The inauguration of the Visitors and Nature Interpretation Center of Cabo Pulmo National Park in Baja California Sur took place with great emotion on June 23rd of this year. The event was attended by the Governor of the State of Baja California Sur, Mr. Carlos Mendoza Davis; the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Rafael Pacchiano Alamán; on behalf of the Mayor of Los Cabos, Mr. Luis Alberto González; the National Commissioner of Natural Protected Areas, Mr. Alejandro del Mazo Maza; the Executive Director of Pronatura Noroeste A.C., Dr. Gustavo D. Danemann and the Director of Teaching and Educational Research of the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, Dr. Manuel Arturo Coronado García, representing the Rector of said institution, as well as representatives of Civil Society Organizations and the Cabo Pulmo Community.
The Visitors and Nature Interpretation Center of Cabo Pulmo National Park aims to promote the appreciation and knowledge of biodiversity and its conservation by the local community and visitors to this protected natural area. Carlos Mendoza Davis, Governor of the State of Baja California Sur, commented: “With this Center, those who come to learn about the wonders of Cabo Pulmo, both in and out of the sea, can have a guide and orientation not only about what to see and find, but also about the services offered and what we can expect from a place as wonderful as this and what we can learn. I am proud of how in Baja California Sur, we have learned to value and care for our environment, and it could not be different; we are a state that lives fundamentally from tourism.
Cabo Pulmo was declared a National Park on June 6, 1995, with an area of 7,111 hectares. It is home to the only coral reef system in the Gulf of California. The Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources, Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, recognized the work of Pronatura Noroeste: “for this great effort because this Center expresses in a very precise manner all the richness of the Cabo Pulmo region, and I am sure that this will help visitors not only learn about, but also help spread the wealth of Cabo Pulmo, which not only belongs to the people of Baja California, but to all Mexicans and the world.”
Since its creation, the national park has been maintained as a no-fishing area. This has allowed a remarkable recovery of its fish populations, which is currently recognized as an example of successful worldwide marine conservation. In 2016 Cabo Pulmo was visited by almost 10,000 national and foreign divers, placing this site as one of Mexico’s most important diving and sustainable tourism destinations. Tourism activity is currently the main source of income for the local community, making Cabo Pulmo a pole of rural economic development and low ecological impact in the State of Baja California Sur.
Alejandro del Mazo Maza, National Commissioner of Natural Protected Areas, expressed that he was very happy to be at the inauguration of the Visitors Center since it is a wonderful place within Cabo Pulmo National Park, a unique place that everyone should come to know because this marvel is a wealth and here in the Center it is represented.
This center is the result of the joint work between Civil Society Organizations, the Government, and the Cabo Pulmo community. This is how Dr. Gustavo Danemann, executive director of Pronatura Noroeste, summed it up: “With the establishment of the National Park, which we now recognize as a pole of rural economic development based on the use of the area, a use that is compatible with conservation, and which provides clear economic benefits for the region’s communities.”
Danemann added: “The conservation of Mexico’s natural capital, particularly it’s Natural Protected Areas, is currently facing great challenges. I would like you to have full confidence that we will continue to do our best to rise to that challenge as members of civil society.”
Finally, the joint effort made by several national and foreign civil organizations, the authorities, and the community of Cabo Pulmo was thanked for this great achievement. The Visitor and Nature Interpretation Center will be open to the community in general from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, and admission is free.
