Awards

Achievements and Progress on Fire Prevention

• Diminution on the numbers of forest fires on the Ria Lagartos Reserve of the Biosphere and its influence zone, dropping from an average of 15 forest fires per year (1996-2001) to only 6 during the same period (2003-2006).
• Reduction of the average surface affected by forest fires inside the Ria Lagartos Reserve of the Biosphere and its influence zone, which was about 1,640 has. on 2001 to only 246 has. during the period of 2003 to 2006.
• Accomplishment of more than 60 community workshops about fire usage during the handling of agricultural fires
• Participants on the 1st International Symposium about fire usage with the topic “Environmental Education”; and authors of a chapter on the same subject on the book “Forest Fires” edited by the National Forest committee- 2005
• Creation of two intercommunity committees by region to solve possible forest fires
• Creation, training and provision of equipments for eight community brigades by region to fight forest fires
• Strengthening of capacities on 11 communities inside the Ria Lagartos Reserve of the Biosphere and its influence zone, through training courses about:
  A)Emergency Handling System. / SME 100-200
  B)Basic fighting against forest fires. / 130-190

Achievements and improvements on the conservation of the Caribbean Pink Flamingo

• Since 1999, Niños y Crías A.C has placed code rings that can be read with telescopes, in order to better understand the natural history, survival, migrations and population growth of the flamingos. This program has placed these code rings on over two thousand flamingos.
• The flamingo population has recovered as a result of the conservation program and the restoration of the nesting zones. Fom 1999-2005, we have seen the population grow from 26,000 to 43,000 flamingos.
• The rehabilitation of the flamingos’ main nesting site in 2003 and 2004 resulted in 5,300 flamingo hatchlings in 2004 and other 10, 200 hatchlings in 2005. These amounts contrast with 3,700 in 2002.
• In 2005, Hurricane Wilma caused damage to the nesting island. It had to be renovated again with the help of the Salt Industry of Yucatan after that hurricane.

Achievements and improvements on the handling of solid waste

• Certification of 3 communities located inside the protected natural areas (Reserve of the Biosphere Ría Lagartos (San Felipe, Rio Lagartos), and the Ecological Reserve El Palmar in Sisal) as healthy communities for the proper disposal of solid waste.
• Creation of a Decentralized Public Organization to deal with the disposal of municipal solid waste, in the communities of Celestún, including a citizen council for monitoring.
• Support for the legal constitution of community groups of women to take advantage of the classified subproducts, with emphasis on the PET plastics.
• Design and implementation of a PET plastic stockpile campaign, to finance the construction of a media room with 15 computers, educational software and satellite internet access, in the community of El Cuyo, Tizimin (2005).
• Construction of a Pet plastic stockpile center in the community of Celestún, in coordination with a local group of women “Chen Kolelob” with a volume of more than two million bottles processed per year.
• Implementation of workshops about handling and classification of solid waste in elementary school of six communities (El Cuyo, Coloradas, Rio Lagartos, San Felipe, Celestún, Isla Arena).
• Talks with 2400 participant women of the government program “Oportunidades” in 8 coastal communities: Celestun, Sisal, Telchac Puerto, Chabihau, Dzilam de Bravo, San Felipe, Rio Lagartos and El Cuyo, about different subjects related to health and proper disposal of domestic solid wastes.
• Grant of equipment to 3 communities (Celestun, Rio Lagartos, San Felipe) for clean-up activities in their public areas.

Achievements and improvements of the Alliance

• The mayors of the coastal communities where we work signed intention letters to continue with the consolidation process of the alliance.
• There were trips to exchange experiences with the Inter-municipal initiative of Rio Ayuquila, Jalisco, a sister community.
• On April 2008, the Strategic Planning Workshop was held, where we defined the path the Alliance will follow during 2008 and 2009.
• The mayors of the participating cities proposed the creation of a Decentralized Public Organization to give technical support to the municipalities on Environmental Education, in order to ensure citizen’s participation and support.
• Along with the 12 municipal presidencies, we have partnered with the Department of Urban Development and Environment of Yucatan, The Biological Corridor North Coast of Yucatan, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and The Merida Technological Institute.

Achievements of the bird workshops for children

• Sensitization of 125 children from 5 communities who exchanged their slingshots and birds traps for binoculars to observe birds in their natural habitat.
• Five bird-watching clubs, formed with children and local guides.
• Diminution of ornate bird catching in the Protected Natural Areas.

Achievements on the Flamingo Festival

• Realization of 8 festivals, covering all communities inside the Ria Lagarartos Reserve of the Biosphere.
• Involvement of more than 15 governmental and non-governmental institutions, city halls and private companies in our organization.
• Active participation of people from the communities during all the activities during the festival.
• Coordination with the authorities of 4 communities located inside the Ria Lagartos Reserve of the Biosphere for the organization of the festivals.
• Realization of joint activities among the communities of the reserve during the festivals.
  

Achievements and improvements of the TOH Yucatan Festival

• For six consecutive years we have been doing the TOH Bird Festival, enjoying great success and participation with local, national and international participants.
• We have promoted the training of nature guides to become experts on local bird conservation.
• The attraction of independent tourism towards bird observation on the Yucatan Peninsula.
• Various travel agencies have begun to include birdwatching tours into their schedules, not only in Yucatan, but in Campeche and Quintana Roo.
• Expanded cultural interest, by means of videos, expositions and conferences about bird conservation.
• Encouraged local children to learn more about the birds that live around us.
• Encouraged the participation of artists in photographing and painting local birds.

Other important achievements

• The videos “At the rescue of the pink flamingo” and “Toh, bird of time” (winner on the Documentary category at the “Pantalla de Cristal” awards of Telemundo, Mexico 2002 ) are part of the international collection of documentaries about nature called “Telenatura” from the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, 2003
• Design and implementation of the stand “Birds from my region” at the Papalote Mobile Museum, during its Yucatan stay in 2005.