Content

Introduction....................................................................................................... 1
1. General description.................................................................................... 1
The project site, construction, responsible for construction........................1
1.1 The project site........................................................................................ 1
1.2 Constructions carried out.........................................................................2
1.3 Responsible.............................................................................................. 3
2. Identification of impacts............................................................................. 3
Biological, Socio-cultural............................................................................. 3
2.1 Biological.................................................................................................. 3
a. Flora........................................................................................................ 3
b. Fauna...................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Socio-cultural........................................................................................... 4
3. Authorities.................................................................................................. 4
4. Actions taken by the society......................................................................5
4.1 Final Outcome.......................................................................................... 6
5. Conclusions................................................................................................ 6
Bibliography:.................................................................................................. 7
Introduction
The present document called "construction of touristic resort in natural area, peninsula
of Yucatan Mexico", discusses the different effects in flora, fauna of the sector and also
the problems to local people. These factors were to be a project rejected by deputies and
the Mexican Center of environmental law. Should be noted that the touristic resort
called "La Ensenada" today is concluded in Holbox and despite being a protected
natural area the island meets more than 20 years without a plan of environmental
management.
The authorities involved in the problem have lots of responsibilities due to its actions
have big impacts in the environment and in the project. It will analyze why they make
those decisions, and what actions the society taken in response to the resolution.

1. General description
The project site, construction, responsible for
construction

1.1 The project site

Holbox island, located to the North of Quintana ROO in the peninsula of Yucatan
Mexico, between the crystal clear waters of the Mexican Caribbean, within the
protected Area "Natural Yum Balam". It is a place with lots of history and culture, they
have legends that these lands were habitat of the Maya and their descendants. With the
passage of the years, the island was guarded by many pirates, Europeans, survivors of
the war of castes, entrepreneurs in Yucatn, etc.

Figure 1. Lpez, J. (2014). Warning: Divide Holbox would open doors to the development of the project
"the Cove. Location of protected area in Holbox. [Figure]. Recovered from:
https://a7.com.mx/index.php?notaid=34970

Holbox is characterized by its nature, such as beaches, bathing beauties, viewpoints,

caves, sea waves, etc. It was also declared as a Natural Protected Area in 1994, Holbox
is currently one of the most important touristic destinations in the area, threatening
biodiversity and local inhabitants of the island.

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The threat to this natural area protected by presidential decree from Mexico is the sight
of tourism investors, in 2012, the island was a candidate for the construction of a
touristic resort called "La Ensenada".

1.2 Constructions carried out

Authorization and construction of the project brought many complaints, scenarios of
injustice and despair in order to avoid eviction and the affectation of the flora and fauna
on the island. Those responsible for the project and the threats on Holbox island
ecosystems will be mentioned later.
The project "La Ensenada" has an area of involvement of 928Ha, in this project the
construction of three hotels with 8.65Ha, 114.57Ha multiple-use buildings, commercial
1. 44Ha, an a harbour connected to the lagoon through a main channel, also roads 23Ha
and a heliport was made. Estimates indicate that around 90Ha remained as a
conservation area and joined the 800Ha of conservation areas.

Figure 2. Google Mapas. (2017). Location of the total area of the project "La Ensenada". [Figure].

The promotors of the project ensured that this property is preserved, particularly
through implementing a preservation strategy through tourism and can also improve the
lives of local communities. Nevertheless, this strategy is a contradiction due to the
threats of biodiversity by the generation of solid tourist wastes.

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Figure 3. The history with maps. (2016). Buildings in Holbox project "The Cove". [Figure]. Recovered
from: http://www.cancuntips.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/mapa-holbox.jpg

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1.3 Promotors
Peninsula Maya Developments, an association of entrepreneurs in Yucatn and Mexico
DF, in 2012 develop an Environmental Impact Assessment to the Ministry of
environment and natural resources (Semarnat) to request the authorization to build the
resort.
After a month later of having requested permission, Peninsula Maya Developments
entrepreneurs withdrew the request of environmental impact. Leaving even open the
possibility that this consortium composed of the owner of Bepensa (bottler of Coca Cola
in Yucatan), as well as the Group ARA (one of the large development companys houses
operating in Mexico), enter a new tourism development plan. In the Semarnat page it
appears as "complete", the procedure for the approval of the project "La Ensenada".

