By Jorge Andrade
Community Engagement is one of the three programs of Terra Peninsular, and part of its strategies include promoting the natural beauty of Baja California and the conservation actions that are applied to maintain that beauty.
This promotion is achieved with information talks to different sectors of the populations that are part of the ecosystems that need to be conserved, and since students of high school are part of these important sectors, Terra Peninsular offered informative talks in Ensenada and San Quintín in October.
ENSENADA
The first a talk was held with students of the high school CETMAR in Ensenada. Based on dialogues with students, topics such as the ecological importance of Baja California landscapes and the strategies and conservation actions implemented by Terra Peninsular were discussed.
During the talk the students were interested and actively participated, they showed a special interest in the actions carried out by the organization and expressed their interest in carrying out their professional service practices with Terra Peninsular.
On October 13, 2016, students traveled to San Quintín to visit the Punta Mazo Nature Reserve, where they had the opportunity to appreciate the ecosystems of the San Quintín Lagoon Complex.
Students, teachers and staff from Terra Peninsular climbed the Sudoeste Volcanoe and on the way to the top, Terra Peninsular staff and the teachers Pedro Arce and Ángel Guillen talked with the students about the plant and animal species that live in the reserve. Likewise, the biological and ecological importance of these species was pointed out.
At the top of the volcano, Field and Operations Officer of Terra Peninsular, Enrique Alfaro, offered a talk to the students that served to reinforce the knowledge acquired in the talk in Ensenada and during the tour. Later, after a photo shoot at the top of the volcano, the descent to the vehicles was undertaken.
SAN QUINTÍN
The aquaculture career is recent at the high school CETMAR in San Quintín and it represents one of the most promising professional development careers in the San Quintín area.
On October 14, 2016 a talk was given to the students of that career, where the staff of Terra Peninsular discussed with the students about the importance of San Quintín and how the oyster activity depends on the health conditions and conservation of the bay.
In the same way, they talked about the issues related to the species of flora and fauna that are in the bay and on the conservation actions that are carried out to protect them. The students were participative and questioned about the actions that are implemented and should be implemented to ensure the conservation of the bay.
AGENTS OF CHANGE
These students represent a new generation of oyster growers who are sensitive to environmental issues and who will function as agents of change in the region.
At the end of the talks, several students approached to ask how they can collaborate with Terra Peninsular. We were very grateful to be able to interact with these students: young residents, young people from San Quintín.
We thank teachers Pedro Arce, Ángel Guillen and Lenin Escobar for the opportunity to carry out these activities with their students. In the same way we extend our appreciation to the students of the high school CETMAR in Ensenada and San Quintín.
