Landa. The workshop was attended by the local residents living within the protected area, and explained the importance of protecting this area, permitted activities, and activities that may be considered illegal. The workshop last one hour. At the beginning, there was a notable lack of interest, but as we proceeded, we were able to clarify many doubts of the participants ; and at meetings end, all agreed that it was worthwhile and a success. & April 30, 2010 This workshop was help in the community of Santa Rosa Cintepec in the municipality of Hueyapan de Ocampo, at the request of a local resident who prefers to remain anonymous. It covered basically the same subject matter as the workshop in El Diamante, and lasted about 80 minutes. All participants appeared very interested in the conservation of the natural resources existent on their lands, and requested that we present additional workshops in the future, covering related themes. They also asked that we request help for them from PROFEPA in the form of inspections and vigilance, with the hope of reducing illegal deforestation and hunting of wildlife. |
| Reunions Continue Regarding forum: “Salvemos el Lago de Catemaco” (Save Lake Catemaco) June 19, 2010 The theme of the most recent reunion was "Sustainable Tourism in Catemaco", and presented "Programa Agenda 21", which it is hoped will be of help in resolving the contamination problem in Lake Catemaco, provided that it is implemented adequately by Catemaco's municipal government. |
| Programa 21 is a United Nations (UN) program for the promotion of sustainable growth in areas related to environmental and ecological concern. It is a detailed plan of procedures that must be undertaken on international, national, and local levels by UN entities, by governments of member states, and by individual groups in all areas where human impact affects the environment. La Secretaría de Turismo (Mexican Secretary of Tourism) heads Programa Agenda 21 for Mexican tourism, proposing that it be considered fundamental in its work; along with the three levels of government, the tourist industry, education, NGOs and the general public; to improve the growth and conditions of life in tourist related areas In its role as promoter and coordinator of federal aid for the application of Agenda 21, the federal government, through the Secretaría de Turismo, published a document outlining guidelines for action to guarantee sustainable growth of tourism in our country. 200 were invited to this reunion, held in the Hotel Las Brisas in Catemaco; including fishermen, hotel owners and operators, restaurateurs, businessmen and motor launch owners and operators from the municipality of Catemaco. Unfortunately, only 20 individuals attended - 10%. The majority of the attendees were hotel owners and operators, NGO representatives (DEMATAC), and a few businessmen. On June 26, 2010 at 5:00 p. m. another reunion will be held for the purpose of advancing the work related to Lake Catemaco, and to solicit the support of local political candidates, with the goal that those who are elected will apply the program Agenda 21. |
Dear Jessica,
I have fantastic news: the International Whaling Commission (IWC) announced yesterday that it is delaying action on a deal that would
have legalized commercial whaling for the first time in a generation.
The IWC’s decision is a huge victory for whales -- and for activists like you -- against very long odds. And it was made possible by more
than 100,000 NRDC Members and BioGems Defenders like you who helped ignite a worldwide outcry against this potentially disastrous
policy change.
Just weeks ago, Pierce Brosnan kicked off NRDC’s public mobilization campaign by alerting you to this deadly deal and asking you to
make your voice heard in opposition. At that time, an end to the ban on whaling seemed virtually inevitable.
The deal had been negotiated for years in secret, closed-door meetings. The talks were spearheaded by key governments, including our
own, which believed that lifting the ban on whaling would rein in rogue whaling by Japan, Iceland and Norway.
But, in fact, the proposed deal was a capitulation to the whaling nations, conferring legitimacy on their slaughter of whales after they’d
defied international law for years.
The deal would have suspended the whaling ban for 10 years and opened up a designated whale sanctuary to commercial whaling. And
it would not have put binding measures in place to stop whaling nations from killing whales under legal loopholes like “scientific permits.”
Worst of all, the deal would have given moral cover to the notion that we can save whales by killing them -- instead of by banning their
slaughter.
Fortunately, a worldwide outcry helped halt this headlong rush to legalize the slaughter of whales for profit. It shone a spotlight on the
secret proceedings and put pressure on anti-whaling nations -- like the United States -- to toughen their stance in negotiating with the
whaling nations. That last-minute shift produced a whale-saving deadlock.
This fight is not yet over. The IWC has left the proposed deal open on its agenda, meaning that it could be revisited in the next two days.
More likely, the IWC will opt for a year-long “cooling-off period” and take up the issue again next year. We’ll be ready to mobilize again
whenever this proposed deal is put back on the table.
In the weeks and months ahead, we’ll be urging the IWC to focus its conservation efforts on emerging threats to marine mammals that
are growing with each passing day: from entanglement to ship strikes, from noise pollution to global warming.
In the meantime, I want to thank you for helping secure this important victory for whales -- and for making sure that the slaughter of
whales for profit will remain illegal.
