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The Softer Side of Spring, Encounters with the Natural World

The Botanical Garden at the University of the Sea, Puerto Escondido
(El Jardín Botánico en la UMAR Puerto Escondido)

[colibri]
     HOURS: Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Free Admission. It is located at kilómetro 240 on the highway from Puerto Escondido to Sola de Vega

 
IN 2005, A 17 HECTARE PARCEL of land, which had been slated to become a new municipal dump, was instead donated to the Puerto Escondido campus of the University of the Sea (UMAR) to convert into a botanical garden. The land, much of old growth woods, was clear cut for logging some ten years earlier, then left alone.

Faculty and students went to work on nurturing the land and restoring the plants native to the lowland deciduous forest environment typical of the Oaxacan coast. The garden is made up of a series of hills, which form a gully that becomes a creek during the rainy season.

The Botanical Garden is now ready to receive visitors. Some 2 hectares with meandering trails are available for guided tours. The remainder of the terrain is used for the project's scientific mission of conservation, investigation and propagation of indigenous plants and wildlife.

[mariposa] It is a work in progress, a living museum where you can observe some 800 varieties of 100 species of plants and learn about their morphological, environmental and physiological characteristics, as well as the cultural and economical aspects of Mexican flora, particularly Oaxacan. All these plants have adapted to our specialized climate made up of a 5 to 8 month dry season characterized by the presence of flowers and fruits and the rainy season, when the trees burst into leaf, providing a shady canopy for the entire garden.

[frangipani] As the forest is nursed back to its natural state, so, too, much of the native fauna has returned, including mammals such as: onzas, a small ocelot-like wild cat, foxes, possums, deer, skunks, armadillos, moles, and at least 30 species of birds, not to mention to reptiles and insects. When I visited, accompanied by project director Guillermo Sánchez and graduate student Rosalda Herrera, whose thesis is the cataloguing of the many forest species, I was most surprised by the orchids and bromiliads, normally associated with the pine forests of higher elevation. Guillermo admitted he, too, was surprised at their chance discovery, after one the few remaining old trees fell. A crew was sent to cut and remove it and that's when the orchids were found. There are now 9 species of orchids and 7 bromiliads that appear to be thriving.

Of course, much of what makes up the familiar landscape will not be found here: Palms, bougainvillea, hibiscus, and so on, are not native to the state nor to the continent. But one of my favorites is: the plumeria or frangipani, with its showy, long-lasting flowers used to make garlands (and Hawaiian leis; this one was an export, not an import). Although no plants are for sale, the staff will be pleased to advise homeowners interested in cultivating native species for reasons of esthetics or water conservation.

IF YOU GO: Plan for at least 40 minutes for a basic tour. Respect the integrity of the Botanical Garden, Don't remove anything from the area and don't stray off the paths. And, of course keep it clean.

Barra de Navidad

[pico espatula] PALMASOLA is an example of how tourism (at least a small but growing slice of it) can positively impact a region. A growing number of previously marginalized communities have turned to eco-tourism for sustainable economic growth. In the process, a culture of environmentalism takes root. In this case it's the small towns of Barra de Navidad and La Ventanilla (not to be confused with the community near Mazunte which earlier followed this path). The restored wetlands complex comprising the twin lagoons of Los Naranjos and Palmasola are teeming with birds and animal life.

In fact, so successful has this project become that it has won the support of numerous academic institutions. Recently a new bird guide to the Oaxacan coast was published that focuses specifically on this relatively tiny wetlands complex, which is just 10 minutes up the road from Puerto's centro.

[barra de navidad] The book Guia de Aves Humedales Palmasola y Los Naranjos by Carlos Bonilla-Ruz et al was supported by grants from leading Mexican research institutions. It lists 94 of the 120 species that have been recorded at the lagunas.

You can take a leisurely motor-less launch tour of the lagoons, but if you want a quick nature fix, just spend some time at the project's Visitors' Center, where you see iguanas, sea and land turtles, crocodiles in various stages of development, as well as sundry other species that have been brought in by villagers.

Finca Las Nieves

SITTING AMIDST 1,000 sprawling acres of wooded hillside, creeks and towering trees, situated 4,000 feet in the Sierra cloud forest, Finca Las Nieves is a working coffee farm which offers elegant rustic accommodations amid the tranquil beauty of the old-growth mountain forests which shade the coffee plants and shelter native wildlife.

Visitors can hike the miles of trails through the woods, enjoying spectacular views, colorful butterflies, exotic birds and plantlife. You can savor the excellent coffee and learn about the entire coffee-raising process, as well as tour the nearby Chatino towns and villages.

Information on this truly tranquil get-away is available at Hotel Santa Fe: 582 0170. www.hotelsantafe.com.mx

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