With a population of more than 290 thousand inhabitants, La Paz has experienced exponential growth since 1976, which has had an impact on habitat and biodiversity, and although still the environmental quality The living standards of its inhabitants are adequate, academics propose actions to prevent its future deterioration.

By presenting in the ConCiencia La Paz Forum the research From the culture of survival to habitat and biodiversity protection: the ecological transformation of the Bay of La Pazcoordinated by Jaime Gómez Gutiérrez and Charlotte González Abraham, the academics detail that nature conservation concerns are on the rise.

They emphasize that the most serious and priority challenges occur in terrestrial habitats where a blue economy is not yet promoted. The exponential growth of population and urban perimeter endangers the maintenance of habitats and biodiversity that must be conserved for the future.

"The most imminent risks are garbage, water shortages that affect future seawater desalination plans, and the growing size of the city around mangroves, beaches, dunes and hills. The environmental quality of life for the people of La Paz is currently adequate, but its future deterioration must be avoided," the study states.

In the executive summary of the study, it is stated that La Paz is a city surrounded by nature that offers a healthy habitat to the average citizen and visitor to the city and that its habitat and cultural quality must be preserved for the future.

The researchers identified the most relevant environmental problems of deterioration in the marine and coastal habitat as follows:

• The decline of the mangrove zone due to the increasing construction of houses, particularly between the Ballena tail and Comitán and the beach and dune fence on the south coast of El Mogote.
• The modification of the animal community with the absence of large fish in the inlet and bay generated by artisanal overfishing and lack of regulation of ecotourism activities for whale sharks and sea lions.
• Development of neighborhoods in areas of the city with scenic socioeconomic value.
• Feral fauna (excessive growth of feral dogs and cats) is a problem for the health of the human population and the origin of the decrease of native fauna.
• Garbage in vacant lots, the city ford, mangrove areas and illegal dumps in areas surrounding the city that can be washed out to sea during rains and storms.

"There is notable plastic pollution already being observed in the stomachs of fish, mollusks, birds and marine mammals with plastics. Trash is also found in the nests of several (bird) species," he notes.

Lack of water, a present problem; desalination, a future impact

The lack of water is one of the problems facing the city of La Paz, which is why a seawater desalination plant is being built, however, research reveals that this is possibly the greatest threat to zooplankton diversity in the Bay of La Paz.

"If implemented extensively in the future, it could cause a considerable environmental impact because the plant that will soon be implemented consumes 200 liters per second and can annihilate millions of microorganisms. The critical part are the eggs and larvae of fish, crustaceans and mollusks that constitute the species caught in the region's artisanal fisheries," the study refers.

Proposed solutions

The academics' study proposes that the city implement the following actions:

• Permanent awareness campaign for citizens, government and private companies on water care, with a leak notification program and medium-term restructuring of the hydraulic system to avoid losses due to leaks, and improvement of rainwater harvesting to refill the groundwater table.
• That the seawater intake of the desalination plant be installed as deep as possible, where less biomass of microorganisms is concentrated.
• Promote a family planning program to control population growth in the city.
• Create the logistics and infrastructure to recycle biodegradable and inorganic waste, and develop systems that collect plastics and trash during summer storms so that they do not reach the Bay of La Paz.
• Orderly growth of the city through regulated land use, particularly in regions with visual appeal and ecological relevance such as mangroves, dunes and coastline.
• Regulating the growth and promotion of micro-housing with few drainage and water services.
• Protect mangrove areas so that pickup trucks and motorcycles do not enter these areas to disturb the flora and fauna of these habitats.
• Rearrange and promote actions to avoid opportunistic tourism of killer whales (for human safety) and juvenile giant manta rays (in La Reinita).
• Establish a monitoring network of environmental stressor indicators in the Bay of La Paz to measure harmful algal blooms, arsenic in water, plastics and microplastics ingested by marine fauna.
• Improve the transportation system to make it more efficient and reduce the use of vehicles.
• Creating more cycle paths can promote the use of bicycles for short and safe trips.

The research reiterates that the citizens of La Paz have a level of quality of life that should be protected and treasured for the future.

Because of its relatively small population size and scenic beauty, this city can be a model of growth and environmental care for other coastal cities in Mexico and the world, he said.

Source: ConCiencia La Paz Forum