Online Donation - Eco-Alianza de Loreto, A.C.

MISSION
The mission of Eco-Alianza is to create healthy and vibrant communities by empowering civil society and government to protect and conserve our natural and cultural environment.

VISION
Our vision is to foster communities who believe their quality of life is related to the health and vitality of the environment, and where citizens act accordingly.

At the close of 2012, Eco-Alianza fulfilled one of its original goals in its by-laws and strategic plan by acquiring a permanent headquarters, which will be known as the "Community Center for the Environment", Centro Comunitario para el Medio Ambiente (CenCoMA). The Center will provide a unique venue for the entire Loreto community and become a valued asset to the public. Strategically located in the center of Loreto, the Center was made possible with the help of the International Community Foundation and a gift from the Linda and Anthony Kinninger Family Trust and will allow Eco-Alianza to expand its program capability, visibility and service to the Loreto community. In addition, the Center will serve other conservation organizations, government agencies and academic institutions, as well as educational institutions and community groups that promote environmental sustainability or working to protect the Bay of Loreto National Park.

CenCoMA Phase II

Eco-Alianza has fulfilled funding requirements of Phase I of the renovation of our new Environmental Center and invites you to support Phase II of Eco Alianza’s campaign to raise funds for the following improvements:

To provide a lab for water quality testing in accordance with Eco-Alianza’s Coastkeeper Program, (a member of the International Waterkeeper Alliance), to test for bacteria and other pollutants. Eco-Alianza’s Advisory Board member and part-time resident of Bahia Concepción, Charles Mitchell, (Founder, Vice President and Senior Scientist for Marine Biology, MBC Applied Environmental Sciences), has volunteered to assist Eco-Alianza’s Executive Director, (and official Loreto Coastkeeper), Horacio Cabrera, in the design and operations of the lab. The Phase I renovation includes a space for the lab in the new Center with plumbing and electrical.

To lower our carbon footprint we will incorporate solar (photo-voltaic) power into the new Center, which will not only lower our energy costs but demonstrate to designers and developers in Loreto the practicality of this technology.

In collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), the San Diego Natural History Museum and the Arizona Museum of Natural History, we will provide a permanent display of Loreto’s natural and cultural treasures, historic and present, including a venue for traveling exhibits, such as the “Return of the Sea of Cortez,” recreating John Steinbeck and Ed Rickett’s famous 1940 voyage. The museum and adjoining garden will support environmental education programs and events for Loreto youth, related community programs for all citizens and outreach opportunities for local eco-tour operators and fishermen who work with the marine park.

To provide a practical venue for outdoor events, we will create a green outdoor space that demonstrates green roof technology (on top of the natural history museum), and a public courtyard garden space which will include trees and a removable shaded area for daytime programs and events but open to the night sky for year around evening events. The garden will include a permanent sculpture and wall mural of marine life on the Center.

Total Phase II
$160,000

For more information, please also see CenCoMa - Eco Alianza Loreto - Construction Blog