ORIGIN

Amigos de Sian Ka’an was founded in June of 1986 by 14 residents of Cancún, their purpose being to promote the preservation of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (RBSK) and its surrounding areas with the support and participation from the private sector.

The creation of Amigos de Sian Ka’an set a precedent for being the first non-governmental, non-profit assocation formed in Mexico. With the collaboration of conservationists, land owners on the coastal areas of RBSK, developers, interested volunteers and investigators in the field of natural resourses, ASK became critically involved in the conservation of a protected natural area administered by the federal government.

The initial financing for the reserve and the first studies were supplied by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) and the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF-US) with the support of the Department of Urban Development and Ecology (SEDUE) along with the state government. Prior to the founding of the association, Dr.Arturo Lápezserved as consultant for the governor of the state of Quintana Roo and with a grant from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) he initiated the process of forming the civil association, guaranteeing future support for the RBSK.

MISSION

Conservation of the biodiversity for present and future generations.

OPERATIONAL POLICIES

The purpose of Amigos de Sian Ka’an’s conservational actions and handling of scientific and information is for the planning and development of environmental policies as well as the pursuit of and solutions to achieving sustainable development.

ASK is not affiliated with any religious organization or political party. We strive to be non-confrontation and harmonious with our working partners.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

ALFREDO MEDINA CHEMOR

VICE-PRESIDENT

EFRAIN VILLANUEVA ARCOS

TREASURER

RICARDO SEGURA ENRIQUEZ

SECRETARY AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

GONZALO MEREDIZ ALONSO

TRUSTEES
ALBERTO CHARLES SALDIVAR
GABRIEL ESCALANTE TORRES
BEATRIZ BARREAL DANE
ALFONSO BAYÓN RÍOS
JOYCE COLEMAN
JAIME VALENZUELA TAMARIZ
CARLOS CONSTANDSE MADRAZO
BARBARA MACKINNON DE MONTES
EFRAIN VILLANUEVA ARCOS
JUAN BEZAURY CREEL
LUIS CÁMARA PATRÓN
EMILIO REYNER PORTESGIL
ANTONIO SILVA GUTIERREZ
DORIS NECKELMANN MATTHAEI
ALFREDO SOTO MARTÍNEZ
DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ MEDINA
ARMANDO MILLET VALES
DIEGO ALBERTO COVARRUBIAS
KATYA MARTÍNEZ DE BALLESTEROS
MARIBEL RIVEROLL MENDOZA
LUIS ORTÍZ CARDÍN
MARIO RENDÓN MONFORTE
RAÚL VILLANUEVA ARGÜELLES
RODOLFO VALLE VILLASEÑOR
ARTURO BORREGO DORANTES
JOSÉ ANGULO OLIVA
MARGARITO MOLINA RENDÓN
BENJAMÍN MORALES VELA
JUAN PABLO CARRICART GANIVET
HARAL ALBRECHT ARELLANO
JUAN PABLO ORTEGA CEBALLOS
CARLOS PÉREZ QUINTAL
HUMBERTO VIDAL RUSSI
HÉCTOR CHUMACERO CARBAJAL.

STAFF

ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ GONZÁLEZ
MARTÍN MEX TAMAYO
ROY ROBER UITZ CHALÉ
CAROLINA SÁNCHEZ MORALES
DANIEL PÉREZ PACHECO
CÉSAR BARRIOS MARTÍNEZ ROJAS
ANDREA PRIDA BAY
YAZMIN PAREDES VEGA
BASILIO VELÁZQUEZ CHI
LILIANA XIMENA LÓPEZ CRUZ
MARÍA CONCEPCION XIJUN
CORNELIO BAAS FALCÓN
VIDAL VELA SIERRA
ALEJANDRA FREGOSO
ALBERT FRANQUESA FRINOS
THOMAS MELLER
BIANCA ORVAÑANOS CARRANZA
ADRIANA DEL ANGEL GARCIA
NANCY ALEJANDRA MAFFIODO
LUIS FERNANDO DEL VALLE
TATIANA VELASCO FLORES
MIRIAM REZA GAONA
JOSÉ LUIS JIMÉNEZ CAUICH
MARTHA CHUC AZUETA

OBJECTIVES

• Identify, protect and preserve areas with an elevated value of biodiversity, as well as those essential to the maintenance of ecological processes or critical to the maintenance of biological cycles of migratory species, threatened or in danger of extinction.
• Generate tools and models to implement alternatives in favor of the conservation of sites and the handling of resources compatible with the sustainable development.
• Supply training and environmental education to the different sectors of our society.
• Collaborate and support international organizations, the different sectors of the government (federal, state, and municipal), the private sector, the local communities, the non-governmental organizations, and the education and investigation centers focused on reaching the preceding objectives.
• Be an exemplary association, efficient and modern, capable of carrying out our mission and objectives for which it was created.

