As part of Conservation Week, on October 23 rd, we participated in a maintenance day at Balandra, one of the most iconic beaches in La Paz and one of the most renowned natural sites in Mexico and
the world.
The activity was organized by the management in the Balandra Wildfire Protection Area (APFF, for its initials in Spanish), and this collaborative effort brought together organizations committed to the conservation of this ecosystem.
We participated with members of the Advisory Council of APFF Balandra, ZOFEMAT, CONANP, Red de Observadores Ciudadanos (ROC), Efecto Arena, community watch groups, the Dirección de Turismo La Paz, CICESE – Unidad Académica La Paz, Municipal Public Services, among others.
‘’We were tasked with installing posts on two beaches within the core area of Balandra to prevent tourists and citizens from accessing the dunes,’’ said Fernando Garza Larracilla, field technician in the Environmental Education department at Pronatura Noroeste.
According to the Protected Natural Area Regulations, climbing the Balandra dunes is forbidden in order to protect them and prevent erosion. The aim is to preserve the natural geography of the area.
In addition, work was carried out on the general maintenance of the site, including cleaning beaches and mangroves, repairing trails, and repainting parking spaces and spaces for people with disabilities.
Garza Larrancilla highlighted the collaboration of student Penélope Cota in the actions we carry out as Pronatura Noroeste. She is in her third semester of Environmental Sciences at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur.
These actions are part of our organization’s commitment to caring for coastal ecosystems and strengthening citizen participation in protected natural areas.
With 6,208 acres of land and inland waters, the Balandra APFF is home to
red, white, and black mangroves, dunes, rocky reefs, and a wide variety of flora and fauna. It is also a World Heritage Site and a Ramsar Site, which reinforces the collective responsibility to ensure its conservation.
“Balandra is part of the mangrove complex that covers the entire Bay of La Paz. It is also because Balandra is one of the five most beautiful beaches in the world, and because of its biodiversity characteristics in terms of both flora and fauna ecosystems,” said Garza Larracilla.
Pronatura Noroeste has participated in various conservation activities in this area, and we will continue to collaborate with the Balandra APFF Advisory Council to ensure that this natural paradise remains a model of environmental management and responsible tourism. Because taking care of Balandra also means caring for the future of our relationship with nature.
Translated by: Itzel Romero
Reviewed and edited by: Belinda Carpio
