CEA Electronic Communications are in English and Spanish. Para leer este boletín en español, favor de pulsar aquí. Thank You by Paul Sánchez-Navarro Our heartfelt thanks go out to all of you who responded so generously to our appeal for support for repairing CEA buildings and assisting the residents of the Akumal pueblo in the wake of Hurricane Emily. After discussions with the pueblo leaders and a needs assessment, it has been decided to use the funds for the community to replace all the blown-out windows of the local school. The local, state and federal government provided emergency relief building materials and food to families, and what is now needed is community infrastructure. In addition, we will rebuild the CEA dormitories that house our amazing staff and volunteers. Thanks for joining us in this effort, and for your continuing support of CEA’s work in protecting the environment in Akumal. Your generosity is an inspiration to us. Finally, CEA would like to offer a special thanks to Laura Bush Wolfe, for providing our staff with emergency housing in her Hotel Akumal Caribe. Emily Wreaks Havoc on Turtle Season by Ivan Caballero Not only did Hurricane Emily erode our nesting beaches, it also destroyed a large number of nests. All was not lost, however, as the very night following the hurricane, loggerhead hatchlings emerged from a nest on Half Moon Bay. More nests from both loggerhead and green turtle species have successfully hatched in the days since, and females continue to nest. We will soon have at least 50 nests laid since July 19. These steadfast mothers are an inspiration to us all to keep going, in the face of disaster, and that life continues on this blue planet. The Days Leading Up to Emily by Rafael González Day One, July 14 The rumors began: a hurricane was forming and the path was projected to make landfall on the Mexican Caribbean, below Cozumel, making it likely that it would pass near Playa del Carmen and adjacent areas, such as Akumal. Day Two, July 15 In the evening, CEA staff and volunteers gathered to make the necessary plans in preparation for the possible arrival of the hurricane. Teams were formed to carry out various activities: purchasing, buoy removal, boarding-up of offices, and storage of equipment and important documents. While we were hoping for a change of course that would bring better news the following day, there were widespread doubts about the reliability of CEA vehicles to evacuate personnel. Click here to read the rest of this article. Waiting Out the Storm by Kate Riley After riding a bus all night to return to Akumal, there was no way I was getting in a van with all of my compañeros and their pets to go to Palenque. Besides, my friends from the pueblo said, "no pasa nada (nothing will happen)." So Mauricio Bautista Vega and I decided to go and hole up in the pueblo to wait it out. The day before the hurricane was one of the best I have had in Akumal, with no people, and no boats in the bay, just an eerie calm that made me look all around and back again at my puny self and wonder—What just might happen? Click here to read more. Environmental Activities Back in Action at CEA by Tannya Jaime Boys and girls of different ages, part of the H2O Children’s Club of the Comisión de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado (CAPA, the municipal water authority) from Playa del Carmen, visited CEA as part of the planned summer vacation activities on July 23. Accompanied by a group of parents, almost 80 children participated in interactive workshops about turtle protection and water quality. Through games, the children learned about the life cycle of marine animals, their habitats and the main factors causing their extinction. They also learned about the water cycle, water uses and the changes that water quality has suffered over time, as well as the importance of this essential liquid. Smiling and enthusiastic with the different activities, and divided into groups according to age, they put into practice their drawing skills, got to work in groups, and to interact with their surroundings. The event was a success thanks to the collaborative efforts of CEA’s Environmental Education Coordinator, Mauricio Bautista Vega, and the Municipal’s Sub-director of the Environment, Rubi Ricalde and Norma Sala, the H2O Club Coordinator. What Are the Impacts of Hurricanes on Coral Reefs? by Lucy Gallagher Typically, in the Caribbean, the hurricane season starts in June, reaching its peak in mid-August, and lasting through late November. In July of this year, Akumal was severely hit by Hurricane Emily, which tore through our homes and workplaces and decimated large areas of local vegetation, but what was the impact of Hurricane Emily on Akumal’s coral reefs? Following the strong rains, large amounts of sediment and freshwater ran into Akumal Bay and onto the adjacent reefs. Corals require clear water and stable salinity levels in order to live, therefore the increased turbidity of the water and decreased level of salinity may have stressed some corals. It is still too early to tell whether this is the case, but CEA will be monitoring Akumal’s coral reefs to identify any changes in coral reef health over the next