Integral Areas

Tourism Initiative of the Mesoamerican Reef (MARTI):

This initiative brings together the hotel industry, tourism project developers, cruise lines, providers of aquatic services and the state government of Quintana Roo in the implementation of good environmental practices and policies to promote the conservation of the fragile ecosystems in the Mexican Caribbean. The project promotes innovative strategies to minimize the potential negative impact that the tourism industry could have over the natural resources of the area.

The implementation of the project is currently focused on the Riviera Maya, working in partnership with 126 members of the Association of Hotels of the Riviera Maya. The plan is to implement the initiative throughout the Mexican Caribbean in the future.

Geographic Information System (GIS):

The geographic information system laboratory contains the most extensive and comprehensive geographic information base in the Yucatan Peninsula. It is the tool used by Amigos de Sian Ka’an to plan conservation action and development of the region.

GIS has been of great value to many outside institutions that have used the information generated by Amigos de Sian Ka’an for protecting reserves, identifying land tenure problems, locating and combating forest fires, defining natural protected areas, and identifying the distribution of natural resources, in addition to many other projects.

We invite you to visit our MAP SECTION.

Environmental Education:

Amigos de Sian Ka’an is constantly running outreach projects and environmental education programs. As a result of these programs, a significant amount of educational material has been generated and published which is being used to promote local awareness of conservation and respect for the environment. In addition, scientific information generated from the research programs of the Amigos de Sian Ka’an, has been transformed and adapted to a simple language and embodied in a series of bulletins and documents available for public use.

Amigos de Sian Ka’an has developed an extensive collection of environmental books and resources (over 4,500 titles), offering unique research tools with titles that deal with water conservation, soil and biodiversity, ecology of the flora, fauna and environments of the Yucatan Peninsula, planning and management of natural protected areas, legislation, policy and environmental education. The collection includes an extensive library of written resources, videos and cds.

We invite you to visit our PUBLICATION SECTION and order your books.

