Over 200 Children Explore Bacalar Lagoon to Boost Environmental Conservation

Bacalar, Quintana Roo — More than 200 children from two local elementary schools toured the Bacalar Lagoon on Saturday as part of World Environment Day activities aimed at fostering a culture of conservation.

The event was organized by the Quintana Roo Institute of Biodiversity and Natural Protected Areas (IBANQROO), in coordination with the Bacalar City Council’s Ecology Department and the Chetumal station of the Tren Maya. Students from the Guadalupe Valencia and Aarón Merino Fernández schools, accompanied by parents and teachers, observed birds, insects, reptiles, and fish in the wetlands and green areas of the Bacalar Lagoon State Ecological Park.

IBANQROO Director General Javier Alberto Carballar Osorio said that creating learning experiences within natural protected areas helps new generations understand the ecological importance of these spaces, promoting greater awareness of their role in environmental balance and community well-being.

Alejandra Rodríguez Fernández, head of the Tren Maya Chetumal Airport Excursion Program, noted that the activities aim to bring children, youth, and the general public closer to the knowledge, appreciation, and conservation of natural spaces such as protected areas and archaeological sites in Quintana Roo.

Francisco Rubén Castañeda Rivero, head of IBANQROO’s Department of Natural Protected Areas, Regulatory Improvement, and Archives, emphasized the importance of strengthening inter-institutional alliances to protect biodiversity and conserve the state’s natural ecosystems. He reaffirmed the commitment to continue working with partner institutions and academia to promote knowledge of local biodiversity and strengthen society’s connection with its natural environment.