San Miguel’s Ecology Department and You
By Signe Hammer
Everyone is concerned about the environment, but what can we do about it? That’s where the Department of the Environment and Ecology comes in. At Audubon’s May presentation, Helio Bastién Partida, the department’s head, will speak about what Ecology can do for you today and how its projects will shape the future of San Miguel.
Many people aren’t aware of the many services Ecology offers the community on a daily basis. For instance, if you want to prune, cut down or plant a tree, contact Ecology. The department has already distributed 9,000 trees for planting, and has 9,000 more ready to give out—you only have to water and maintain your tree.
Responding to today’s needs becomes the basis for projects that promise to have an effect on San Miguel for years to come. For example, today, Ecology is equipped to shelter abandoned cats and dogs. But people also call about larger, more exotic or wild creatures, from bulls to caracaras. In a few weeks, the department will lay the cornerstone for a much larger animal clinic, better equipped to handle the needs of the growing municipality.
Today, Ecology maintains San Miguel’s many parks and gardens, and is responsible for overall environmental protection. It issues permits for private events and development, based on environmental impact, and deals with such environmental threats as illegal gravel digging along rivers. But San Miguel’s rapid growth requires more than a case-by-case approach. Working with the University of Querétero, Ecology is studying the entire human ecosystem, from farming and fishing to transportation, from water resources and their use to residential development. Helio will discuss the plan for environmental management and sustainable development, which will involve the entire government and community.
If you have questions about anything in the San Miguel environment, whether everyday issues—such as how to deal with noisy neighbors or why walking the dog without a leash attached may get you a fine—or larger questions such as the future of the Rio Laja watershed or the future shape of San Miguel, come to the Biblioteca on Tuesday to find the answers and have your say.
For more information about the Department of Environment and Ecology, go to www.sanmiguelallende.gob.mx. At the top of the screen, touch the cursor on “Tu Gobierno,” then on “Direcciones y Departamentos,” then click on “Medio Ambiente y Ecología.”