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Unparalleled Active Learning Adventures Planned for Threatened Maya Underworld
Foremost in the efforts of the scientific community is to understand the hydrology of this area. Spearheaded by Dr. Luis Marin of UNAM who has worked extensively in the Northwest corner of the peninsula, this important and valuable study is only just beginning. Little is known about how our aquifer functions. What we do know about the freshwater aquifer of this area can be summed up in the following statements:
-
There is a lens of freshwater across the entire Peninsula. - A layer of saltwater beneath it supports this lens.
- The further you go towards the interior, the deeper the freshwater lens becomes (In the case of Playa del Carmen the lens is about 12-15 meters thick, in the case of Merida it is over 60 meters thick).
- Along the coast of the Riviera Maya freshwater flows through the underground rivers and exits into the Caribbean Sea most noticeably at caletas. (Xel Ha, Xcaret, Tres Rios, Yalku and Xpu Ha are all examples of caletas).
- Significant flow of saltwater has been measured flowing inland through the deeper basement levels of the cave systems.
- Due the very porous nature of limestone, the aquifer that serves our area is extremely susceptible to contamination.
- One of the main contributing factors to the downfall of the ancient Maya civilization was water related, specifically a cyclical drought. No small wonder that Chaac the Rain God sat high in their pantheon.
The fragility of the aquifer is clearly demonstrated in the case of the Ox Bel Ha cave system. Ox Bel Ha extends over nine kilometers back from the beaches of Tulum into the jungle. It is possible for a diver to enter a cenote 8.5 kilometers inland from the beach and navigate the cave system all the way out to the coral reefs of Tulum without ever seeing the light of day. If a diver can make this voyage, so too can any contaminant that enters the aquifer. A garbage dump, development or sewage treatment plant could have disastrous effects not only on the freshwater resource for the area, but also every single ecosystem that this cave system connects.
With a growth rate in our area of 23%, we should be concerned. Considering that this growth is fed by the tourist industry and that the tourist industry is based on the natural beauty and cultural heritage of this area the irony immediately becomes evident. Tourism accounts for close to 33% of the GNP of Mexico. Cancun and the Riviera Maya bring in almost 40% of that tourist dollar, which means that our area contributes almost 12% to the GNP of Mexico. By killing the goose that laid the golden egg, we risk the future of a not only a healthy environment, but in the end, and more importantly a healthy economy for not only our area, but Mexico as a whole. The lessons have already been learned, we need only look at Acapulco, once a shining jewel for Mexican tourism, condemned in 2002 by the Mexican Secretary of the Environment for its high levels of contamination. In our own back yard, we need only look as far as Merida. Of the 60 meters of freshwater that lies below Merida, the first 20 meters have officially been declared unfit for human consumption due to high levels of contamination. In the Riviera Maya we have 12-30 meters of freshwater below us, if that much.
With
these figures in mind, the Centro Investigador del Sistema Acuífero de
Quintana Roo AC (CINDAQ) was established in 2000. Through innovative
programs and partnerships CINDAQ works to facilitate research, promote
education, and support conservation of the natural and cultural
resources associated with the cenotes and underground rivers of Quintana
Roo, Mexico. Education is CINDAQ’s top priority, and in order to
accomplish its educational goals CINDAQ has partnered with award winning
ecotour operator
Alltournative SA de CV and academia to begin creating a wide variety
of educational products. These products intend to use the incredible
natural and cultural backdrop of the Yucatán Peninsula as a living
classroom.
One such program is the ‘Alltournative Spring Break’ which is in the pre-proposal phase right now with the National Science Foundation. Through Dr. Barry Rock of The University of New Hampshire and its U.S. and Mexican partners we are proposing an innovative model to be developed between academia and the tourist industry in Mexico. This collaborative effort will use Geospatial technology (satellite-based remote sensing, GIS, and GPS), innovative field studies and sustainable tourism experiences to engage Mexican and U.S. high school/college students, tourists, and researchers in activities focused on the ecological, cultural, and economic value of cenotes and surrounding forests on the Yucatán Peninsula.
Using Dr. Rocks successful Forest Watch program as its model this new active learning approach will allow research scientists to integrate participant-generated, citizen science data into their studies. The combination of the high tech Geospatial Technologies, hands-on fieldwork, and the rich traditions and culture of the ancient and indigenous Maya will form the innovative model. The model is built on a unique and engaging educational program of active learning on multiple levels in which non-scientifically trained participants become active contributors to the research.