Monthly
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Earth Day Clean-Up in San Miguel – April 25th

Once again this year, in support of this worldwide environmental awareness movement, the Botanical Garden will lead a Clean Up Day in conjunction with FAI (Save the Children Mexico) and PEASMA (environmental education organization) and UNAM, the new custodians of Parque Landeta.  The Botanical Garden manages to be generally garbage free but Parque Landeta and the exterior zones south of the reserve are in need of a good clean up.  For this reason we are asking everyone, especially neighbors and members of El Charco to share this day in support of our local environment.

groups of students at Earth Day 2008 clean-up

Activities from 8:00a.m. to 12:00p.m. on Saturday, April 25th at the entrance to the Botanical Garden (please note: NOT Parque Landeta as in past years). There will be leaders for each group of 15 people in the Boveda at the Four Winds Plaza where a video about environmental education will be continuously showing. Once there are 15 people, a team leader will take that group to Parque Landeta, passing through the Garden, for the clean up.  Please come with comfortable shoes, sunscreen, hat, water and gloves if possible.  For more information, contact charcodelingenio@gmail.com or call 154-8838.

Paixtle-picking: Lend us a Hand by Lending us Your Gardeners'
Wednesday, April 22 at 9 a.m.

In honor of Earth Day, we are asking our membership and friends to send their gardeners to El Charco on Wednesday morning, April 22 at 9:00a.m. for half a day to help remove the paixtle from the trees. This is a local epiphyte that invades the branches and can smother it if there are too many. All who participate will receive instruction about how to take care of native plants.  Our Director, Mario Mendoza, will meet the gardeners at the reception area and show them the work areas.  The idea is that your gardeners, instead of working in your garden that morning, will assist at El Charco. We thank you in advance.

Garden Lecture Series:  BBC Planet Earth Also in honor of Earth Day, El Charco presents the first episode of Planet Earth, an Emmy Award and Peabody Award-winning BBC nature documentary series narrated by David Attenborough.  The series was described by its makers as "the definitive look at the diversity of our planet".  The first episode, From Pole to Pole, illustrates a 'journey' around the globe and reveals the effect of gradual climatic change and seasonal transitions en route.  We will travel from Antarctica to Canada to Russia, New Guinea and Africa meeting a variety of animals and birds.  Friday, April 24th at 10:00a.m.  This special presentation is offered at 50 pesos and and will be shown in the Boveda Multi-Use Space at the Botanical Garden. Please reserve at nzerriffi@yahoo.com.

Successful Special Events in El Charco in March

This year’s Spring Equinox Concert, Opera in the Canyon, was one of the most successful ever. Close to 500 people enjoyed the arias sung by Rodrigo Garciarroyo and Belinda Gonzalez accompanied by Mario Albert Hernandez on piano.  We thank our artists, the assistance of Opera San Miguel, our wonderful staff, and of course the public for making this a memorable event.

Our first annual Botanical Illustration course was completely full and all the participants thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Charlotte Staub Thomas instructed 15 participants on using ink, colored pencil and watercolor.  If you missed it this year, make a note for next March.  Thank you to Charlotte and the enthusiastic students!

What’s Blooming

Although the rains have not yet begun, some cacti and trees are in bloom already. The Opuntias (nopales, prickly pears), many of the smaller native cacti, mesquites, jara amarilla (yellow flowered shrub), Euphorbia radians (flor de tierra) are waiting for your attention. No need to wait for the rainy season.  To learn more about these plants and other flora and fauna, pick up a copy of Wild & Wonderful: Nature Up Close in the Botanical Garden ‘El Charco del Ingenio’ at our gift shop.

Opuntia flower: photo by Wayne Colony

YOGA EN EL CHARCO with Ximena Velasco.
every Monday & Wednesday from 10 – 11:15 am

Cost: 85 pesos /class, or monthly package of 8 classes for 560 pesos (70 pesos /class).
For more information or to reserve a space, please contact Juan Manuel:
Tel 154-4715.

A fond farewell and thank you to Olivia Ledón 

Everyone at El Charco wish all the best to Olivia who has been our Public Relations person this past year as she leaves for new ventures.  We have appreciated her efforts and enjoyed working with her. Mucha suerte, Olivia, in your future endeavours.

Guided Tours in English

We will have two tours a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10a.m.-12:30p.m.. A hat, water and good walking shoes are recommended. 50 pesos for members and 80 pesos for non-members. Private tours are also available for 150 pesos per person (minimum 5 persons). Reservations are not necessary.

FULL MOON CEREMONY
Thursday, April 9 at sunset (8 p.m.)

Snowbirds heading back up north ... Want to bring back some special presents for friends and family? Please visit our gift shop for lots of wonderful items – books, Tshirts, jewelry, musical instruments, soaps, agave honey and much much more.

You can make a difference

And you can make a difference with your contribution - volunteer or donate. We appreciate your support!! Please contact Naomi at nzerriffi@yahoo.com

E-mail any comments or questions to the Editor at charcodelingenio@gmail.com

“Botanical Gardens are not just places for conserving and displaying plants.  At the dawn of the new millennium, they are main actors in the defense and protection of the planet’s biodiversity, with a growing focus on the regional – thinking globally and acting locally.  And they are also builders of a new environmental culture for the societies that inhabit the Earth.”