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Nayarit Grantees Improve Quality of Life for Punta de Mita and Surrounding Area
by Anne McEnany,
Senior Advisor for Conservation Environment Program
    In January, International Community Foundation’s Senior Advisor for Environment & Conservation, Anne McEnany, visited the states of Sinaloa and Nayarit, Mexico with the Consultative Group for Biological Diversity. Traveling with other funders on a six-day “donor education tour,” we learned about sustainable tourism, proposed protected areas, mangrove/wetland protection, alternative livelihoods for fishermen, and heard from local residents about human rights abuses along the “Riviera Nayarit” north of Puerto Vallarta. We met with many grassroots groups along the way, including.
The trip was led by Sandra Guido from CONSELVA in Sinaloa and Juan García of Grupo Manglar in Nayarit. These two individuals are leading a collaborative conservation agenda that is focused on minimizing negative impacts from three proposed dams and two highways to Marismas Nacionales, Mexico’s largest wetland and mangrove complex (800 square miles) and home to over 250 species of birds, including 80% of the Pacific migratory shorebird population. For more information on the trip and Marismas Nacionales, click here The trip finished in Punta Mita, where Anne was able to meet with Entre Amigos and PEACE, ICF grantees, and the Punta de Mita Foundation, one of our friends of fund organizations. Improving quality of life for local residents and protecting Banderas Bay was at the top of their lists. Entre Amigos is a recycling center and demonstration facility that provides education to local residents and students about how to use recycled materials in everyday life. Entre Amigos also hosts educational activities for students at its library. Also housed at the facility is Alianza Jaguar, A.C., which protects the habitat corridors that jaguars use to access water and food. Projected urban growth for the region is threatening the jaguar’s habitat; Entre Amigos is an advocate for this elusive animal. PEACE is one of Punta Mita’s most dedicated organizations. Working from an abandoned house donated by the community, PEACE has five major programs – animals, afterschool education and an alternative school, women’s micro-enterprise projects, art and philanthropy, and community pride. The community pride program has multiple elements, including composting/recycling, turtle festivals in nearby villages, medicinal plant and nutritional workshops, and organic gardening. As part of PEACE’s educational initiatives, they are working with Entre Amigos on “park recycling” – re-inventing outdoor spaces at school to create playgrounds with recycled tires and other materials. Both of these organizations are supported by Fundación Punta de Mita, A.C., an ICF donor-advisor and active partner in the community. Representing 200 families in the Punta de Mita development, the Fundación hosts fundraisers for local projects, including community beautification and infrastructure improvements. The Fundación also works on hygiene and education with Costa Verde International School and the Children’s Shelter of Hope. For more information on nonprofits working in Marismas Nacionales or Punta Mita, please contact Anne McEnany at anne@icfdn.org. Also find the International Community Foundation on
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