Punta Sur Park Engages Thousands of Students in Conservation Efforts

Throughout 2024, Punta Sur Ecotourism Park, overseen by the Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation (FPMC), welcomed 3,498 students from 89 different groups. These groups were comprised of schools, institutions, and academic and research organizations, all aiming to learn about and contribute to the park's conservation, restoration, and environmental education initiatives.

These visits were part of the New Agreement for the Welfare and Development of Quintana Roo, an initiative championed by Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa. The FPMC has been proactive in opening its facilities to students and researchers, allowing them to interact with nature and study the environmental processes that occur in the diverse ecosystems found within the park. Each group was given individual attention by the director and deputy director of Punta Sur, Jesús Benavides Andrade and Héctor González Cortés. Both Andrade and Cortés implement an "experiential learning" model, a teaching approach that emphasizes gaining knowledge, skills, and attitudes through direct experience and reflection.

Andrade noted that Punta Sur welcomed not only local students but also those from educational institutions across the country and even overseas. Noteworthy groups included students from the Environmental Restoration Degree program at the Autonomous University of Chapingo, who took part in the restoration of shrubs and coastal dunes. The park also hosted students from the Natural Resources Management Degree program at the Autonomous University of Quintana Roo, as well as Biology and Marine Biology students from the Autonomous University of Yucatán and Anáhuac Cancún University. These students gained an understanding of the importance of preserving Protected Natural Areas, with a particular focus on coastal wetlands.

In summary, the director of Punta Sur emphasized that the FPMC remains committed to working with the educational sector to ensure that children and young people are actively engaged in the conservation and restoration of the island's ecosystems.