|
March, 2000
Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California
Earlier reports on this website have discussed disputes over a proposed salt production plant in Laguna San Ignacio, Mexico. The site is controversial because it is one of the only places in North America where once-endangered gray whales congregate to give birth. The region is also home to sea turtles, marine birds, and fisheries that support coastal villages. Pollution, development pressure, and population growth associated with the saltworks might severely damage much of this pristine area.
The Laguna San Ignacio made the news again in March when the Mexican government and Mitsubishi (which proposed the saltworks project) announced that the plant would not be built after all because of the environmental importance of the bay and its surrounding desert. In addition to pleasing environmentalists, this decision ensures the continued health of a growing tourism industry in this part of Baja California. Whale watching and other forms of ecotourism have become important sources of income for towns along the bay, supplementing the fishing and shellfish economy that has long been a mainstay in the clean waters of the bay. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which led much of the protest in the United States, credits the recent decision to public opposition and petitions.
To learn more, see these related websites:
Natural Resources Defense Council
To read more, see:
Environmental Science, A Global Concern, Cunningham and Saigo, 6th ed.
Ecotourism, pp. 340-41, 344
Biosphere reserves, pp. 338, 341-42,
Environmental Science, A Study of Interrelationships, Enger and Smith, 7th ed.
Managing ecosystems for wildlife, pp. 202-5
Habitat preservation for wildlife, pp. 297-98
feedback form |
permissions |
international |
locate your campus rep |
request a review copy
Copyright ©2001 The McGraw-Hill Companies.
digital solutions |
publish with us |
customer service |
mhhe home
Any use is subject to the
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education is one of the many fine businesses of the
The McGraw-Hill Companies.