After a decade of intense environmental transformation, the Colorado River Delta community will experience an unforgettable celebration from October 19-26. The various restoration sites will host the second Revive the Colorado River Alliance Festival, an event designed to showcase the progress of the successful restoration model that has revitalized the riparian forest and part of the Colorado River watershed.
With the slogan ” El Río Nos Une”, the festival is organized by the Revive el Río Colorado Alliance, made up of several environmental organizations, including Pronatura Noroeste. It will include the participation of the state government, through the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development, as well as the agricultural and business sectors of Mexicali and San Luis Río Colorado, volunteers and members of the local community.
The El Río Nos Une Festival will include activities to appreciate the historical and ecological relevance of the Delta, as well as a tour along the interpretive trail to observe birds and other species. A special moment will be the inauguration of the Colorado River Linear Park executive project, which includes a traditional dance by the Cucapah community of Pozas de Arvizu.
Gabriela Caloca, Water and Rivers Coordinator at Pronatura Noroeste, emphasized the project’s collaborative nature and the motivation behind the slogan of the El Río Nos Une Festival. “I believe we are at a good time to say that, yes, among the organizations of the Alliance, the agricultural sector, officials and the community we are working together to protect and restore the Colorado River Delta,” said Caloca.
For her part, Monica Juliana Vega Aguirre, head of the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development in Baja California, has emphasized that this agency ensures “coordination with the different organizations on both sides of the border and with the local community to achieve inclusive conservation.” She also points out that the mission of the Revive the Colorado River Alliance is “to bring water and life back to the Colorado River Delta, thus ensuring its future.”
Finally, the reach of restoration in a semi-desert site like the Mexicali Valley was underscored by Aida Navarro, coordinator of the Revive the Colorado River Alliance: “If these places that were completely deserted can recover, then there is hope for any other place in the world. With willpower, anything can be achieved”.
Those of us who make up Pronatura Noroeste joyfully promote this festival, confident of the environmental commitment shown by the community of northwestern Mexico.
