The public policies on environmental and urban development of the City Council led by Mayor Renán Barrera Concha have aroused interest in different countries that seek to know more about these programs to replicate them for the benefit of their own communities.
In this context, in recent days a Chilean delegation arrived in Mérida, made up of councilors and directors of a training institute in that country, who met with members of the Sustainable Development Unit, the Municipal Institute of Planning and the Urban Development Directorate to know the progress and benefits of their programs.
-We found that Mérida is among the municipalities of Mexico that are distinguished by their work in this field, as well as in well-planned urban development and that is why we are here to learn more and take these experiences to our country, “said Edson Muraña Quispe, councilor of the municipality of Ollagüe, Chile.
He commented that as part of the “Internship” program of the Technical Institute of Training, Personal Development and Labor Training of Chile, they investigate cases of success in different countries and make visits to know them thoroughly and study the possibility of implementing them in their own communities.
“In the case of Ollagüe, the main interest is to know the advances in environmental management and preservation, as well as the measures adopted to face the climate problem”, Muraña Quispe said.
As part of the week-long visit to Mérida, the Chilean delegation held working meetings in which they learned about urban planning and sustainability programs, environmental urban management, the Municipal Green Infrastructure Plan, the Municipal Climate Action Plan, the urban gardens and the actions for the urban forestry program.
They also learned about the actions undertaken regarding the planning and administration of protected natural areas in the Cuxtal Reserve.
Another of the councilors, Luis Gatica, from the municipality of Quintero, said he was pleasantly surprised by the actions in favor of trees, both for their care and inventory, and the strategies to increase the number of them.
“I also think that one of the most important things we have seen here is that the authority works hand in hand with the citizens and that is why the results are so favorable, since no authority can work alone,” Gatica said.
Among the activities of the visitors was a visit to the Hacienda Anicabil, where staff from the Sustainable Development Unit, made them aware of the work that was done with the tool “I tree”, software developed by the Forest Service of the United States of America, and which is used in Merida for the first time in Mexico.
Through this tool an inventory is updated and consolidated that allows knowing the exact number and conditions of the trees, but also defining strategies and public policies for increase and improve the health of trees located in urban areas.
The ITEC Chile Capacitaciones develops programs focused on the training of municipal and independent workers. Its programs are developed with a social focus and in partnership with public and private organizations. Its director, Miguel Ángel Leiva Pizarro was also part of the Chilean delegation that visited Mérida.
TYT Newsroom with information from grilloporteno.com
