27 January 2009

AVENTURAS AKUMAL: The hard won legal protection gained for the turtle sanctuary of Playa Xcacel is in peril once again. Located on the Caribbean coastline 10 miles north of Tulum Ruins, the beautiful beaches of Xcacel and Xcacelito are being threatened by development. For the Yucatan Peninsula’s most important Green and Loggerhead turtle nesting site, all concerned citizens must now activate to secure federal status of protection. Over the past several weeks a story has unfolded highlighting development versus the environment.

Playas Xcacel and Xcacelito were given legal protection by the state of Quintana Roo in 2002 after a 2-year legal battle to stop the building of an all-inclusive resort, Sol Melia along the beach front. At that time a parcel of coastal land north of Cancun belonging to the University of Quintana Roo was used in exchange with Sol Melia, and Xcacel was proclaimed PROTECTED!

The University gained a parcel of land which was divided into 5 separate lots, all of which border the protected beach zone of Xcacel.  This zone contains mangroves, endangered flora, and subterranean freshwater rivers and is the buffer zone for the magic that takes place during Xcacel's turtle nestings. At least one lot has been sold and is now in its third incarnation known as Project Punta Carey.

Also very interesting, in 2002 the law that mandates mangrove destruction as illegal was lifted for a period of time then reinstated. Grupo Posadas, a land development company, saw an opportunity to lawfully get permission to fill in their coastal mangroves and took advantage.  Under the name of Ecotur, Fiesta Americana was slated to be built at some point on the next beach north of Xcacel called Chemuyilito. All of the permitting and impact studies were completed and approved.

Fast forward to January 2009

Ecotur brought in the bulldozers to begin their project. The devastation borders the turtle nesting beach of Chemyulito right up to the dunes. Mangroves were filled in. Endangered chit palms were mowed down. Initial concern was that this project was one that SAVE had been alerted to, Punta Carey. SAVE began a campaign to get answers about the destruction we found. The enforcement arm of Mexico's environmental agency PROFEPA was notified to these facts, as were press and friends around the world. It was investigative journalism that revealed Ecotur as the developer of the land with an approved impact statement and permits in hand. Upon PROFEPA’s investigations, the report is that there is no problem. No problem that mangroves were filled in. No problem that Chit Palms were destroyed.

Now, we know there is one lot planned to be developed, though no impact statements have been approved. There is interface between the private property belonging to a developer, state protected land, and federal protected beach and reef zone within the Xcacel protected zone. While the development has not broken ground, perhaps they will not. The only way we can be sure of this is to secure federal protection from the beach west (approximately ¼ mile) to Highway 307 with the status of federal sanctuary.

During the course of our research we also discovered that the environmental department of the federal government began the process of making Xcacel and Xcacelito’s protection decree law. In 2005, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) completed and published studies assigning the status as that of sanctuary in an area of 360 hectares. There are two strong justifications. 1) More than 60% of Xcacel and Xcacelito already exist in the federal zone, much of which is reef and 20 meters of shore. 2) State government officials are more exposed and vulnerable to investors influence. We are finding out that CONANP’s process stalled for so long because Quintana Roo officials have not wished to release their control and resisted federal claims. We are afraid they think development dollars are more important than environmental protection.

Here's what you can do:

Communicate the message: Xcacel is not for sale. We demand federal protection.

• Write letters to city, county, state federal officials; to press; forward or post to all networks (see below).
• Make calls to who you know i.e. press, people of influence.
• Use technology! Post, forward, become part of a global voice.
• Local friends; stay tune for local actions that we will be organizing.
• International friends (outside Mexico), write to the officials in your country who can bring pressure to bear on the Mexican government.
• What else can you do? If you have methods for successful actions, let us know!!!!!

Sample Letter

Dear __________,

Please exercise all of the power in your authority to decree federal protected status for the turtle sanctuary and bordering regions of Playa Xcacel and Playa Xcacelito in Quintana Roo. We know that theNational Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) completed and published studies in 2005 assigning sanctuary status for 360 hectares of Xcacel and Xcacelito. We are asking for further protection extending from the reef west through the wetland jungle to Highway 307. In addition to the endangered marine turtles who return annually for nesting, the zone contains mangrove and endangered plants. This is of critical ecological importance not only to the region, but to Mexico and all of our international community. It is also one of the last public beaches for locals to enjoy.

Areas of such environmental importance as those in the Central Quintana Roo coast should not be completely sacrificed to the development of the Riviera Maya and Costa Maya. A balance must be attained. 

Xcacel is not for sale!!! Xcacel is not for sale!!! We demand federal protection.

Sincerely
Your Name
_________________

Key Officials to write to in the Mexican Federal Government

Lic. Felipe Calderon
Presidente Constitucional de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Constitutional President of México
Residencia Presidencial de los Pinos
Puerto Central, Primer Piso
Colonial San Miguel Chapultepec
Mexico, DF CP 11850
Tel: 555-522-4117
Email: oficina.presidencia@pres.gob.mx

Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada
Secretaria del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT)
Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources
Lateral de Anillo Periférico Sur 4209, 6 Piso
Fraccionamiento Jardines de la Montana
Delegación Tlalpan
México, DF CP 14210
Tel: 555-628-0602
Fax: 555-628-0643
Email: c.secretario@semarnat.gob.mx
          juan.elvira@semarnat.gob.mx

Dr. Ernesto Enkerlin Hoeflich
President
Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP)
National Commission of Natural Protected Areas
Camino al Ajusco No. 200
Col. Jardines en la Montaña
Delegación Tlalpan
México, DF CP 14210
Tel. 555-449-7000
Fax: 555-449-7025
Email: enkerlin@conanp.gob.mx

Fernández Bremauntz Adrian Alfredo
President
Instituton Nacional de Ecología (INE)
National Institute of Ecology
Calle: Periférico 5000, Col. Insurgentes Cuicuilco
Delegación Coyoacán
México, DF CP 04530
Tel: 555-424-6418
Email: presiden@ine.gob.mx

Félix González Canto
Gobierno del Estado de Quintana Roo
Governor of the State of Quintana Roo
Email: gobernador@qroo.gob.mx
          mlozano@qroo.gob.mx

Kermith Zapata
Journalist for Respuesta
Reportero para el diario Respuesta.
Calle 1ra sur, manzana 227 lote 2, colonia ejidal
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo
Mexico  CP
Teléfono Diario Respuesta: 984-206-2000
Email: kermithz@hotmail.com
          kermithz@yahoo.com.mx

Ing Francisco Javier Días
Secretaria de Desarrollo Urbano y Medio Ambiente (SEDUMA)
Secretary of Urban Development and Environment.
Email: agusvb7@hotmail.com
          Moret02qr@hotmail.com

Jorge Luis Córdoba Pech
Alcaldía Tulum
Mayor of Tulum
Email: presidencia_tulum@hotmail.com

Submitted by:  Nancy DeRosa
Director of SAVE, A.C.
Salvamento Akumal de Vida Ecologica
www.saveriviermaya.org
Villas De Rosa Resort
Lot 35 C Aventuras Akumal
77760 Mexico
www.cenotes.com
cenotes@prodigy.net.mx
+ (52)984-87-59020
+ (52)984-87-59021 fax
TOLL FREE in Mexico 01-800-509-4376