As part of its commitment to the environment, Bepensa, together with the Bepensa Foundation, inaugurated the field station donated to CONANP in the Arrecife Alacranes National Park.
The Alacranes Reef National Park is a protected natural area of great importance in our country, as it comprises the largest coral reef in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the only known and described reef in the state of Yucatán. The biological wealth and historical heritage of this National Park are invaluable, due to its virtually unaltered coastal environments, making it a place of great potential for study, scientific research, education, and environmental conservation.
The collaboration and support between Bepensa and the Bepensa Foundation and the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas began in 2008, with the need for more space and infrastructure to allow for protection and conservation activities in this park. This was realized in 2009 with the donation of the first field station built by the Bepensa Foundation.
Ten years after this initial step and continued collaborative work, work began on renovating the station with a completely new one. This will continue to support the conservation, protection, and recovery of these iconic ecosystems through proper management and administration, while also promoting the participation of the government, society, the scientific community, and the private sector.
The opening ceremony took place last Saturday, September 28th, with the participation of Mr. Fernando Ponce, President of the Bepensa Foundation; Joan Prats, VP of Public Affairs and Communications for Coca-Cola Mexico; Biol. Cristopher González Baca, Regional Director of the Yucatan Peninsula and the Mexican Caribbean at CONANP; Mr. Ignacio Ponce Manzanilla, Commodore of the Yucatan Yacht Club and President of the Advisory Council of the Alacranes Reef National Park; Luis Antonio Canto Ureña, First Master of the Marine Infantry; Biol. Cristóbal Cáceres G. Cantón, Head of the Alacranes Reef National Park; Mr. Andrés Zentella Ortega, Director of Corporate Affairs at Bepensa; Mr. Carlos Martín Briceño, Director of the Bepensa Foundation; and Sostenes Verde Ávila, Lighthouse Keeper at the Captaincy.
Mr. Fernando Ponce commented that it is a great honor and pride to be able to inaugurate the new facilities of this field station, and that this effort and the dedicated work of the Bepensa Foundation in its construction and improvement are an example of how important it is for Bepensa to continue contributing to environmental conservation.
“Thanks to the initiative, vision, and commitment of the Bepensa Foundation to environmental protection and conservation, today we have a renovated and new field station, which will continue to allow for the necessary scientific study and research to protect this invaluable biological wealth. I am confident that this will continue to promote the overall well-being of this protected natural area,” said Cristopher González Baca, Regional Director of the Yucatán Peninsula and Mexican Caribbean of CONANP.
For his part, Joan Prats shared that as a representative of the Mexican Coca-Cola Industry, it is a great honor to participate with Bepensa and the Bepensa Foundation in projects that have a significant positive impact on the communities where we operate.
To complement this great day, a beach cleanup was organized by Mr. Ignacio Ponce, who, along with volunteers from the Yucatán Yacht Club, managed to recover and remove approximately 400 kilos of waste from marine ecosystems, which are being carried there by the currents. This combined effort is how we continue to help and raise awareness of the importance of taking action, because no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, actions count toward conserving and protecting our environment.
With forward-looking actions that open up more opportunities for work and research for the conservation and protection of our country's natural resources, Bepensa and the Bepensa Foundation reaffirm their commitment to the environment.
