Archive for May 6th, 2008
Get Back To Nature In Mexico: Explore Sian Ka’an Biosphere
There are 27 United Nations World Heritage sites in Mexico and only three of them made the list primarily for their natural significance, as opposed to historical. The most beautiful and diverse is Sian Ka’an Biosphere, a 1.3 million acre ecological park filled with lagoons, forests, marine habitats, and wetlands. It is the largest marine protected area in Mexico and offers one of the few natural treasures of the Yucatan peninsula that is accessible to tourists.
Added to the UNESCO list in 1987, Sian Ka’an translates as “Origin of the Sky”. It provides a habitat for a diverse population of flora and fauna, as well as over 300 species of birds. There is a small ecotourism and education center there that serves as a model for sustainable development in sensitive tropical ecosystems. The center is funded by the various tours, fishing, accommodation on-site, and various other activities offered there. Some of the ecologically responsible techniques the center uses are rainwater collection, using wind and solar power, and employing systems for wetland waste management. It also provides educational outreach and biological research opportunities.