2. Identification of impacts
Biological, Socio-cultural

2.1 Biological
a. Flora
It includes the potential involvement of the species that are seated in the area of
the project due to the movement of land, clearing, or implementation of the civil
projects. The main ecosystems and species potentially damaged by the
construction of "La Ensenada" are red mangrove, white, and black; also low
semi-deciduous, palmaris flooded and different pastures. CEMDA made a
complaint to the project "La Ensenada" with the dredging of the coast. This is
damaging different species of mangroves on the island.
b. Fauna
It covers the temporary deterrent potential, reduction of habitat or species, risk
of disease and migration of the terrestrial fauna. Birds such as the flamenco, the
Buzzard (known as King Vulture), crested Eagles and Peregrine nest in Holbox
island. In addition, there is an important nesting sea turtles and whale sharks
world's largest migration in its coasts and there are all neo tropical, such as
amphibians and reptile mammals. CEMDA also denounced the "Ensenada"
project with the dredging of the coast in Chiquil, the area closest to the Earth,
as well as the construction of channels of three kilometers in length, spanning
some sections of the island. This damaged the Yalahau Lake, manatee habitat, a
mammal with fins, unique on the shores of the Caribbean.

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 Figure 4. Mexico through the eyes of a Cuban. (2016). Mexico and biological diversity. [Figure].
Recovered from: http://adligmary.blogspot.com/2016/05/mexico-y-la-diversidad-biologica.html

Specialist in environmental management warned that the protected areas of the country
of Mexico are at grave risk to the excessive increase of tourists. They stressed that the
more hazardous areas are: Cabo Pulmo National Park, the reserve of the Sierra La
Laguna biosphere of the monarch butterfly biosphere reserve, the Los Tuxtlas biosphere
reserve and the Montes Azules biosphere reserve.

2.2 Socio-cultural
By the approval of the construction of the projects, they caused the eviction of villagers
in the sector, about 1400 inhabitants who live mostly in its agricultural products and
fisheries were evicted, where some of them sold their land to the conglomerate of
investors.
The increase in tourism in Holbox has serious consequences for the
ecosystem. According to data from the Association Civil Communication and
Environment, in the year 2008, were collected near a ton daily waste and on holidays
approximately two tons. Since 2015, it increased up to six tons per day and holiday
about 12 tons, increasing garbage with each year due to the popularity of Holbox island.
Not having an environmental management plan, there is no adequate treatment of this
waste, after it inauguration the general treatment given to waste is to burn it, if the lack
rain is permitting it. This activity affects directly to the arrival of turtles and various
species of birds, as well as the direct contamina tion of the air by gas emissions.

3. Authorities
The principal authorities involved in the Project La Ensenada are the Semarnat
(Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources), the Conap (National commission of
Protected Natural Areas) and Cemda (Mexican Center of Environment Rights).
Semarnat is Mexicos ministry of environment, it oversees everything about protection,
conservation and efficient use of natural resources of the country. It also makes the
national environmental politics for the sustainable development. It was created in
November 30 of 2000, and its current minister is Rafael Pacchiano Alamn.
Before Semarnat there was other group of people in 1972 who demonstrated interest of
care the environment; but this group was only a subdivision from the secretary of
healthiness, so its impact for protect the environment was not very good. Then in 1976
the secretary was divided in many groups who cares the environment, but this wasnt
efficient, so in 2000 was officially created the ministry of environment Semarnat.
The functions from Mexicos ministry of environment are:
Promote the protection and conservation of the environment and natural
resources, also the goods and environmental services to propitiate its correctly
use and sustainable development.
Formulate and lead the national politics in order to natural resources, as the same
as ecologic, environmental recoverable and environmental regulation of urban
development.
Guard and promote the fulfillment of the laws, and the Mexican official rules.

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 Organize and manage the protected areas and supervise the work of conservation
and protection in those areas
Participate and determinate the general ideas to stimulate financial help from
different organization to care the environment.
Make different management plans to mitigate the current environmental
contamination to create a more conscious society.
The ministry of environment has lots of sub organization who are in charge of a specific
areas. These sub organizations are assign for the ministry, and have a big scope since
financial or economy until the study of environment.
Cemda is an independent organization who defend the environment and natural
resources. It acts like the official organization who present the legal documents to the
Semarnat if there is an environmental impact cause by some project.
Cemda was born in 1993 inside the context of free trade agreement by a group of
lawyers interested on development and the protection of environment and natural
resources.
Its working made lots of achievements, and one of them was decrease the air pollution
in the center of Mexico.
Its mission is that any company or promotor who want to do a project, must fulfill the
laws of Mexico. That means a very strict regulation of the protected areas and natural
resources.
The Conap is an Organization assign by the ministry who has to administrate the
Protected Areas.
The sides of this problem are:
The promotor (Maya developments) try to present an environmental impact assessment,
but the Sernat join with Conap do not make a study of the management from this area,
so the promotor makes an environmental impact assessment, but the Cemda found many
information that is not correct.

