Painting Conservation in Baja California
At the foundation of our work to conserve coastal and marine ecosystems and wildlife is the engagement of local communities as conservation stewards. The WILDCOAST team works closely with local people across all of our program areas to enhance the protection of wildlife and resources. As community scientists, spokespeople, and caretakers, local stewards are at the core of successful ecosystem conservation.
Highlighting local iconic wildlife, ecosystems, and conservation themes through community murals has become for us and our partners an incredible opportunity to engage the public, provide lasting outreach, and inspire. In collaboration with local schools, programs, and artists, WILDCOAST has facilitated eight murals on the Baja California Peninsula and Oaxaca, Mexico to help heighten local and visitor awareness about the conservation of corals, turtles, mangroves, birds, and marine mammals that are common to these regions.
Most recently, WILDCOAST collaborated with the Casa de la Cultura in Puerto San Carlos, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California Sur, during the town’s 24th Gray Whale Festival, to host a conservation mural competition for local students. Over five days the teams created three beautiful artistic interpretations of the iconic whales that breed in the bay, one of only three undeveloped California gray whale breeding grounds left.
Other community murals have been created in Ensenada, Baja California and Puerto Angel and Rio Seco, Oaxaca. Each highlight the local wildlife and ecosystems that depend on a conserved coastline.
In 2019, we are hoping to expand our community conservation art projects with local partners. Several of these communities are very small and remote but have been inspired to continue to promote to the world their pride and stewardship for their local marine resources through art. This month we ask you to please help us facilitate more mural projects across the Mexican Pacific and make a donation. Your donation will support the purchase of art supplies and equipment for a minimum of six community murals.
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