News published: 11 January 2023

The First Community Festival for the Conservation of the Arroyo Oak (Quercus brandegeei) celebrated its first edition, on November 5, 2022, within the framework of a consolidated participation and a great success of attendance. At the Ecological Park of Santiago, in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, a total of 200 attendees were received in person, representing and consolidating the great community of Santiago and its sub-delegations.

Since the species conservation program known as: “Salvemos al Encino Arroyero” was launched in 2021, it was determined to establish a local network to work together, in order to implement comprehensive management and conservation strategies in order to avoid the extinction of the species. As a result of holding a community workshop and symposium in October of the same year, this important festival was held, with the purpose of addressing fundamental aspects discussed in the workshops, such as: raise awareness, environmental education, and dissemination of information with communities.

During the event, the delegate of the Santiago community, Óscar Manríquez, was in charge of giving a few words of welcome and thanks to the guests of honor and attendees, and then cut the ribbon and thus began the activities of the festival. After the tour and presentation of the different stands, there was a screening of the mini-documentary “Salvemos al Encino Arroyero”, developed by the Morton Arboretum, in collaboration with the CIBNOR, Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve and inhabitants of the community (http://mortonarb.org/arroyo).

Daniel Wblesther Pérez, local coordinator of the stream oak conservation project, was in charge of giving an informative talk to a group of more than 60 people, about the project that summarizes the global objective of this effort… Save this tree from extinction! After paying a brief tribute to Dr. Aurora Breceda Solís (R.I.P.), researcher and professor at CIBNOR and one of the main collaborators of this project, an honorary planting of trees of this species was carried out inside the park with support of attendees and guests of honor.

Quercus brandegeei, locally known as arroyo oak, is an endemic tree species to the Cape region, which is in danger of extinction. This species provides multiple environmental services and is highly valued by local people, as they use firewood to make handicrafts and tools, as well as an important source to feed livestock and for human consumption in the form of atole, flour, and oil extracted from acorns.

More than 200 people who attended the arroyo oak festival enjoyed the activities, contests, prizes, and gifts. The drawing contest in the children’s and youth category, had the participation of about 15 children between 6 and 15 years old. The contest for the best acorn-fed atole made from stream oaks rewarded the 3 participants who surprised the judges with their interesting and delicious recipes.

Undoubtedly, the participation in the festival was notorious, the topics focused on the species, such as its ecology, propagation, management and conservation, were of interest because the information that was shared was of a local nature. This allowed both the groups with whom work processes are underway, as well as those in the communities of San Dionisio, San Jorge, La Ribera and Miraflores, to feel involved and identify with the activities. In addition, a list of people to whom between one and five stream oak trees were given up for adoption was generated, acknowledging great interest in the community in supporting the stream oak conservation project.

This wonderful first edition of the festival and the stream oak conservation project has been possible thanks to the support and financing of the Morton Arboretum, CIBNOR, Fundación Franklinia, Conservation Leadership Program (CLP), CONANP, GCCO. In addition to a very special thanks to the Department of Ecology and Environment, the Municipal Department of Education, Dissemination and Environmental Promotion of Los Cabos and the Delegation and Environmental Coordination of the Delegation of Santiago for all the facilities granted.

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