Figure 5. Principal Authorities involved in La Ensenada Project

4. Actions taken by the society

The society divided in two group of people, one of them supports the project and the
other group reject the project. This makes that the Holbox island divided in 4 ejidos, and
that means lots of problems for the promotor. Since that division, the promotor was

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accused of illegal expropriation, so it has to defend itself in judgement, and also the
promotor needs the approval of the other group of people that reject the project.
People who reject the project have the support of Cemda, and together makes the
project get stuck. So, the promotor not only has the problem of the environmental
impact assessment also has the problem of the people in the area who do not like the
idea of the project. Also this problem has caught the attention of famous people in
Mexico, such as the actor Luis Gerardo Mendez who has published in his twitter count
demanding to Juan Jos Guerra (the Secretary of environment and natural resources and
profepa) that the project has been stopped.
Since the proposal of La Ensenada project, people start to join signs from the people
who think that Holbox island must be a Natural Patrimony of the humanity. Now a
day they have joined 71000 signs, they just need 9 thousand signs to present that
document to The Unesco and try to get that shield for the area.

Figure 6. Members of Ejidos take the mayor hall for dispossession of their lands

4.1 Final Outcome

Since 2012 the project La Ensenada had problems with the permissions that they had
to obtain. These problems make the project get stuck, then in 2014 try to reactivate the
project changing some parts of the study and trying to reduce the impact, but the
Pressure of the people who live there and the ecologist, make that the project keep
stuck. In 2015 the Promotor (Maya development) decide to not give one more cent for
the project until Semarnat and Conap make the management plan for the area. Now a
day the project keeps stuck and does not have a certain future.

5. Conclusions
Because La Ensenada touristic project purpose is to preserve nature and
improve lives of the local inhabitants, it needs an environmental
management plan that regulates
Currently, Holbox island counts with more future construction projects,
the pertinent authorities must enforce the law and demand require the
certificate of intersection for the construction of other projects.
It is a recommendation for the Ministry of the environment in Mexico
forbid the presentation of many projects that involve the same natural

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 area, because that would make some pression on the area, especially for
people who live there.
The promotors must start to think that if the area does not have all the
specifications given by the Ministry of the environment to make an
appropriate environmental impact assessment, it is better change the
location of the project, because it would become in a bet where they can
lose lots of money and time.

Bibliography:
[1] Paula, A. (2014, 06). Vuelve la amenaza sobre Holbox: lugareos son despojados de
sus terrenos para construir un complejo turstico. Ecoosfera. Obtenido 06, 2014, de
http://ecoosfera.com/2014/06/la-isla-holbox-sera-despojada-para-proyecto-turistico/
[2] REDBOCADEPOLEN, (2014, 06). Concluido proyecto mega turstico La
Ensenada en Holbox. Boca de polen Red de comunicadores. Obtenido 06, 2014, de
http://bocadepolen.org/web/concluido-proyecto-mega-turistico-la-ensenada-en-holbox/
[3] Mundo de hoy, (2012, 11). Algunas organizaciones de la sociedad civil junto con el
CEMDA han alertado sobre las graves afectaciones ambientales que sufrira Yum
Balam. El Proyecto residencial-turstico La Ensenada en picada.
[4] Corona, S. (2014, 06). Un Proyecto turstico amenaza el rea natural de la isla de
Holbox. El Pas. Obtenido 06, 2014, de
http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2014/06/06/actualidad/1402091457_35327
8.html
[5] SIPSE. (2014,06). La Ensenada deja de ser amenaza para Holbox. NOVEDADES
QUINTANA ROO.
[6] Vsquez, J. (2015,02). Ni un peso ms a proyecto en Holbox. EL
ECONOMISMTA.
[7] Vsquez, J. (201,05). Iniciativa Salvemos Holbox, cerca de las 80000 firmas. EL
ECONOMISMTA.