Grupo Presidente Launches Citizen Science Program to Boost Biodiversity at Mexican Hotels

Mexico City — Grupo Presidente, in partnership with ecologist Carlos Galindo Leal, has launched a citizen science pilot project to document and conserve biodiversity at three of its key hotel destinations in Quintana Roo: Cancún, Cozumel, and Tulum.

The initiative, designed in late 2024 with training beginning in March 2025, has yielded substantial results. At the Presidente InterContinental Cozumel, the number of documented species increased sevenfold compared to the previous year. The Presidente InterContinental Cancún saw an even greater jump, with 13 times more species recorded.

To date, the Cozumel property leads in total species documented both on-site (375 species) and in its surrounding area (734 species). The Cancún hotel follows with 148 species on-site and 368 in its vicinity. The Kimpton Aluna Tulum, while showing lower numbers (33 on-site, 204 in the area), presents a strategic opportunity for future conservation efforts.

The documented species include a wide range of native, endemic, at-risk, and exotic flora and fauna, such as fish, corals, iguanas, turtles, birds, insects, mangroves, and palms.

Based on the inventory created by the project, 24 specific conservation and restoration actions have been proposed for the hotel interiors, immediate surroundings, and broader landscape, with short-, medium-, and long-term timelines. The project also suggests 18 biodiversity-related guest experiences, from on-site activities to tours of nearby natural areas.

“Citizen science is an entertaining, fast, and reliable way to contribute to knowledge,” said Dr. Carlos Galindo Leal, an ecologist and coordinator of the Mexican node (iNaturalistMX) of the global iNaturalist network. “Our experience can increase substantially by knowing the biological jewels of our country and by knowing we contribute to their conservation.”

The project has developed a comparative methodology with high potential for replication in other hotels and business sectors. It demonstrates that active participation from staff and guests can generate valuable scientific data, strengthen corporate environmental management, and connect people to biodiversity conservation.

“This effort reminds us that conservation and regeneration are not the task of a single organization, but a shared commitment,” said Eduardo Villalobos, Environmental Manager at Grupo Presidente. “In every decision, all of us—companies, collaborators, guests, and communities—have a role to play. Taking co-responsibility and participating actively allows us to be part of the solution, building together a tourism sector that cares for, values, and regenerates the places that welcome us.”