ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE INVITATION

English Version:

Environmental Update of

Date: 17th Oct 2025 at 1.30pm by zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84640560243
Meeting ID: 846 4056 0243
Passcode: 573536

Presentation will be about 1hr and then lots of Q & A. I can do bilingual presentation.

It was Nov 2015 when this neighborhood organization was born (we celebrate 10 years this year). All activities are suggested, advocated and fundraised by neighbors and "vecinos" (Spanish for neighbors) with the support of The Ocean Foundation . So what do a bunch of volunteer get done? A lot, actually.

Since our last environmental update in Feb 2025, we have a lot to share:

• Third party citizen oversight to water use in Loreto Municipality as per law: This means the mechanism awarded by Mexican law to ensure use of water, management of water, treatment of sewage, fees of water is done correctly by public servants of water department (OOMSAPAL)

• New additions to produce of CSA (thank you for all your feedback) + support to ranchers

• Sahuaro project: risks associated with transporting liquified natural gas inside the Gulf of California / Sea of Cortes, and what coastal communities are doing to ensure our marine ecosystem is protected.

• Norman Christie Book Collection donation to Teachers College of Loreto: 3000 titles of books, science journals and magazines all of the Baja Ca peninsula.

• Challenges of the two new parks community help to create: Nopoló Park and Loreto II park

• More help to wildlife in distress.

• What we learned from Conapesca (National Commission for Fisheries) in Forum held in Loreto.

• Coastal restoration: how are we doing after 3 years of this activity along 17kms of coastline we participate.

• Air monitoring: dump fires, citizen network, science with air monitors/weather stations around town

• Grants to Stray Paws, Soft Paws, Baja Mobile Steri Vet, Caritas de Loreto, Casa de Perros, Patrick McGorky, Hospital Vet Cortes, ORCAS Explora tu Mundo AC (benefits children with autism).

Version en Español:

Avances en temas ambientales por la organización "Mantén Loreto Mágico" en temas de:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84640560243
ID REUNION: 846 4056 0243
CONTRASENA: 573536

• Manejo del agua en Loreto

• Agricultura apoyada por la comunidad

• Proyecto Sahuaro y sus amenazas a las comunidades costeras, como Loreto.

• Acervo bibliográfico del Sr Norman Christie: Donación de 3000 títulos de libros, publicaciones, mapas y demás para la comunidad de Loreto.

• Los retos de nuestros dos nuevas áreas naturales protegidas: Parque Nopolo y Parque Loreto II.

• Restauración costera: cómo vamos después de hacer esta actividad cada 3er día por 3 años a lo largo de 17kms de playa en la zona urbana de Loreto.

• Apoyo a vida silvestre bajo estrés.

• Monitoreo de calidad de aire en Loreto con estaciones meteorológica en conjunto con UABCS La Paz

• Lo que aprendimos del 2do Foro de Pesca FONMAR en Loreto

• Donativos a organizaciones / colectivos / grupos que ayudan a perros y gatos. También a Caritas de Loreto y ORCAS Explora Tu Mundo AC (apoyo a niños y niñas con necesidades especiales como TEA).

Ojalá puedas asistir. EL vinculo zoom esta arriba. Será reunión bilingüe, abierto a todo publico. Oct/17/ 2025 1.30pm, aprox. 1 hora, con sección de preguntas y respuestas al final.

KLM joins CONSERVA LORETO during naturalist challenge!

What is a BioBlitz, and Why Does It Matter for Loreto’s Parks?

Have you ever joined a BioBlitz? These events began in the United States in the mid-1990s, when scientists and citizens came together for a simple but powerful idea: document every species they could find in a short amount of time within a specific place.

The first BioBlitz was organized in 1996 by the U.S. National Park Service and the National Geographic Society. Since then, the movement has spread worldwide. The name itself comes from “bio” (life) and “blitz” (a sudden, energetic effort). And that’s exactly what a BioBlitz is: a burst of community science where everyone—biologists, teachers, students, families, hikers, divers, photographers—works together to observe, record, and celebrate biodiversity.

Why BioBlitz Matters

A BioBlitz is much more than a species count:

• Raises awareness: People discover the hidden plants and animals living right in their backyard.