PROJECTS

• 1.- Acquisition and conservation of the “Pez Maya” estate in the Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka´an. (Responsible)
• 2.- Mexico-Belize Alliance for the management of shared coastal resources. (Responsible)
• 3.- Analysis of the fishery in Punta Allen, Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka´an. (Responsible)
• 4.- Support for the ecotourism initiative of the Mayan community of Chunyaxché, Quintana Roo, Mexico. (Responsible)
• 5.- Coral reefs of the Cancun-Tulum corridor; characterization and recommendations on its management.
• 6.- Coral reefs of Sian Ka´an; characterization and recommendations on its management. (Responsible)
• 7.- Coral reefs of the Mayan coast, Punta Pulticub, Xcalak; characterization and recommendations on its management.
• 8.- Reproductive Biology and breeding dynamics of the Crocodylus gender in the Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka´an, Quintana Roo, with the purpose of evaluating the utilization potential. (Responsibl
• 9.- Training of teachers and incorporation of environmental educational material in programs of selected schools. (Responsible)
• 10.- Ecotourism instruction for inhabitants of communities of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, community ecotourism. (Responsible)
• 11.- Characterization, conservation and management of the northern limits of the Mesoamerican Reefs System in Mexico. (Responsible)
• 12.- Characterization, monitoring, and development of alliances of the Mesoamerican Reefs System. (Collaborator)
• 13.- Aerial census of manatees in the northern and central coast of Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 14.- Marketing of community products in Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 15.- Combining the ecotourism and migratory bird conservation in the Peninsula of Yucatan, Mexico (Responsible)
• 16.- Knowledge and appraisal of the biodiversity of the RBSK and the traditional use of the natural resources as an alternative for regional development. (Responsible)
• 17.- Conservation of birds in the Peninsula of Yucatán. (Responsible)
• 18.- Conservation of critical wetlands of Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 19.- Conservation of lands and waters on the coast of the Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka´an. (Responsible)
• 20.- Conservation of private estates of Quintana Roo.
• 21.- Cooperation between Canada and Mexico for the protection of coral reefs in Quintana Roo, Mexico. (Responsible)
• 22.- Construction of the research station and coastal management in Mahahual, Costa Maya, Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 23.- Community development in Mahahual. (Responsible)
• 24.- Development of educational material for the Peninsula of Yucatán. (Responsible)
• 25.- Determine resilience of coral reefs in Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 26.- Diagnosis of fishing zone of Isla Contoy. (Responsible)
• 27.- Diagnosis of fisheries in the coastal zone of the Cancun-Tulum corridor.
• 28.- Environmental education about coral reefs in the coast of Quintana Roo, Mexico. (Responsible)
• 29.- Elaboration of the Conservation and Management of the Protection area of Flora and Fauna Program of Bala´an K´aax. (Responsible)
• 30.- Elaboration of the Conservation and Management Program for the National Park of Tulum. (Responsible)
• 31.- Eradication of the Casuarina sp., in the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an. (Responsible)
• 32.- Establishment of a Natural Protected Area in the Arrowsmith Bank, Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 33.- Establishment of a Natural Protected Area in the Island of Cozumel. (Responsible)
• 34.- Establishment of a Natural Protected Area in Xaman-Ha. (Collaborator)
• 35.- Establishment and consolidation of a network of environmental guards for the sustainable development of the Costa Maya. (Responsible)
• 36.- Communitarian strategy for the management of fishing and tourism in the National Reef Park of Xcalak. (Responsible)
• 37.- Strategies for the conservation of marine areas for Mexico. (Responsible)
• 38.- Study of crocodile nesting in the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an, Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 39.- Marketing study for the commercialization of natural gum in the tourist zone of Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 40.- Study of the aggregation of fish in Sian Ka´an. (Responsible)
• 41.- Study of the aggregation zone of perch in Xcalak. (Responsible)
• 42.- Pilot Electromagnetic Study of the hydrogeology of the karst system in the north of the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an, Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 43.- Evaluation for the establishment of the biological corridor between the Biosphere Reserves of Sian Ka´an and Calakmul. (Responsible)
• 44.- Expansion and rural training in the cooperation zone of the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an. (Responsible)
• 45.- Identification of habitats through satellite imagery. (Responsible)
• 46.- Inventory of vegetable species with potential for craftsmanship use. (Responsible)
• 47.- Inventory of wildlife and communitarian participation in the process of conservation of the proposed Biosphere Reserve Bala´an K´aax, Quintana Roo, Mexico. (Responsible)
• 48.- Biological-fishery investigation of sharks, Selachoidei suborder, in the Biosphere Reserve of Sian Ka´an. (Responsible)
• 49.- Management of the “Tendón de Sapo” reed. (Responsible)
• 50.- Management of gum. (Responsible)
• 51.- Management of wild plants with potential for ornamental use. (Responsible)
• 52.- Management of solid residue in Cancún, Quintana Roo (Responsible)
• 53.- Integrated management of solid waste in the communities of Xcalak and Mahahual, Costa Maya, Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 54.- Integrated management of coastal resources in the Costa Maya. (Responsible)
• 55.- Sustainable management of butterflies. (Responsible)
• 56.- Management and conservation of crocodiles in the Nichupte Lagoon System, Cancun. (Responsible)
• 57.- Mechanization of commercial fishing. (Responsible)
• 58.- Improvement of the urban image of Xcalak. (Responsible)
• 59.- Marketing of rights of transferable development . (Responsible)
• 60.- Monitoring of reefs in the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an. (Responsible)
• 61.- Monitoring of birds in the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an. (Responsible)
• 62.- Monitoring of quiropteros. (Responsible)
• 63.- Monitoring in the levying of spiny lobster post larvae in the Bahía de Asunción. (Responsible)
• 64.- Nature Guide Training Program/Yucatan. (Responsible)
• 65.- Opportunities for communitarian ecotourism for the conservation of sustainable of AICAS in Mexico and Panama. (Responsible)
• 66.- Experimental fishing of king crab Menippe mercenaria. (Responsible)
• 67.- Experimental fishing of lobster outside the Bay of Ascension and Bay of Espiritu Santo. (Responsible)
• 68.- Plan for the Priority Areas of the northeastern Peninsula of Yucatan. (Collaborator)
• 69.- Eco-environmental Certification Program for suppliers of tourist services in the coast of Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 70.- Program for the conservation of private estates. (Responsible)
• 71.- Program for the conservation and monitoring of the Biosphere Reserve Banco Chinchorro. (Responsible)
• 72.- Management program for Isla Contoy. (Participant)
• 73.- Program for monitoring of the reef system of the Mexican Caribbean. (Responsible)
• 74.- Promotion of the integrated handling of the coastal resources in the Costa Maya. (Responsible)
• 75.- Proposal for the Protected Natural Area of Bala´an K´aax. (Responsible)
• 76.- Prospection for marine turtles in the central zone of the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an. (Participant)
• 77.- Protection of the biodiversity in the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an and support for culture through the translation to the Mayan language of the educational book “La Gran Selva Maya”.(Collaborator
• 78.- Protection of the hydrological basin of the Bahia de Espiritu Santo – Protected Area of Flora and Fauna Uaymil. ( Responsible)
• 79.- Regulation of nautical activities and related services in the Municipality of Benito Juarez, Quintana Roo. (Responsible)
• 80.- Environmental Health in the Zona Maya of Quintana Roo. (Responsible) Among others.

ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1,000,000 hectares of forest, wetlands and coral reef protected by promoting the management of the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an and the establishment of eight more protected natural areas (reefs of Sian Ka´an, Cozumel, Banco Chinchorro, west coast of Isla Mujeres-Punta Cancun-Punta Nizuc, Xcalak, Uaymil, Isla Contoy, and Bala´an K´aax).
• Participation in the elaboration of the conservation and managing programs of six protected natural areas.
• Elaboration, in coordination with the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas, of the Coastal Territorial Ecological Ordainment of the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an.
• Participation in the elaboration of the Coastal Territorial Ordainment Program for the Rivera Maya and Costa Maya.
• Amigos de Sian Ka´an headed the International Initiative of Coral Reefs (ICRI) immediate predecessor of the Mesoamerican Reef System Program signed by the presidents of Belice, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
• 100 rural, coastal, and urban communities supported in their projects for sustainable development.
• 12 cooperative societies, 230 eco-tourism guides of 13 communities benefited from training in English, naturalism, first aid, and observation and identification of birds.
• Support for research for the conservation of biodiversity by students and researchers of more than 30 universities and national and foreign research centers, producing theses in bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees.
• 95% of the reefs of Quintana Roo has have been described scientifically by ASK.
• Acquisition of the Pez Maya Conservation Center, with 25 hectares and 3 kilometers of beach for the coastal, marine, and wetlands, in the Biosphere Sian Ka´an.
• Amigos de Sian Ka´an established one of the first geographical information systems in the south-east of Mexico.
• Generating more than 50 publications including scientific magazines, manuals, bulletins, and educative material directed to students, researchers, users of natural resources, developers, and tourists.

RECOGNITIONS

• 1.- First place in the Literary Prize Contest “Ricardo Mimenza Castillo, 1994. Given by the State Government through the Institute of Culture of Yucatán, for the publishing of the book “El Mar y sus Recursos” from Juan José Morales.
• 2.- Conde Nast Traveller Award, 1966. En honor al compromiso en la planeación ecológicamente sensible y el uso de los recursos naturales.
• 3.- Henry Prize, 1997. Awarded to Amigos de Sian Ka´an and The Nature Conservatory for “The International Initiative for the Conservation of the Coral Reefs”.
• 4.- Recognition by the Secretaría del Medio Ambiente Recursos Naturales y Pesca (SEMARNAT), 2000. For the worthy collaboration in the development of the Natural Protected Areas Program 1995-2000.
• 5.- Recognition by the National Reef Park of Cozumel (CONANP-SEMARNAT), 2001. For participation in protective and conservation actions of the coral reefs.
• 6.- PREMIO CANCUNISSIMO, 2002. For consistency in the social compromise with the conservation of the ecosystems of Quintana Roo, awarded by Cancunissimo Magazine.
• 7.- Recognition by the Coastal Resources Center of the University of Rhode Island, 2002. For the dedication and commitment in the successful management of the coastal environments.
• 8.- Recognition by The Nature Conservancy – Maine Chapter, 2002. For the effort in protecting the lands and waters of Sian Ka´an for the migratory birds from Maine and for future generations.
• 9.-Recognition “Dr. Enrique Beltrán Castillo” to the Conservation of Nature, 2003, in the category of Civil Organizations. Awarded by the Government of the Republic through the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas, for the compromise and achievement with the conservation of nature in Mexico.
• 10.- Honorary Mention Prize to Ecological Merit, 2004, in the category Social Sector. Awarded by the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, for the inspiring labor in the promotion, and conservation of natural protected areas in Mexico.
• 11.- Whitley Award, 2005. For the work in the sustainable development of the neighboring communities of the Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka´an, Quintana Roo. Awarded by the Whitley Fund for Nature, Sting and Trudie Styler.
• 12.- Recognition from the Secretary of Tourism of Quintana Roo, 2006. For extraordinary labor in the conservation of the natural reserves of Quintana Roo.
• 13.- Recognition by the Government of the State of Quintana Roo through the Secretary of Urban Development and Environment, 2008.For the outstanding work in the conservation of the natural resources.