The Global Classroom

	The Global Classroom Around the World • For the World

The GCR in...

Make a Donation
in support of The GCR

The Global Classroom
39 Glasheen Rd.
Petersham, MA 01366
(978) 724-3530
www.globalclassroom.net

Grupo Ecologista Antares (GEA) in Baja, Mexico

GEA is a private non-profit organization based in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. GEA's mission is to create and promote sustainable development and protection of natural resources in the areas surrounding Loreto. GEA runs many programs, projects, and activities to work towards this goal such as environmental education and awareness programs and conservation projects. The group also aids on-going scientific investigations, and have created an eco-center and natural history museum that is open to the public. For many years now the GCR has been offering support to Fernando Arcas of GEA and his tireless efforts to protect the whales and sharks of Baja, among other things. Whether it be the donation of wetsuits or resource books, or hours spent on the water identifying and photographing Blue and Finback Whales, GCR volunteers and staff are always happy to help.

Education and Awareness at the Eco-Center

GEA's Eco-Center is located in downtown Loreto, offering information on local species and environmental issues to both tourists and locals. The center includes a small musuem with exhibits and information on local flora and fauna and shell and whalebone displays. The center also has internet access and telvesion programming in Spanish and English to allow people to learn more about environmental issues. We encourage you to visit the GEA Eco-Center to support their hard work and see all that they have to offer.

GEA's educational programs focus on teaching local youth and teachers about the environment through field trips within the park system.
Students are given the opportunity to explore on land as well as under the water thanks to donations of snorkling and water safety equiptment. GEA is also creating an underwater cage for shark viewing, so that students are able to learn from first-hand experience in deeper waters. In addition, GEA offers seminars at the GEA Eco-center for anyone interested. These conferences are offered on many subjects and draw a variety of participants including specialists, conservationists, fisherman and local people.

Conservation

GEA's conservation work includes the monitoring of local species in order to gather information about what plants and animals inhabit the local area and what might be done to ensure their survival. Specific projects include a census of the choclate clam and repopulating of depleted areas as well a search for areas used by reef and pelagic species for reproduction and how to reverse the impact of over-fishing on sharks.

Research and Analysis of Threats

GEA instigates research and brings attention to local environmental threats in order to find the best way to address them. Recent work has focused on removing fuel from a capsized tuna boat that has approximately 30,000 gallons of Diesel fuel still on board, which will eventually leak out and pollute the water.
GEA has also been trying to bring about the clean up of squid-fishing camps that cause the beach to be littered with the garbage produced by thousands of careless fishermen. Ways of holding fishermen responsible for their own litter are also being looked at so as to avoid this problem in the future.

GEA has contributed to scientific marine studies research at the following institutions:

• Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) – individual photographic identification of blue whales
• University of Baja California Sur at La Paz – whale identification, mother-of-pearl reproductive studies
• University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) – study of the drill in the Sea of Cortez

Support for GEA

In order to continue their hard work, GEA needs your support. A majority (70%) of their funding comes from private contributions by people like yourself. Donations are accepted at the GEA Eco-Center, or you may choose to deposit into account # 035-1002320-2 at the Bancomer Bank in Loreto. In the United States, you may make tax deductible donations to:

The Nature Conservancy/GEA fund
Virginia Park at 333 East Virginia, Suite 216
Pheonix, Arizona 85004

If it is more convenient, you may make contributions to The Global Classroom, which we will gladly forward to our friends in Mexico.

Home ~ About Us ~ Get Involved ~ Projects ~ Journal ~ News ~ Links
Costa Rica ~ Baja