Community Environmental Education in Agua Amarga and its area of influence
Selected Project | First Round Call for Proposals: Mares de Mexico 2026
The project “ Identification of Gestation, Nursery, and Feeding Areas of Giant Manta Rays (Mobula birostris) ” aims to discover key habitats used by pregnant females in the Revillagigedo Archipelago, Banderas Bay, and the Gulf of California. To achieve this, it will utilize satellite telemetry, underwater ultrasound, and laser photogrammetry.
Led by Dr. Madalena Cabral and supported by Mares de México, the study plans to tag manta rays with satellites and study them in depth. Its findings will be key to protecting these critical areas from threats such as bycatch and could lead to the creation or adjustment of marine protected areas.
WHERE
The project “ Identification of Gestation, Nursery, and Feeding Areas of Giant Manta Rays (Mobula birostris) ” aims to discover key habitats used by pregnant females in the Revillagigedo Archipelago, Banderas Bay, and the Gulf of California. To achieve this, it will utilize satellite telemetry, underwater ultrasound, and laser photogrammetry.
Led by Dr. Madalena Cabral and supported by Mares de México, the study plans to tag manta rays with satellites and study them in depth. Its findings will be key to protecting these critical areas from threats such as bycatch and could lead to the creation or adjustment of marine protected areas.
WHO
ORGCAS is an organization made up of a collective of women dedicated to marine conservation, based in Baja California Sur.
Since 2021, it has developed a multidisciplinary approach that integrates science, environmental education and community strengthening, working directly with coastal communities to support local processes that strengthen capacities, promote sustainable alternatives and contribute to the conservation of marine-coastal ecosystems.
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To contribute to the well-being of the communities of Agua Amarga and its area of influence, as well as its marine-coastal environment, through an environmental education program that promotes local ecological knowledge, community science and the active participation of its inhabitants in the face of the environmental, social and economic challenges of the region.
The project is based on a situated and experiential learning approach, where the territory becomes the main educational space.
The activities integrate science, art, and culture, recognizing the value of community knowledge as a legitimate source of learning. Through direct experiences in the sea and the desert, the aim is to strengthen the emotional connection with the environment, territorial identity, and collective responsibility for its care.
The program promotes intergenerational processes where girls, boys, young people, adults and the elderly learn together, sharing knowledge, stories and experiences linked to the territory.
MODEL
Community strengthening and territorial coordination
Building links with schools, teachers, families, fishermen and key community actors, promoting horizontal dialogue, trust and the building of local alliances.
Situated and intergenerational environmental education
Implementation of practical educational activities that promote the exchange of knowledge between generations, based on direct experience with marine-coastal and terrestrial ecosystems.
What do they do?
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Field trips to the sea, beaches, streams, hills and wetlands
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Practical workshops on biodiversity, ecosystems, sustainability and citizen science
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Artistic and cultural activities inspired by nature
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Documentary screenings and community gatherings
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Linking with local schools and educational spaces
Expected impact
During 2026 at least 12 educational activities will be carried out with the participation of approximately 300 people of different ages.
The project seeks to strengthen the connection with the territory, collective learning, intergenerational participation and community collaboration, laying the foundations for more cohesive, resilient communities actively involved in the conservation of their ecosystems.
Beyond Agua Amarga
Although the project originated in Agua Amarga, its model is flexible and adaptable, allowing it to be replicated in other communities in Mexico with similar socio-environmental contexts.
The experience seeks to contribute to a broader network of community initiatives for environmental education and conservation, strengthening local processes from the territory.