few months. During recent coral reef survey dives, we observed that the impact of the strong waves hitting the reef had indeed damaged or broken up many large corals. Although this kind of damage may seem tragic, research suggests that tropical storms may actually be of benefit to coral reefs. Indeed, segments of branching corals that break off during hurricanes may settle and start new coral colonies. In addition, areas of substrate may be cleared giving way to smooth surfaces that coral larvae can settle on. This process is similar to that of natural fires on forests, where fires clear away the dominant species of trees allowing for less dominant species to settle and grow, therefore creating a more biodiverse forest. For this process to be beneficial however, it is important that the number of hurricanes hitting a given reef remain at a reasonable level—too many hurricanes will not allow the reef to recuperate. A concern of many scientists is that the effect of global climate change will bring about an increase in the number of tropical storms which could be devastating for coral reefs the world over. We will keep you updated on the health of Akumal’s reefs over the next few months as CEA’s scientific monitoring efforts continue. Juvenile Fish Monitoring by Lucy Gallagher In July of this year, CEA initiated a juvenile fish survey project, as part of a regional effort to monitor the recruitment of fish, coral and lobsters on the Mesoamerican Reef System. This monitoring effort forms part of an innovative global initiative, the Coral Reef Targeted Research Project (CRTR Project), which has been established to address fundamental information gaps in our understanding of coral reef ecosystems, so that management options and policy interventions can be strengthened globally. To read more about this project, click here. Mystery Fish Can you help us identify this fish? David Nuñez, our Institutional Development Coordinator, spotted this little guy along the shore of Akumal Bay several weeks ago, and we still have not been able to positively identify it. Some have suggested it is a juvenile African pompano (Alectis ciliaris). However, we have yet to find a published reference photograph of Alectis ciliaris that even closely resembles our pictures. To see more snapshots of our mystery fish, click here. If you can help us identify this odd little fish, please e-mail Lucy Gallagher or David Nuñez. Paul thinks we should go ahead and name the fish Davidis misterius. Margot Meacham Memorial Garden by Paul Sánchez-Navarro On July 10, the CEA staff, Hekab Be Library, and Akumal community came together to dedicate the Margot Meacham Memorial Garden in front of the library. The Meacham family—Sam, Orane, Mateo and Benjamin—and their many friends, joined us in planting five trees, in memory of Margot Meacham’s five years. Sam and Orane’s daughter, Margot, died on April 11 and we wanted to honor the love and patience we experienced from our friends Sam, Orane and Margot. Staff Birthdays August 7: Lucy Gallagher, Marine and Coastal Protection Program August 15: Armando Sastré, Administrator and Property Manager September Environmental Calendar September 17: International Coastal Cleanup This year, CEA is participating in the 20th anniversary of the International Coastal Cleanup. Our event, however, will be on September 24, to coordinate with local governmental efforts. Please join us to mark this special year with your support. Please stop by the Center on the beach to sign up for one of our five-member beach teams for September 24. In addition to several rather odd dates, including Talk Like a Pirate Day, Be Late for Something Day, and Ask a Stupid Question Day, September has several other dates of importance to those of us concerned with the welfare of our planet. Among the more relevant are: September 21: Biosphere Day September 16–18: Clean Up the World Day September 27: World Tourism Day Here in the Riviera Maya all these issues are intimately linked. Tourism is firmly established as the number one industry and the most important source of employment. However, it can also have negative cultural, environmental and social impacts if it is not responsibly planned, managed and monitored. Litter-lined beaches, eroding coastlines, and declining water quality are examples of the effects of non-sustainable tourism practices. Also of interest are the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer on the September 16, and The International Day of Peace, celebrated on September 21. Again, we want to thank all the people who sent us their good wishes and contributed to the Emily Relief Funds. If you would like to support the CEA Rebuilding Fund or the Pueblo Relief Fund you can do so online, in person or by mail Please continue to tell your friends about CEA! Many CEA Members join after being referred to CEA by people like you. If you have questions about how you can become more involved, please contact us. The Yucatan Environmental Foundation is the U.S. 501(c)(3) fiscal agent for CEA. All donations made through YEF for CEA are tax-deductible in the U.S. If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, or simply need to contact CEA, please click here.