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For much of this century, the easiest way to travel to Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Baja was via ferry transfers from the mainland, crossing over the Sea of Cortez. Even today there are places (such as San Ignacio Lagoon) that remain accessible only via boat, dirt road or airplane.
But all this changed in 1973 when Highway 1- the main highway that runs the length of the Baja California peninsula- was completed. This highway, perhaps more than any other factor, has contributed to the transformation of Baja.
The
highway was intended to serve the developing economic needs of the peninsula,
and remains the only major thoroughfare for trucks and local business.
But increasingly, more and more people travel south each year from the
United States and Canada to camp, fish, hike, kayak, bird watch, hunt and
enjoy Baja's unique wilderness areas and wildlife that are found no where
else on earth. Tourism has become one of the region's major industries.
With this increased travel and development has come some unwelcome environmental changes. Mangroves that once bordered the lagoons south of Loreto and provided habitat for fish and birds have been burned and bulldozed and turned into a lush golf course. Some rare species of cacti were so cherished by collectors that they were completely wiped out from their native Baja range, and now exist only in private collections. And the reefs in Bahia Concepcion have been overfished and damaged from commercial clamming. Even San Ignacio has felt the impacts. The photo below shows piles of clamshells, illegally harvested many years ago. These piles stretch for nearly a mile into the distance.
Fortunately, much of Baja remains wild, and some areas
are now protected, thanks to laws passed by the Mexican government. The
grey whale reserves at San Ignacio and Guerrero Negro, and a new wildlife
reserve in the northern area of the Sea of Cortez, are examples of a new
conservation and environmental ethic emerging in Mexico.
Still, old habits change slowly. The economic realities of life in Baja have not yet been reconciled with these new conservation ideals. One example is the proposed development of a salt plant on the north shores of San Ignacio lagoon.
If
you'd like to support the local economy and encourage the development of
"ecotourism" in Baja California, consider travelling independently, rather
than with an organized tour group. Why? Because when you travel on your
own, more of your money will go to the people living in Baja, or at least
that's the conclusion of one recent study:
"Serge Dedina (Email: serge@u.arizona.edu) and Emily Young conducted research on the cultural and political ecology of ecotourism in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The focus was on gray whale tourism in San Ignacio Lagoon and Magdalena Bay.According to their survey, local people receive less than one percent of gross profits from U.S. ecotourism companies. "Conservation and Development in the Gray Whale Lagoons of Baja California Sur, Mexico" was published by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Technical Information Service. To obtain a copy of the report, contact: the Marine Mammal Commission, 1825 Connecticut Ave., NW, Rm. 512, Washington, DC 20009; Fax: 202-606-5510, or visit their website.
Of
course, if you're not comfortable travelling on your own in Baja, or don't
have the time or resources for conducting your own trip, then reserve a
spot with a professional tour company. (The plane shown here is typical
of those used by tour groups to fly in their guests. They land at a dirt
airfield near the lagoon.)
No matter how you travel to San Ignacio Lagoon and other places in Baja California, please make use of the services offered by the people who live and work near these places. When their lives are improved with the input of ecotourism dollars, they will appreciate the economic value of preserving wildlife and wild places for future travellers.
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Created: December 1997 Updated October 1999 For more information contact Lori Saldaña |
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