Development out of control, activists warn
http://www2.eluniversal.com.mx/pls/impreso/noticia.html?id_n...
Environmentalists worry plans to turn the area into a tourism mecca will seriously strain the region's ecology.
BY NATALIA G?MEZ QUINTERO AND ELINO VILLANUEVA
August 28, 2005
LA PAZ, Baja California Sur As at least 25 new tourism developments go up along the coast of Baja California, activists say the region's delicate
ecosystem is seriously threatened.
Pablo Uribe Malagamba, the regional spokesperson for the Mexican Center for Environmental Rights (CEMDA), warned that the current boom in development
seeks to emulate mega-resorts such as Cancun and Acapulco, and the result will be similar ecological collapse.
The construction of hotels, villas, golf courses, recreation areas, malls and marinas will bring about not only the destruction of natural habitats,
Uribe said, but also a decline in the quality of life for the area's current inhabitants. He warned of the privatization of beaches, an influx of low
wage service industry jobs and rapidly rising cost of living.
?NO BENEFITS FOR RESIDENTS?
"The economic growth will not have any benefit for the residents," said Uribe.
He said the region, which already has limited water resources, will be placed under significant strain if all of the resorts are built.
CEMDA has also drawn attention to towns like Loreto, a small community of 10,000, which developers plan to turn into a massive resort accommodating
120,000 people.
Political tensions are also afoot in the region, such as in the case of Balandra Beach, where Miguel Alem?n Magnani, son of former Veracruz Governor
Miguel Alem?n Velasco, plans to build a tourist resort.
The federal Environmental and Natural Resources Secretariat (Semarnat) is currently evaluating whether Balandra should be declared a protected natural
area, that by law would bar development.
In addition, the Permanent Congressional Commission passed an accord on August 18 urging the area around Balandra be declared a national reserve. This
request was made after Alem?n Magnani went to the local municipal government on June 7 to request an injunction on any declaration made that would
give federal protection to Balandra Beach.
Another example of encroaching development is the project known as Para?so del Mar (Sea Paradise) on Mogote Beach, located near La Paz and backed by
investor Luis Cano.
BULLDOZING MANGROVES
Magote Beach is a 500 hectare mangrove-lined stretch filled with dunes, used by residents of La Paz for recreation.
Construction on highways to connect the area to La Paz began earlier this week. In a matter of only four days, crews destroyed a hectare (2.47 acres)
of old growth mangroves.
Shoreline mangroves, one of the rarest ecosystems in the world, provide protection from tropical storms to lowlying communities and prevent beach
erosion.
State authorities have encouraged the development in recent years.
In 2004, the former governor of Baja California Sur, Leonel Cota Monta?o, sold 350 hectares (865 acres) of state lands in the area for development.
This week, current governor Narciso Agundez, and La Paz Mayor V?ctor Castro joined Luis Cano in an inauguration ceremony for the development project.
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