• Collects valuable data: Scientists gain snapshots of biodiversity that can reveal changes over time.

• Connects people to place: Communities feel pride and ownership of their natural spaces.

• Empowers conservation: The knowledge gathered becomes a tool to defend and manage parks more effectively.

BioBlitz in Loreto

We are blessed with three protected areas. Every observation is proof that our parks are alive, play an essential role, and are worth defending.

Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto – a marine park home to whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and countless fish species.

Parque Nopoló & Parque Loreto II — coastal and mountain parks where desert strips, mangrove forests, sand dunes, hidden canyons, and arroyos create vital habitats.

By hosting BioBlitz events in these parks, we can:

• Document the incredible biodiversity of our land and sea.

• Learn how species interact and depend on each other.

• Detect threats like invasive species or pollution.

• Show authorities and decision-makers the true value of protecting these ecosystems.

Basics of Recycling

What—and how—should I take things to the recycling plant?

Cleaning up is only one part of keeping our ecosystems healthy. The harder task lies in becoming aware of our consumer habits and changing them. Right now, Loreto produces more trash than our municipal dump can handle. That’s why it’s so important to think twice about what we buy—and how we dispose of it.

Like many other environmental issues affecting our magical town, proper waste management is long overdue. Thankfully, 2025 began with renewed efforts to make a measurable difference along our coastline. During recent coastal restoration activities, the Keep Loreto Magical (KLM) trained staff has classified debris into over 35 categories of trash. This process not only helps us clean, but also reveals the biggest challenges we face in educating our community and shifting how we all think about waste.

Much of the pollution in our sea comes from trash dumped directly on the sand or near the shoreline. But we must also remember: the largest portion of what fills the open-pit municipal dump actually comes from our own homes. Without proper management—or the active participation of every community member—this waste will either be burned, releasing toxic particles into our air, or be washed downhill during hurricane season, directly into our Marine Park.

If you’re already familiar with the Enviroclean facility on the highway between Loreto and Nopoló—or if this is the first time you’re learning about it—consider paying them a visit. Run by César Díaz and his family, this recycling operation welcomes community members every Saturday. Take your recyclables, learn what they can accept, and in what condition, so we can all make recycling effective.

💙 Your donations fuel the efforts of the Keep Loreto Magical network, supporting projects like the Enviroclean recycling operation. With gratitude, we also thank our fiscal sponsor, The Ocean Foundation, for making this possible.

Quick guide to learn how to help recycle

✅ Think before you buy

• Choose products with less packaging.

• Prefer reusable or refillable options.

✅ Sort your recyclables

• Separate paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, and metals.

• Rinse containers to remove food or liquid.

✅ Know where to go

• Take your clean recyclables to Enviroclean (highway between Loreto and Nopoló).

• Drop-off day: Every Saturday.

✅ Learn what’s accepted

• Ask staff which items they can process. Learn about different plastic categories.

• Avoid bringing contaminated or mixed materials—they can’t be recycled.

✅ Be part of the solution

• Share recycling tips with neighbors and friends.

• Support local initiatives like Keep Loreto Magical and Enviroclean.

💙 Every small action adds up. Together, we can reduce trash, protect our Marine Park, and keep Loreto magical.

Blue Whale Festival

How can we protect the house of the largest animal on Earth? 

What we say and what we do matters—especially to the species whose survival depends on our choices.

When we talk about ocean conservation, we must begin by recognizing our deep connection to the sea. The ocean profoundly shapes human life, and in turn, our actions can quickly and dramatically affect its health.

Here in Loreto, the protected waters of our National Marine Park have created conditions for countless species to thrive. It is our shared duty to ensure it stays that way. While we are proud to show the world that Loreto is evolving as an adventure travel destination, we must also admit there are challenges. Certain tourism activities need stronger regulation, and land-use pressures from our growing community demand urgent attention. Every activity—on land or sea—should be weighed honestly: what benefits do we truly gain, and at what cost to the fragile balance that sustains us all?

The recent celebration of the 4th Blue Whale Festival offered the perfect moment to reflect on what it means to remain a true marine sanctuary. During the science documentary presented by renowned whale researcher Diane Gendron, we were reminded how these giants of the sea depend on some of the tiniest forms of life for survival, and how vulnerable they are to the disruptions caused by human behavior.

