Sumidero Canyon- Mexico

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Name	National Park Sumidero Canyon- Mexico
Place	Chiapas
Country	Mexico
Author(s)	Maythe Garcia V.
World Heritage	if applicable,enter the year of listing

Why is this case relevant?

The location of my site is in Mexico, in the state of Chiapas. This park is located along 5 municipalities and has a total area of 21,789 ha. This is one of the places that provides major imposing natural beauty in the country which has a lot recognition for its variety of vegetation, fauna and wild flora, climate topography and the high geologic value that represents and are considered to be necessary and favorable for the establishment of a National Park. In the year of 1980 was declared Portected National Area. In the year 2004 is considered a Ramsar site (wetlad of international impotance). This place has a high turistic, cultural and environmental value for the country.

Which idea of ‘design with nature’ guides the design concept of this site?

Before this area was declared Protected National area, the site was already with some urban developements (small communities). This is a big area and the control of all is not possible due to the amount of work and lack of organization that existed from the beginning. The site was designed in a organic way by the nature and due to the demand from the human the flora and fauna had change. A design for protecting this area might be required.

Which challenges is this landscape facing?

This area has an extensive variety of flora and fauna. Because of the intensive use from the tourists, industry, and citizens, the ecosystem has changed in the extrem of having endangered species in the site. Another issue is water contamination. One of the reason is the intensive rains, all the gabarge and wood branches end up in the river. The other reason is the industry and the settlelments along the river that are disposing of their garbage on the site. This means there is a big problem of solid and liquid waste. The problem of irregular settlements that are growing on the site is making the problem bigger. All these are because of the irregularities of norms and the extensive maintenance of the site. There are not enough people to control and there is a lack of information on how to take care and make less harm to the environment.

What would be your strategy for improvement?

The strategy of improvement is encouraging and inform citizens to protect the zone. At the same time enhancing the promotion and recognition of the park. This first two things will help to maintain the future projects the park will have. As an example, are campaings that will help to encourage citizens to protect the park. Such as campaings of cleanning, protecting, planting new trees among others. The strategy also covers a new design to protect the area and create a sustainable management plan. These desings must be sensitive and friendly with the ecosytem of the park. Two examples are, create friendly roads around the area and plant new trees as a protection and restoration design. The strategy can work if citizens, goverment, and tourists work together. As I mention before this is a big area and is few people that is taking care of.

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Image Gallery

Expansion of the existing settlements. CCA (2015), Cañón del Sumidero II: expediente de hechos relativo a la petición SEM-11-002, Comisión para la Cooperación Ambiental, Montreal, 98 pp.
Overview of the site. Google earth
Map of the area existing settlements. CCA (2015), Cañón del Sumidero II: expediente de hechos relativo a la petición SEM-11-002, Comisión para la Cooperación Ambiental, Montreal, 98 pp.
Water elements in the area.https://www.flickr.com
New proposal for restoration design. Modified from Google earth.
A new proposal to encourage citizens to clean and maintain the park.
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Coclusion. This strategy can work with the work from the goverment, citizens, and tourist.