OUR MISSION:
To preserve the natural and cultural heritage of El Charco del Ingenio, and maintain a botanical garden dedicated to the conservation and study of regional flora and ecosystems, with a primary focus on environmental education.

NEWSLETTER CONTENTS

Vol. XVII, No 07

THE NEW RECEPTION OF EL CHARCO

The new Reception, opened last March, is has been visited and admired by a growing number of visitors. This space includes a gift shop of artistic and artisanal objects, mostly prepared by local and from the region craftsmen, also a cafeteria and a juice bar that offers simple and healthy food and drinks. It’s highlighted with a novel interpretive room, which exhibits in a pleasant and substantial way, relevant information related with the Ecological Reserve and Ethnobotanical Garden of El Charco del Ingenio, on the Environmental Conservation Project and on the hydrographic basin where the Garden and the city of San Miguel are located. The new interpretive module, open to everyone, is part of the educational mission of our organization, aimed towards constructing of a culture of love and care towards the natural world, with special attention to the youngest population of our society.
The new reception of El Charco has been possible thanks to the confluence of many efforts: architects, engineers, museum designers, editors, interior designers, gardeners, iron workers, 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:

Architectural Concept
Pedro Alvarado · Marco Barrera Bassols · José María Bilbao · El Charco del Ingenio

Architectural Design
Pedro Alvarado · Studio 15B

Engineers and Work
Jacinto Estrada · EMAG Ingeniería

MuseumDesign
Marco Barrera Bassols · MUSEUM

Landscapings
El Charco del Ingenio · Louis Franke ·
Vivero Magueyes

FountainSculpture
Eduardo Olbés

Gift Shop (Furniture)
Francisco Mota

Donors:

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

Kahren & Michael Arbitman · Mark Deutschmann · Regine & François Sicart · Susan Edelstein · Unitarian Universalist Fellowship · Vanguard Charitable · Maria & Goerdt Abel · Ronald Thomae

William Peters · Terry & Jack Reinhart · Francisco Ríos Jiménez · Richard Gullan · Linda Whyman · Barbara Erickson · Honey Sharp · Fisher Weisman · Andy Blair · William Lee Ginager · Carolyn Stutts · C. Jobe · Culp King · Christopher Hixson · Mónica Gerez · Carol Jackson · Margot Dufrene Ketz · Eduardo Adame · QR Minerales

Kenneth L. Hillenburg · Leon Horowitz · Stephen Livingstone · Michael Pope · Marilyn Link · Christine McReynolds · Jimena Giménez Cacho · Ray Miles · John Chapman · William Lipsey · Steven Goldstein · Joshua Ehrlich · Rod & Glenna Copeland · Alfredo Alcántara · Phyllis Pitluga · Ed Laun · Richard Mason · Joy Levine · Viktor Hackl · Mathew Carroll · Daniel Neuspiel · David Zi Enterprises · Richard Plewa · Luke Rich · Dale Braiman · Robert Merchasin · Gregory Diamant · Klaus Schmidt · Weston Young · Deborah Chlebana · George Yatskievych · Alberto González Varela · Emiliano Sánchez · Kathleen Sheperd · Naomi Zurcher

The Festivity of the Santa Cruz del Charco returns to Landeta Park as we celebrate the 31 anniversary of the Founding of the Botanical Garden

After two years, the holiday in honor of the Santa Cruz del Charco returns to occupy the Landeta Park, a territory adjacent to the Botanical Garden.
We thank the communities for their participation in continuing with this traditional celebration.

11th Pedestrian Race in honor of the Santa Cruz del Charco

The education project of teaching the Hñähñu Language and Culture in Cruz del Palmar Begins

With great enthusiasm from the community and El Charco’s team, this program carried out by Dr. Ewald Hekking and Maestro Aurelio Núñez, researchers from the Autonomous University of Querétaro began.
This course is funded thanks to the support of CONACYT in the project “Consolidation of the ethnobiological garden of Guanajuato”
This course aims to make people from Otomi communities of San Miguel Allende literate in the general characteristics of the language as well as the regional variants, self -denominations and relevant aspects of the history, culture and worldview of the Ñähñu people.

EL CHARCO DEL INGENIO: BGCI member

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

MAGUEY MANSO (Agave mapisaga)

It is a plant belonging to the botanical collection. This endemic species is distributed in several states of Mexico. It is a succulent plant that blooms from April to August, its leaves are large, they grow forming a rosette around its quite short stem, it grows up to 2.5 m high and 4.5 m in diameter, fructifies after September.

It is known for its various uses. It is an Aguamiel producing species for making pulque; The floral buttons are baked and can eaten, other parts are used in construction, as well as for fencing property limits. It has been cultivated and domesticated for thousands of years.
In July we will have a special sale of 2 plants for 100 pesos.

Your contribution helps with the conservation of Mexican vegetation.

The new Charco Visitor Guide

The new design of this guide – in Spanish and English – allows the visitor to explore and discover the spacious area of the botanical garden and access magnificent views of the natural monument which is El Charco del Ingenio. The guide contains a suggested tour and shows a network of trails, accessible and guarded, in addition to offering information about the various points of interest in the reservation: exhibitions of plants, viewpoints, sanctuaries of birds, historical ruins …

Gardens at the main entrance: Why do they look so beautiful?

Each week starting very early, the aromatic specimens that our visitors see every day are watered. The scented atmosphere is due to the fact that this selection of plants has specialized glands in emanating aromas that seem pleasant to humans and other pollinators.

A constant work is the pruning of plants in those gardens, where branches and/or flowers that are dry or green are eliminated, this action helps the regrowth of new leaves and young stems that will be part of the colorful inflorescences of the vegetable aesthetics of landscape design.
All prunings are not wasted since dry or green foliage is used to form designs that are used by our colleagues to decorate and harmonize their work areas.

Citizen Science for conservation: Ebird

El Charco del Ingenio is a point of great relevance in the country for bird observation. Through out the year you can observe 247 migratory and resident species from the 393 that have be listed in the state of Guanajuato.
Scientists, researchers and naturalists record the data of their observations on digital platforms such as Ebird, from the Ornithology Laboratory of the University of Cornell. These biological data bases contribute to the knowledge of the distribution and abundance of Avifauna in all parts of the world. Citizen science is very important for the conservation of nature.

https://ebird.org/hotspot/l2300862

KINDLY REMINDER TO OUR MEMBERSHIP

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

Thank you for your support!

NATURAL HISTORY TOURS ARE BACK

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am – in English

Tickets are 150 pesos for non-members and 100 pesos for members

Don’t forget your face mask, please.

COMMUNITY FESTIVAL DEL MESQUITE

Saturday, August 6 / 12pm at 5pm
Contribution: 100 pesos per person (includes mesquite lemonade)
Limited space

Everyone is invited to celebrate the abundance of the semi -desert and learn about the importance of mesquite in the local ecosystem, its ethnobotanical history, the harvest and processing of the pods for the production of delicious foods with high nutritional density, and on the integration potential to Regenerative agriculture systems of this multipurpose native tree that has been the food support of diverse indigenous cultures for hundreds of years.

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

The sweet and nutritious mesquite sheaths have been one of the most important basic foods of the indigenous peoples of the arid areas 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 trees have the potential to become a strategic element in the revitalization of ecosystems, as well to provide food security for the populations of the arid and semi -arid areas of Mexico and that we want to celebrate.

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.

SCIENCE AND ART 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

NEWSLETTER