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Newsletter August 2022

NEWSLETTER

OUR MISSION:
Protect and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of Charco del Ingenio, as well as maintain a botanical garden dedicated to the conservation and study of regional flora and ecosystems, mainly oriented towards environmental education.

INDEX

Vol. XVII, No. 08

THE NEW RECEPTION OF THE CHARCO

The new Charco del Ingenio reception unit, inaugurated last February, is visited and admired by a growing number of visitors. This unit includes a store of artistic and artisanal objects, mostly made by producers from our municipality and the region, as well as a cafeteria and juice bar that offers simple and healthy food and drinks. A new Interpretive Room stands out in the reception unit, which exhibits, in an entertaining and substantial way, relevant content on the ecological reserve and ethnobotanical garden of Charco del Ingenio, on the environmental conservation project and on the hydrographic basin where the park is located. garden and the city of San Miguel. The new interpretive module, open to all audiences, is part of the educational mission of our organization, aimed at building a culture of love and care for the natural world, with special attention to the youngest population in our society.
The new reception of El Charco has been possible thanks to the confluence of many wills: architects, engineers, museographers, editors, designers, gardeners, blacksmiths, carpenters, etc., gathered in various work teams, as well as the contributions of numerous contributors that made this relevant project a reality. To all of them, infinite thanks (and an apology in advance for any possible omission).CREDITS:

ARCHITECTONIC PROGRAM
Peter Alvarado · Marco Barrera Bassols · Jose Maria Bilbao · El Charco del Ingenio

ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT
Peter Alvarado · Studio 15B

ENGINEERING AND WORKS
Hyacinth Estrada · EMAG Engineering

MUSEOGRAPHY
Marco Barrera Bassols · MUSEUM

GARDENING
El Charco del Ingenio · louis franke ·
Maguey Nursery

SCULPTURAL FOUNTAIN
Eduardo Olbes

STORE (FURNITURE)
Francisco Motta

DONORS:

Montemiro · Gillian & Peter Neumeier Foundation · Community Foundation for Monterey · San Miguel Community Foundation · Hernan Drobny

Kahren & Michael Arbitman · Mark Deutschmann · Regine & Francois Sicart · susan edelstein · Unitarian Universalist Fellowship · Vanguard Charitable · Maria & Goerdt Abel · Ronald Thomas

William Peters · Terry & Jack Reinhart · Francisco Rios Jimenez · Richard Gullan · Linda Whyman · Barbara Erickson · Honey Sharp · Fisher-Weisman · Andy Blair · William Lee Ginager · Carolyn Stutts · C Jobe · Guilt King · Christopher Hixson · Monica Gerez · carol jackson · Margot Dufrene Ketz · Eduardo Adame · QR Minerals

Kenneth L. Hillenburg · Leon Horowitz · Stephen Livingstone · Michael Pope · Marilyn Link · Christine McReynolds · Jimena Gimenez Cacho · Ray Miles · John Chapman · William Lipsey · Steven Goldstein · Joshua Ehrlich · Rod & Glenna Copeland · Alfredo Alcantara · Phyllis Pitluga · Ed Laun · Richard Mason · Joy Levine · Victor Hackl · Matthew Carroll · Daniel Neuspiel · David Zi Enterprises · Richard Plewa · Luke Rich · Dale Braiman · Robert Merchasin · Gregory Diamond · klaus schmidt · Weston Young · Deborah Chlebana · George Yatskyevich · Alberto Gonzalez Varela · Emiliano Sanchez · Kathleen Shepherd · naomi zurcher

31ST ANNIVERSARY AND FESTIVITY OF THE HOLY CROSS OF EL CHARCO DEL INGENIO

After two years, the festivity in honor of the Holy Cross of El Charco returned to occupy the Landeta Park, a territory adjacent to the Botanical Garden.

We thank the communities and all the people who of good will make this traditional celebration possible.









THE HÑÄHÑU LANGUAGE AND CULTURE PROGRAM CONTINUES IN CRUZ DEL PALMAR

With great enthusiasm from the community and El Charco team, this program continues by Dr. Ewald Hekking and M.Sc. Aurelio Núñez, researchers from the Autonomous University of Queretaro.

Sponsored by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT), as part of the project "Consolidation of an Ethnobiological Garden of Guanajuato", this course aims to educate people from Otomi communities of San Miguel Allende in the Ñañú language and sensitize participants about the value and importance of this native language, which is part of the cultural heritage of the community.

Each session is aimed at knowing and learning the standardized writing system of ñañú, its basic grammar and the dialectal variants of the different regions of this language, as well as relevant aspects of the history, culture and worldview of the Otomi people.




EL CHARCO DEL INGENIO: MEMBER OF BOTANIC GARDENS CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL


El Charco del Ingenio is part of the largest network of botanical gardens and plant conservation experts in the world: BGCI (Botanical Garden Conservation International), an organization representing botanical gardens in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to link members to create global participatory strategies in order to ensure plant diversity for the well-being of people and the planet.

PROPAGATED SPECIMENS OF THE BOTANICAL COLLECTION: ferocactus echidne

Endemic cactus to Mexico known as biznaga de barril (golden barrel), with cylindrical stems, grows solitary reaching heights of up to 35 cm and a diameter of up to 20 cm. It has about 13 sharp ribs with thin needle-shaped amber spines, they are soft. The flowers are funnel-shaped, yellow or red in color and appear at the apex of the stems.

