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La Lagunita El Ciprés slated to be first state-designated protected natural area

By Sandra Dibble | SDUT
8:11 P.M.MARCH 14, 2013

ENSENADA — Baja California environmentalists are celebrating the state government’s move to protect a 120-acre coastal wetland at the southern end of this port city. Known as La Lagunita El Ciprés, it is slated to become the first state-designated protected natural area in Baja California.

Efraín Niebla Ortíz, Baja California’s secretary of environmental protection, made the announcement Thursday in Ensenada, accompanied by members of two local environmental groups that lobbied for the designation, Pro Esteros and Haciendo lo Necesario.

Laura Martínez Ríos, director of Pro Esteros, said in an interview that groups have been fighting for years to protect the fresh-water wetland separated from the Pacific Ocean by a line of coastal dunes and across the highway from the Macroplaza shopping mall.

“For many many years several organizations have asked the state to designate natural areas,” she said. “We are very happy.”

The site is considered the last remaining coastal wetland within Ensenada’s urban area, and supports a range of wildlife that includes hares, lizards, white herons and avocets and other birds.

Setting the stage for the designation are regulations approved last year that permit the Baja California’s government to set aside protected areas. Jesús Zatarain, Baja California’s director of natural resources, said that the state designation can be applied more quickly than federal protection, and permits designations within urban areas that are excluded under the Mexico’s federal rules.

An announcement scheduled to appear Friday in the state’s official gazette launches a 60-day public comment period before the designation can become final. The land is currently in private hands, and will remain so under the new designation. State officials are negotiating with the landowners to compensate them for possible losses.

Zatarain said that the designation will open new alternatives for the wetland, allowing owners to seek funding from international organizations that protect wetlands. The designation could also permit low-impact development on the site for uses such as ecotourism, he said.

La Lagunita is located next to the site of a future desalination plant. Though opposed by environmental groups, Ensenada’s city council last week granted a land use permit for the facility. Zatarain said the designation of La Lagunita as a protected natural area can help ensure the desalination plant won’t infringe on the wetland.



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I think that there is a rising awareness worldwide about the critical role that wetlands play in the health of adjacent ecosystems. This is a step in the right direction, in my opinion.

I hope that they find a place to build the new desal plant that won't impact the wetlands.

Now we just need to find a way to restore the Colorado River's flow into the Sea of Cortez, and then repair the damage to the thousands of acres of estuary that were the source for so much of the Golfo's rich life. If we want to see a return to historic populations of game fish in the central and southern gulf, we need to restore the birth grounds for their food supplies. Again, just MHO.

Originally Posted by Islander

...need to find a way to restore the Colorado River's flow into the Sea of Cortez...

Not a chance; it's gone forever.

Upstream water rights sucked it dry, and those demands are increasing at an impressive pace.

Marty, I know that you're right, but I was encouraged by a recent report that a new treaty between the US and Mexico had been retified that insures that at least SOME water would reach the Sea of Cortez. This would allow the restoration of a small portion, ( a couple hundred acres) of the delta wetlands. Seems like several organizations were working on the project. Ducks Unlimited?

We just need to make finding an alternative to damming rivers for power, and draining them for farming and municiple needs. We don't pursue those other methods now because of their short term costs, but killing the delta wetlands will cost billions over the (very) long term.

And yes, I know that our systems, both economic and political, are run by short term gains and losses, so this just a fantasy, but hey, a boy can dream!

But I am encouraged by a couple of things,
One is the state of the coastal lagoons in North San Diego County. When I was growing up, the Del Mar slew was a sewage settling pond, and the San Elijo lagoon was a polluted cess pool. Everytime it rained hard and the rising waters breeched the sand bars and drained to the sea, they had to close the beaches.

All those coastal lagoons are healthy estuaries now. And, I can breath in LA in the fall. (not that I want to)