1.2 Development plans in the Loreto region

In the 1960s, Loreto’s natural beauty caught the attention of FONATUR, the Mexican federal agency in charge of tourism development. Tourism is a powerful economic driver in the state of Baja California Sur, and it has been growing at an average annual rate of 20% since 1988 (Carvajal et al., 2004; Kiy et al., 2005; Steinitz et al., 2005). Economic development in the state strongly depends on the availability of renewable resources. The most significant threats to biodiversity are driven by economic activities that can cause the deterioration of ecosystems (Carvajal et al., 2004). Although Los Cabos is still the most important destination in the state, La Paz and Loreto are close behind, with the economy of the latter largely based on tourism and fishing (Kiy et al., 2005). According to a technical report the region receives around 30,000 visitors each year (López, 2003).

Except for a marina at Puerto Escondido, efforts to convert Loreto into a major tourist destination failed and soon Los Cabos became the most important tourist destination in the state. Although the tourism industry has been present ever since, it was only when an interest in real estate arose among foreigners that the government decided to capitalize on the opportunity for economic growth and revived old plans for development (Steinitz et al., 2005).

As the development project gained strength once again, so did the awareness of the risk of degrading natural resources in the area. FONATUR intends to make the region a great tourism destination through the construction of hotels, villas, condominia and marinas that cater to visitors mainly from the United States and Canada (López, 2003; Steinitz et al., 2005; Torres, 2006). The proposed development project is expected to cause a ten-fold increase in the population by the year 2025. This increase will be accompanied by urban development, mostly along the coast (Fig. 2) (Torres, 2006).

The city of Loreto has been growing steadily and the increase in human activities has had a toll on the natural environment. Because coastal and marine environments in the Loreto region began to show signs of pollution, over fishing and habitat degradation, the importance of conservation and sustainable development became evident for community members. This prompted the local community to begin the process of making the area extending from Coronado protected area (Carabias et al., 2000).