Eco Concerns

[Lynnette]

There has been so much talk about development and harm to the ecological environment, and now baby turtles are dying, possibly due to the ingestion of plastic. I remembered seeing links on the PM forum with officials to contact regarding environmental/development issues. I was able to link to all of them. It never hurts to voice concerns.


http://www.vivapuertomorelos.com/bb/templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vivapuertomore los.com%2Fbb%2Fviewtopic.php%3Fp%3D305%23305)Poste d: Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:12 am Post subject: Do Not Let This Happen to Puerto Morelos!!! http://www.vivapuertomorelos.com/bb/templates/subSilver/images/lang_english/icon_quote.gif (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vivapuertomore los.com%2Fbb%2Fposting.php%3Fmode%3Dquote%26p%3D30 5) Below is a message from "Cat" Brown that is very important for the future of Puerto Morelos. Please take time out of your day to follow through with her request.


NOW OR NEVER - HELP SAVE PUERTO MORELOS

It was done in 1998 to stop the destruction of mangroves and preserve
the reef, we can do it as a community again. Please take a minute and
remember why you love PM and write an email to help preserve its
integrity.

A new development plan is being created for Pto. Morelos by the
municipal
government of Cancun, which could mean changing of zoning and land
usage to
accommodate mega constructions, high rises, filling in the mangrove and
destruction of the reef for cruise ships

Please write an email and send it to the following email address and
copy me what you send if you can so we have a library of emails here.
We want emails from all over the world, we can do it. If you have
emails belonging to vacation rental regulars please pass this to them.

Please let the authorities know why you own property in Pto Morelos
or come
on vacation.

Let them know it is important to keep development, low density

Destruction of our eco system would do irreversible damage.

Mexico has signed an international pact with several countries and
receives
money to protect reef and mangroves.

We do NOT want high rises here. It would obstruct the flow of air and
ruin
the appearance of our small town.

Pto Morelos already has it’s tourist market. People stay here who do
not
want a Playa del Carmen or Cancun

Send to:

Presidente de Cancun
Lic Francisco Antonio Alor
Email: presidente@cancun.gob.mx (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=mailto%3Apresidente%40cancun.go b.mx)


Secretaria de Turismo
Lic Gabriela M Rodríguez Galvez
grodriguez@qroo.gob.mx (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=mailto%3Agrodriguez%40qroo.gob. mx)

Governor of Quintana Roo
Felix Arturo Gonzales Canto
gobernador@qroo.gob.mx (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=mailto%3Agobernador%40qroo.gob. mx)

Presidente of Mexico
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa
Felipe.calderon@presidencia.gob.mx (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=mailto%3AFelipe.calderon%40pres idencia.gob.mx)
___________

[AdGuy]

Thanks Lynette...it's always good to raise a voice against an injustice rather than sit by and wonder why no one is doing anything. As for the plastic problem, it's unlikely that it's the responsibility of the Mexican government or its people...most likely the cruise industry or Cuba/Jamaica. :(

[La Luna]

Last week I have been working on an information form regarding the endangered sea turtles. I will leave the following note in the rooms for all our guests, I am still working on it but this is the idea!

The beaches along the Caribbean Coast of Mexico are nesting grounds for two endangered species of sea turtles: the Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas).
Nesting season for these turtles is May through October. After mating at sea the female turtle swims to shore to dig a nest for her eggs. It is not unusual to see turtles nesting at night on the beaches of Tulum. If you should see a turtle at night please do not disturb or shine a flashlight on it as this may disrupt their reproductive cycle. If you are taking a beach walk at night please try to limited the usage of your flashlight and make sure you will use our provided red colored cover for your flash lights. It is known that turtles are less disturbed by red light!
Female turtles dig their nests on the beach with their flippers, then lay their eggs and cover them with sand. They then crawl back to the surf zone and swim out to sea. After 50 - 60 days the baby turtles hatch from the nests and try to make their way through the surf zone and out to sea.

Caution should be exercised when walking the nesting beaches in order to avoid trampling nests where eggs are incubating. Avoid stepping on mounds in the sand or anywhere that you see sticks with markers pushed into the sand. To witness such an event is just amazing!
Here at La Luna our goal is to create a safe environment for the endangered sea turtles! But in order to accomplish this we need the help of our guest as well!
·Please turn of your lights in your room whenever you can!
·If the light are on in the room make sure you close your curtains, turtles will always look for the darkest spot on the beach and are affected by the light!

What to do when you witness a sea turtle nesting in front of La Luna:


Please do not disturb the turtle, because it might disrupt their reproductive cycle. (They are already endangered)
Do not make any pictures, because the flash of the camera will disturb them and they will leave without laying any eggs!
Keep distance and be quite, don’t get to close and do not touch them!
After the turtle is done with nesting she will cover the nest! Please be so kind to mark the place with a stick or stone and notify our management of the nest, we will make sure the nest is taken care of!

After 50 - 60 days the baby turtles hatch from the nests and try to make their way through the surf zone and out to sea.

La Luna management will notify you when hatching of baby turtles might occur during your stay! But again we will need your help in accomplishing our goals.

·Please turn of your lights in your room whenever you can!
·Do not use a flash light, baby turtles will follow the light, because at night the sea is reflecting light.
·If the lights in the room are on make sure you close your curtains, baby turtles will follow the light.

Keep distance and be quite, don’t get to close and do not touch them! ·Do not try to help them crawling out their nest… Only the fittest will survive. Do not bring them to the sea, because it is important for sea turtles to feel the structure of the sand and to smell the beach, because this is what they will remember and it will make them return 15 years later to exactly the same beach to lay there eggs. So please do not disturb this process, because although you might think you are helping them, you are disturbing the life circle of the turtle!
·Do not start digging in a nest after hatching, because more turtles might follow later on or maybe even the next day!

We are appreciating your help in creating a safe nesting environment for the endangered sea turtles!

Regards,


La Luna Management

[Gale in KY]

Thank you SO MUCH for doing this Rene. I have been giving this alot of thought after seeing the impact that some concerned members of another forum made in Akumal... an informational like this could be and should be an addition to EVERY hotel on the beach in Tulum. Hopefully others will follow suit.

I might add that if a guest chooses to use a flashlight, to use a RED lens to filter the light.

I never imagined a few short years ago that I could be concerned with the dangers of a turtle life, but when I took a good look at these amazing creatures, it just seems so important to do whatever we can to assist them without interfering with their natural life cycle.

[Gale in KY]

I am not sure if David is a member of our board or not, but I simply have to post this here...his blog about Sian Kaan speaks for it's self.

http://dreamantilles.blogspot.com/2008/03/tear-for-sian-kaan.html