Ironically, just days before the festival, Loreto welcomed another cruise ship. These enormous vessels pose undeniable threats during critical feeding periods—noise, water pollution, food migration disruptions, and the risk of collisions all put blue whales at risk. Without careful management, our conservation efforts could be undermined.

As Loreto promotes itself as a premier destination to see blue whales, thoughtful action is essential. This is a powerful opportunity for collaboration among the community, local government, and conservation partners. Together, we must set clear management protocols to reduce pollution (including addressing our overloaded sewage treatment plant), regulate high-impact activities, and carefully plan population growth.

Your voice matters. By sharing your opinions, you help local authorities understand community priorities. And your donations to The Ocean Foundation, fiscal sponsor of our Keep Loreto Magical network, provide the resources needed to continue this vital work.

Stay tuned—we have much more to share as we work together to protect our magical coasts and the species that call them home.

Coastal Restoration

Let’s keep it Magical by making it Clean & Healthy

What a wonderful way to kick off 2025—with action!

Since early January, the Keep Loreto Magical network has been hard at work alongside the community, restoring and protecting our coastline. In the first days of February, our efforts grew stronger with the support of municipal authorities and the National Commission for Protected Areas (CONANP), who joined the task preparing the waterfront and estuary for two awareness events: the 3rd Loreto Bird & Wetland Festival and the 4th Blue Whale Festival..

As our beautiful town of Loreto gains popularity, the fragility of its ecosystems becomes ever more apparent. That’s why activities that protect and restore environmental health are so essential. Thankfully, more helping hands and tools are joining the effort as we continue our fight against invasive species, unregulated construction, trash, ocean pollution, ignorance, and greed.

The well-known phrase, “Think globally, act locally” (promoted by the United Nations), resonates deeply here in Loreto. Coastal restoration is critical because our shores form the living interchange between land and sea. One important lesson: trash must never end up in the water. Once it does, it quickly breaks down into a “plastic soup,” nearly impossible to collect.

Through microplastic cleanups, reintroduction of native flora, and removal of invasive grasses, we are preventing coastal erosion and ocean pollution while creating vital shelter for native and migratory species—small mammals, birds, reptiles, and desert pollinators. These efforts help preserve a large section of the biological corridor that lies within the protected boundaries of three national areas: Bahía de Loreto, Nopoló, and Loreto II.

Coastal restoration also provides valuable opportunities to catalogue debris, measure progress, and highlight how recycling reduces waste in town while keeping our beaches beautiful—for locals and visitors alike.

A big shoutout to all of our conservation partners who remain aware, proactive, and dedicated.
A warm welcome to new nature guardians eager to join our upcoming restoration activities.
💙 Heartfelt gratitude to every donor supporting this work through our fiscal sponsor, The Ocean Foundation.

Stay tuned for our next events and check out our upcoming post on how to properly recycle in Loreto. Together, we can keep our coasts clean, our ecosystems healthy, and our town magical.

Early Bird Hikes

KLM Hiking Club

During our early hikes, we talk about the conditions of our parks, the current threats, water stress, ways to help build stewardship within the community, and changes in land management for ranches coexisting with the parks.

There’s something magical about stepping into nature before the world fully wakes up. The air feels crisper, the light gentler, and the silence more profound—broken only by the sounds of rustling leaves, bird calls, or the crunch of your boots on the trail.

A Front-Row Seat to Nature’s Awakening

Moving quietly along the trail at this hour gives you a rare chance to witness these rhythms without disturbance. It’s a reminder that these parks aren’t just scenery—they’re living, breathing ecosystems.

Protecting What Protects Us National protected areas safeguard biodiversity, clean water, and even the air we breathe. When we hike them respectfully—staying on marked trails, avoiding noise, leaving no trace—we honor the protections put in place to ensure these landscapes thrive for generations.

A Gift to Yourself and Your Community Choosing to hike early isn’t just a personal benefit. By dispersing visitor impact throughout the day, you help reduce congestion on trails and minimize stress on fragile ecosystems. In other words, every early step you take helps protect the balance between recreation and conservation.

