With an area of over 10,000 hectares of vegetation, the “Cuxtal” Ecological Reserve, a zone subject to Ecological Conservation, is considered the most important green lung for the city of Mérida in Southeast Mexico. In addition to contributing to mitigating the effects of climate change and supplying water to half of the Meridians, it preserves the main ecosystem of the Metropolitan Area, emphasized the city’s mayor, Alejandro Ruz Castro.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the reserve reaffirms its role as the largest oxygen provider for the city, playing a fundamental role in the municipality’s sustainability policy.
“One of the main commitments of this administration is based on the sustainability of the municipality, and to achieve this, we carry out various environmental programs and projects through our municipal departments to promote care for our flora and fauna among the entire population,” he said.
In this regard, the Mayor visited the Molas community and the former Dzoyaxché Hacienda, both located within the Cuxtal Reserve. He asserted that society’s participation is essential to build a more environmentally responsible city that cares for natural resources. Upon arriving at the Environmental Training and Education Center of the Cuxtal Reserve, the Mayor, accompanied by Waldemar Mota Sánchez, the commissioner of Molas; Pamela Coello Mena, councilor and president of the Sustainability Commission; Raúl Escalante Aguilar, councilor and president of the Paramunicipal Organizations Commission; Sandra García Peregrina, operational director of the Municipal Public Decentralized Organization for the Operation and Administration of the Ecologically Protected Area, Cuxtal Reserve; Alejandra Bolio Rojas, director of the Sustainable Development Unit; and directors of schools located in the area, visited the facilities of this center inaugurated in 2022. The center houses a multipurpose room, three classrooms, a workshop, a palapa area, and two computer rooms.
The Center also features an exhibition hall where the Mayor witnessed the operation of video mapping. The purpose of this audiovisual experience is to facilitate scientific understanding, in accessible language, about the importance of the Cuxtal Reserve, its ecosystem, biodiversity, and specifically, its vital water resource. The approximately 14-minute video mapping projection on a model of the Reserve’s polygon covers all aspects related to this protected area, including its crucial role in temperature regulation, atmospheric carbon capture, oxygen generation, and soil preservation, among others.
Subsequently, Mayor Ruz Castro greeted children, young people, and adults who come to this center to receive free environmental education, promoting a culture of environmental care, and reducing the impact of climate change. The Mayor, along with the delegation, then visited the former San Nicolás Dzoyaxché Hacienda, where they toured the site and delivered uniforms and tools to the staff working at this tourist and recreational location.
Source: Quadratin
