Activity Schedule & Environmental Update Coming up Next...

JOIN AND LEARN !

Announcement of Keep Loreto Magical activities:

www.keeploretomagical.org, a program of The Ocean Foundation in Loreto for the last 10 years. Program activities are advocated, lead and fundraised by neighbors and "vecinos"( neighbor in Spanish). So what can a group of volunteers do? A lot, come learn, and ask questions.

Dec 5th 3pm to 5pm Loreto time.

Environmental Update in Loreto by Cecilia Fischer:

By Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83150334675?pwd=i8X42eL68ncKOBPJEcZUxZAgqFWa5m.1

Meeting ID: 831 5033 4675

Passcode: 717806

Updates on topics:

Water and changes to Density and land use zoning in Loreto

Sewage treatment plant rehabilitation

Recycling + Toxic Residue + Improvements at Dump + Air monitors data after 1 year

Coastal restoration + planted coral after 1 year + collaboration with Parks system National Commission Protected Areas.

Why the above points + by whom + how we spend funds we fundraise

Dec 6th- Dune restoration in Nopolo - want to be part of it? Please connect with Lorene Archdekin at lwarchdekin@gmail.com. Its fun to do gardening for the environment and there is great food afterwards by Erik. Have you ever tasted tiny cured agaves? Time to start! They delicious and edible.

Dec 7th - Hike to Nopolo Park - north western perimeter. Great views, easy flat hike and visit to Rancho San Fellipe. Departure: 8am from south exit/entrance of Nopolo by highway. Back 12noon. No charge. Free hike, you can car-pool

Dec 9th - Hike to Loreto II park: new location you have been asking about. Departure 8am from south exit/entrance of Nopolo by highway back 1pm. No charge. Free hike, you can car-pool

Dec 10th - Help us recycle and in return you get delicious food by Erik and a San Javier made mango mermalade. Where: Meet at the Big Mart on the highway at 8am, then we drive to EnviroClean Recycling Loreto. Think about 2hr work and 1 hr enjoyment. Return by 11am.

Dec 11th - Coastal Restoration: We need to take out buffell grass close to La Negrita estuary in down town (buffel grass is outside of the estuary) so it does not migrate inside estuary area. Where: Meet at Auto zone by the highway entrance to Loreto at 9am, back 11am. Gift to you for supporting this activity is San Javier cured olives.

Dec 12th: - Help out on day of harvest at San Javier. Meet at 6am at Big Mart by highway to go to San Javier and witness the actual organic crops and help out preparing boxes of harvest. In return you will be gifted with cured olives from San Javier + home made vaquero coffee / with home made bread with butter and/or fruit. Return is between 9am and 10am.

Have questions? Call: at 613 100 4271 or email: ceci.fischer2023@gmail.com

BOOK COLLECTION TREASURE!

Discover Baja California Through Books: The Norman Christie Collection Comes to Loreto

Are you passionate about Baja California’s nature, scientific research, or rich history? Then this is for you!

📚 Event: Presentation of the Norman Christie Book Collection
📍 Location: Community Center of Loreto Bay
📅 Date: November 14th, 2025
🕐 Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

About the Collection

Norman Christie has spent decades exploring and studying the Baja California Peninsula. In doing so, he has amassed an extraordinary private library of nearly 3,000 titles — including original research papers from the California Academy of Sciences, historical works, magazines, and novels focused exclusively on Baja California.

Mr. Christie has generously donated this collection to the community of Loreto. The nonprofit organization Keep Loreto Magical (www.keeploretomagical.org) has helped catalog and organize the books in collaboration with the Teachers College of Loreto, which already boasts an impressive public library open to everyone.

Event Highlights

At this special presentation, visitors will have the chance to explore a selection of these rare and valuable materials — most of them in English — including:

• Over 150 detailed maps of the Baja California Peninsula.

• Identification guides on birds, reptiles, insects, freshwater and saltwater fish, mammals, butterflies, geology, flora, and fauna — all specific to Baja California.

• Original and first editions dating back to the 1500s, 1600s, and 1800s.

• Proceedings from the Symposiums of Science of the Baja California Peninsula (1968, 1972, 1978).

• Accounts of expeditions across Baja by land, air, and sea — including travel by mule, kayak, sailboat, bicycle, and even coast-to-coast hikes!

• The complete Dawson Book Collection, a landmark series of 51 volumes preserving rare and unpublished primary sources on Baja California’s history, exploration, and natural heritage.

• Mr. Christie’s own annotated binders documenting his personal expeditions across the peninsula.

A Cultural Treasure for Loreto

As recognized by the Cultural Institute of Baja California Sur, no other library, bookstore, academic institution, or government archive in the state holds such a vast and specialized collection devoted solely to the Baja California Peninsula.

Later this year, the collection will find its permanent home at the Public Library of the Teachers College of Loreto, where it will remain accessible to researchers, students, and the public.

This remarkable donation is truly a treasure for the community — a gift that will inspire curiosity, learning, and exploration for generations to come.

Come and celebrate the spirit of discovery that defines Baja California. We look forward to seeing many enthusiastic readers and explorers at this special event!

https://youtu.be/0NEHNu5Fpp8?si=UZsW4Wnu0SWjrB_F

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.