Contributing to park management Early bird hikes aren’t about being first to the trailhead. They’re about being present at a moment when the land is most generous in showing its beauty. Next time you plan a visit to a National Protected Area, set your alarm a little earlier and make  sure you and your companions have purchased the conservation brazalets to support the park system. You’ll return not only with photographs and memories, but with a renewed sense of connection to the natural world and a deeper appreciation for why protecting these places matters.

Keep Loreto Magical Raises Concerns at 2nd State Fishing Forum

How much are we really catching—and what are we releasing into the Marine Park?

Loreto has a long history as a fishing village. For decades, families relied on small-scale fishing to survive, while larger trawling ships operated for commercial purposes. In 1974, Baja California Sur became an independent state, and by 1976 Loreto began to grow into a larger town when FONATUR (the National Fund for the Promotion of Tourism) offered opportunities to improve living conditions.

Since then, the town has grown into a popular tourist destination, with all the demands and challenges that come with development in a fragile desert ecosystem. In July 1996, the Loreto Bay National Marine Park (PNBL) was declared, both to recognize its ecological importance and to help control and repair the damage caused by commercial overfishing.

This January, Loreto hosted the 2nd State Fishing Forum at the Misión Hotel. Keep Loreto Magical attended to listen and ask key questions. While the event had a strong political tone, it did provide a platform for public comment. Much of the introduction focused on urging other municipalities in Baja California Sur to replicate Cabo’s “successful” economic model—tied to sportfishing, hospitality, real estate, and big tournaments.

Over two days, representatives spoke about conservation strategies for targeted species, monitoring tools, research on reproduction habits, and the importance of catch-and-release. However, most of the conversation centered on sustaining the business of sportfishing—with little mention of ecosystem fragility, overdevelopment, or the pressures from the real estate industry.

The reality is that the wealth of Loreto lies in the health of its waters. Since the creation of the Marine Park, tourism has shifted toward nature and conservation. Why, then, should we promote an increase in fishing tournaments under today’s circumstances?

GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES AT PRESS CONFERENCE

Officials from CONAPESCA, FONMAR, and the State Government admitted the urgent need to update fishing legislation (unchanged for over 20 years). Yet, they proudly announced plans to nearly double the number of fishing tournaments statewide—from 54 to 90. This raises urgent questions:

• Will fishing activities actually be better regulated?

• Can we ensure targeted species survive repeated capture?

• Why assume species in the Pacific and Gulf of California behave the same?

• What will the impacts be on other species and ecosystems?

At the same time, serious threats to Loreto’s Marine Park remain unaddressed: raw sewage spills, brine discharge from the desalination plant at Danzante Bay Resort, illegal dumping of pool chemicals, and even the arrival of cruise ships during whale feeding and breeding seasons.

A fishing forum should be a space to discuss how to:

• Protect fishing communities and their resources (was barely talked about)

• Improve fishermen’s quality of life (Government spoke of successful examples)

• Promote sustainable fishing (Practice of catch & release but promoting many tournaments seems a conflict of interest)

• Recognize the role of women in fisheries (Yes they did show being inclusive)

• Protect fish habitats (Not the main concern, when the legislation is 20 years old)

• Strengthen community rights (Clear challenge specially now under cartel threats)

• Exchange recommendations for better legislation (biodiversity loss and climate change need to become a priority)

While no authority offered direct answers to our voiced concerns, some showed interest in becoming conservation partners to tackle threats like: pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change.

When the topic of women in fisheries came up, the spotlight was on the Pink Promise Tournament, which supports cancer treatment programs. While the recognition of women on boats was celebrated, the chance to raise environmental awareness was missed.

This is especially concerning: As recognized by the “Secretaria de Salud” (Ministry of Health) Baja California Sur has the highest cancer rates per capita in all of Mexico, affecting young women. Could pollutants in our air, soil, or water be contributing? And could Loreto’s mothers and daughters lead a movement to demand clean water, clean air, and abundant fisheries—for themselves and for future generations?

In her final comments, the KLM Communications Officer emphasized: “Yes we know women are already central to fisheries and processing, yet too often their contributions go unseen. Imagine if, instead of being pushed into tournaments, they were supported to lead in sustainable food security and ocean stewardship.”