It needs plenty of light to develop its typical spine, is tolerable to mild frosts, and grows well in rich, well-drained soil, such as clay, pumice, lava sand, or with just a little organic matter, but it's not picky about soil. Seeds are their only form of reproduction.

During the month of August we have a special sale 2 plants for 100 pesos.

With your purchase you help the conservation of Mexican species listed under Mexican endangered lists.

EL CHARCO’S NEW VISITORS GUIDE

The new design of this guide allows the visitor to explore and discover the wide space of the Botanical Garden and access magnificent views of the natural monument of El Charco. The guide contains a suggested tour and shows a network of trails, accessible and guarded, as well as offering information about the various points of interest of the reserve: plant exhibits, viewpoints, bird sanctuaries, historical ruins...

THE MILPA, THE MESOAMERICAN TRIAD

In Mexico, we call milpa (from the Nahuatl milli's milpan In Mexico, we call milpa (from the Nahuatl milpan of milli "sown plot" and pan "on top of") the traditional agricultural system formed by a polyculture, which constitutes a dynamic space of genetic resources. Its main species is corn, accompanied by various species of beans, pumpkins, chilies, tomatoes, and many others depending on the region, for example the combination of corn-bean-pumpkin is known as "the Mesoamerican triad".

In this agricultural system, plants that grow naturally are used, mainly herbaceous species known as "quelites" (for example, purslanes, quintoniles, huazontle, turnips, romeritos, among others). At the same time, the shrubs and trees that live there are used, by providing fruits, fibers or seeds of local or regional interest. (Conabio, 2021)Conabi, 2021)

In El Charco del Ingenio the students Daniela Quetzal Hernández Becerra and Alondra Licea Rioz students of the Degree in Sustainable and Protected Agriculture of the Technological University of San Miguel de Allende (UTSMA), are applying their knowledge in agroecology making a sample of sustainable agricultural practices , free of agrochemicals from creole seeds donated by the community of Cruz del Palmar.

PROFESIONAL PRACTICES: STUDENTS FROM UNAM (NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO)

The students Leslie Cruz and Octavio Mayorga, of the Bachelor Degree of Landscape Architecture of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, carried out their professional practices in the Botanical Garden with the project "Jardinera de cactáceas útiles de Guanajuato", simultaneously they had an active participation in different areas of the Charco and the Festivity of the Holy Cross.

We are happy to recognize our students, who not only acquire knowledge during their stay, but also develop other skills that will be useful to them throughout their lives, as well as sharing other perspectives of the world. We're going to miss them...

KIND REMINDER TO OUR MEMBERSHIP

We ask all members to carry their membership card and register in the entrance book each time they visit the Botanical Garden.

Respect for El Charco del Ingenio and the people who collaborate daily in our areas is very important. Thanks for your help!

NATURAL HISTORY TOURS IN ENGLISH ARE BACK

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am

Ticket: 150 pesos per person / 100 pesos members

Don't forget your mouth cover!

COMMUNITY FESTIVAL OF MEZQUITE

Saturday August 6 / 12pm to 5pm
Contribution: 100 pesos per person (includes a mesquite lemonade)
Limited availability

Everyone is invited to celebrate the abundance of the semi-desert and learn about the importance of mezquite in the local ecosystem, its ethnobotanical history, the harvesting and processing of the pods for the production of delicious foods with high nutritional density, and the potential for integration into regenerative agriculture systems of this multipurpose native tree that has been the food sustenance of various indigenous cultures for thousands of years.

This resilient and adaptable tree has a rich ethnobotanical history and has great potential to become a staple food crop in arid regions of the world, mitigating the effects of climate change and providing food security in the face of desertification, water stress and climate instability.

Sweet and nutritious mesquite pods have been one of the most important staple foods of the indigenous peoples of the arid zones of the continent for thousands of years, they are an excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and essential amino acids such as lysine.

Mesquite has the potential to become a strategic element in the revitalization of ecosystems and to provide food security for the populations of the arid and semi-arid zones of Mexico and we want to celebrate that.

Soul gifts, musical gifts: Thank you, Michael Hoppé

It is very moving to see the ways in which people and sectors of our community support El Charco del Ingenio, a territory that has given peace, joy and nature to its users and visitors during the months of the pandemic.

Michael Hoppé is a recognized composer and musical producer, born in the United Kingdom and inhabitant of San Miguel since the 80s. He is an active member of the Botanical Garden, who recently has offered a lovely gift to El Charco, inspired by the daily walks he realizes on the trails of the reservation, in the company of his wife Monica. The work, Under Mexican Stars is a musical piece that takes you back to the most beautiful landscapes of Mexico or a night walk through the cobblestone streets of San Miguel. Beneath Mexican Stars (Under the Mexican stars), is a musical piece that can take us back to the most beautiful landscapes of Mexico or to a night walk through the cobbled streets of San Miguel. Beneath Mexican Stars (Under the Mexican stars), is a musical piece that can take us back to the most beautiful landscapes of Mexico or to a night walk through the cobbled streets of San Miguel.

Listen here:

ART AND SCIENCE IN THE BOTANICAL GARDEN
NEW SET OF 12 POSTCARDS: BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS OF EL CHARCO

Graphic work of four creative women from San Miguel de Allende:

Marijose Marín, Marisol Guerrero, Paquina Langenscheidt and Rocío Ríos

Available in our gift shop: 300 pesos