Catemaco

CATEMACO, REGION OF LOS TUXTLAS

LAND OF MAGIC AND BOUNTY, GUARDIAN OF THE RICHEST ECOSYSTEM IN THE WORLD: THE TROPICAL JUNGLE

PROGRAM: BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY IN THE REGION OF THE TUXTLAS "LA ÚLTIMA SELVA"

GRADE: ELEMENTARY

Programs:

"Biological-ecological scientific project in tropical forest"

"Biology-Ecology: la última selva"

"Sailing-Physics-Biology"

"Anthropology-Ecology"

"Recreation and integration"

"Integration and teamwork for teachers".

Social service "(Structured program based on the needs of the school)

JUSTIFICATION:

The rain forests are the most complex and evolved ecosystem that exists in the world and contains more species than any other natural terrestrial ecosystem.

The world's natural heritage includes 5 to 30 million animal and plant species, of which more than half live in the jungles and a small part is known (Wilson, 1988). This means that there is a huge potential for natural resources of great biological and economic importance.

Unfortunately, the jungles are being seriously disturbed essentially due to an incorrect extraction of resources. If we continue this process, we will witness one of greatest extinctions in the history of the planet.

According to Wilson, by the beginning of the 21st century, 50,000 plant species will have been lost. We have even more alarming estimates, though; MYERS (in 1979), calculated that from one species per day to one species per hour has been extinguished between 1970 and the year 2000. LOVEJEY (1980), considers that there was an extinction of approximately between 33% and 50% of all species between 1970 and the year 2000.

In recent years, numerous evolutionary biologists and conservationists have devoted special attention to tropical rainforests, such as the Tuxtla Region, according to Wilson (1988), for two basic reasons:

FIRST - Because these habitats cover only 7% of the earth's surface and contain more than half of the global BIOTA.

SECOND - These forests are being destroyed so quickly that most of them will disappear within this century, losing hundreds of thousands of species in this process due to extinction.

Mexico owned 1.6% of the total of the American Jungle, which means approximately 10.8 million hectares, equivalent to 10% of the national territory. Currently, 95% of the surface of the jungle in Mexico has disappeared.

In the State of Veracruz, only fragments of what was an extensive jungle remain. That part that remains is indeed the Tuxtlas, a very important region because it is the Upper Tropical Rainforest furthest north of the American continent (Dirzo and Miranda 1991). The region is a repository of a huge and comparable biodiversity. Its biodiversity is not only rich in quantity, but also in quality, and here endemic species grow aplenty. It represents one of the last redoubts in Mexico, including forests of average altitude and rain forests. A total of 14 types of vegetation can be identified.

So far, more than 1300 plant species have been recorded in this area, but it is believed that the actual amount can be 3000. The fauna is very diverse and includes 384 species of birds, representing 37% of the species registered in the national territory; 119 species of mammals, 43 species of amphibians and 107 species of reptiles. Among the animal species there are 21 native and approximately 102 threatened with extinction. The area is also very important for its rivers and lagoons.

However, despite its importance, the region has been subjected to an enormous process of deforestation over the last 40 years. Currently, what remains to be preserved are patches of forest that represent only 14% of the original total.

Therefore, becoming aware of the future of the earth and rethinking the human-nature balance, it is essential to actively engage in sustainable development projects that protect our environment. It is the future, and responsibility lies in leadership so that this balance can achieved.

OBJECTIVES:

Reinforce the importance of the "extra-muro" education proposed by "Ecoclub Green Class".

Discover, explore and question the biological and ecological process in our country.

To sensitize the youth through our interdisciplinary Environmental Education programs to the global knowledge of a unique region in the country due to its immense biological heritage. The region of the Tuxtlas, The Last Jungle.

Reflect on the importance of the conservation of natural resources, flora, fauna, ecosystems in general and on biological deterioration, its causes and effects.

Encourage respect for different cultural groups, their customs and their ways of life.

Group integration.