In order to achieve a better environmental education among the Yucatecan society and raise awareness about the values of biodiversity and the conservation of plants, on May 31 the “Casa del Desierto” was inaugurated at the Scientific Research Center of Yucatán (CICY) with a preliminary figure of 350 species.
Germán Carnevali Fernández Concha, researcher and head of the area of natural resources at the CICY, explained that the surface of this work covers about 400 square meters, of which 350 are distributed in five small islands where the species are grouped by regions.
Botanical Garden Roger Orellana, from the Scientific Research Center of Yucatán (CICY), opened its new Casa del Desierto collection to the public (Photo: SIPSE)
He recalled that the idea of this project was born in November 2015 as part of a collection of plants distributed in two ecosystems that do not exist in the Yucatan peninsula, one dry and one subtropical wet, funded by the National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt) with an investment of approximately 25 million pesos.
He said that other project named “Casa Tropical“, which will also include species of subtropical ecosystems and will have a dimension equal to the “Casa del Desierto“, will be finished at the beginning of next year.
“Yucatecans do not know these environments because there is no desert here in the peninsula, then we must take advantage of these two spaces so that people can appreciate these ecosystems that belong to other parts of the planet, not only by the type of vegetation but by the type of landscape that are showcased here, “he concluded.
Source: SIPSE