Sincerely,
Peter Lehner
Executive Director
Natural Resources Defense Council
| Good News for Whales June 24, 2010 While DEMATAC is dedicated to recuperating the ecological balance and protecting the environment of Los Tuxtlas, we recognize that environmental problems do not exist only in "our backyard"; they exist throughout the world - and as individuals and organizations, we must be concerned about these issues everywhere. Just as countries and people have become more interdependent in our complex, modern world, so are ecosystems interdependent. We cannot ignore one, however small, without having a negative effect on the others - worldwide. DEMATAC supports NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) and our president is an active member. We want to share with you this good news: Email from NRDC, June 24, 2010: |
| YOU DID IT! |
| Work Reunion UMAFOR Los Tuxtlas 2010 Forestry Management Unit - Los Tuxtlas June 24, 2010 |
| Visit to the "Reserva Ejidal de la Benito Juárez" July 8, 2010 |
| Falls "Cascada Arcoíris" |
| Falls "Cascada Los Caracoles" |
| Falls "Cascada Los Prismas" |
| Arnulfo, our guide |
| Jenny eating Chocho |
| Pía eating Chocho |
| Rocas Prismaticas (prismatic rocks) |
| Prismatic Rocks |
| Juan & Jess in the jungle |
| La Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda is located in the northern part of the state of Querétaro, Mexico, encompassing a part of the Sierra Madre Oriental; and is one of our more important national reserves due to the degree of conservation of it's elements; covering an area of 383,567 hectares in five municipalities: Jalpan de Serra; Landa de Matamoros; Arroyo Seco; Pinal de Amoles and Peñamiller. Although it's natural diversity is excelled in other Natural Protected Areas; principally by La Reserva de la Biosfera los Tuxtlas, (3356 species of vascular plants and 851 species of de vertebrates), it's diversity makes it one of the richest and most important in Mexico, with 2,308 species of vascular plants and 537 vertebrates. Also, it is the most eco-diverse in the country with 14 types of vegetation due principally to the degree of variation in altitude of the terrain, which produces a varierty of climate conditions. The community of Jalpan de Serra, a community included in the catagory "Pueblos Mágicos”, is the seat of the organization “Centro Tierra Sierra Gorda”, www.sierragorda.net , in whose installations was held the “Taller de Gestión y Activismo Social por la Tierra” (Workshop of Management and Social Activism for Earth) from August 4 through 6, directed by the directors of Natural Protected Areas, civil organizations, and community groups; with the objective of desimating information relating o conservation and promoion of activism in favor of natural protected areas. As representative of Defensores del Medio Ambiente de los Tuxtlas, A.C. (DEMATAC), I had the opportunity to participate in this workshop, and to know first hand one of our more important national reserves. Texto: Eduardo Fco. Álvarez Ríos. |
| SIERRA GORDA Workshop of Management and Social Activism for the Earth August 4 through 6, 2010 |
| "10/10/10 MANOS A LA OBRA" “LOS TUXTLAS AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE” October 10, 2010 |
“Defensores del Medio Ambiente de los Tuxtlas (Dematac)”, produced an event in Parque Lerdo, San Andrés
Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico in support of the global platform organized by “350.org”, for the conference: “Conferencia
de las Partes de la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas para el Cambio Climático (COP16)", to be held in
Cancun, Q.R. in December, 2010.
The objective of this initiative is to bring pressure upon our leaders of government to sign and agreement,
FAIR, AMBITIOUS, AND BINDING, in which they promise to lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the
percentage necessary to reduce climate change; as well as reaching agreement for gradual reduction toward
the desired 350ppm.
The activities included the following:
18:00 hours: Bicycle procession to promote bikes as alternative transportation in San Andrés Tuxtla
19:30 hours: Presentation of the National Geographic film: “SEIS GRADOS” (Six Degrees).
21:00 hours: traditional FANDANGO (a regional dance in which an instrument named “Jarana” is used. A
Jarana is a species of guitar in varying sizes, consisting of four strings. The size determines the degree of base
and treble. Musicians who play the Jarana are called Jaraneros.)
Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico in support of the global platform organized by “350.org”, for the conference: “Conferencia
de las Partes de la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas para el Cambio Climático (COP16)", to be held in
Cancun, Q.R. in December, 2010.
The objective of this initiative is to bring pressure upon our leaders of government to sign and agreement,
FAIR, AMBITIOUS, AND BINDING, in which they promise to lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the
percentage necessary to reduce climate change; as well as reaching agreement for gradual reduction toward
the desired 350ppm.
The activities included the following:
18:00 hours: Bicycle procession to promote bikes as alternative transportation in San Andrés Tuxtla
19:30 hours: Presentation of the National Geographic film: “SEIS GRADOS” (Six Degrees).
21:00 hours: traditional FANDANGO (a regional dance in which an instrument named “Jarana” is used. A
Jarana is a species of guitar in varying sizes, consisting of four strings. The size determines the degree of base
and treble. Musicians who play the Jarana are called Jaraneros.)
Texto: Eduardo Francisco Álvarez Ríos