The guardians of water in CDMX who are at risk: the threats faced by wetlands

Wetlands, those spaces that provide various environmental, cultural and economic benefits, are being strongly threatened by various factors in Mexico City. Alarms go off when you consider that these are a fundamental tool to combat the effects of climate change and to ensure the economic future of different families.

In the capital of the country there were many rivers and lakes that were drained or piped due to the expansion of the city, the creation of houses, buildings and all the infrastructure characteristic of a metropolis. Although most of the natural areas were eliminated, water spaces remained in some parts of Tlahuac, Chalco, Texcoco and Xochimilco, mainly. However, no government has established strict measures for the care and conservation of these areas, specifically for wetlands.

That is why, within the framework of World Wetlands Day, experts explained to Infobae Mexico all the benefits these ecosystems provide and why they are in danger.

“Unfortunately, human beings, because of our selfishness, our closure and bad decisions have endangered our present and our future by disrupting the limits of nature itself, by believing ourselves to be owners of it, and by building progress and development by destroying it,” stressed Senator Verónica Delgadillo, from Movimiento Citizen.

According to a UNAM article, these spaces are defined as “bodies of brackish or fresh water that exist on the earth's surface. They have an important ecological function, they are habitats for many animal and plant species.” Doctor of Biological Sciences Alejandro Alva clarified that “anything that is an aquatic ecosystem of less than 6 meters is a wetland, (meaning that) more than half of the water bodies in the nation are wetlands”.

These aquatic bodies provide a great deal of environmental services that are not regularly taken into account by society, because, as Senator Verónica of the orange bench remarked, “there are things that are not talked about that are in nature, that are free, that are extremely powerful and that are our allies in this situation and an example are wetlands”.

The deputy from the same bench, Royfid Torres, added that another of the many services that wetlands provide is that they “clean the air, one of the things we need most in Mexico City” despite the fact that, unfortunately, “we have become accustomed to breathing polluted air that feels more in Mexico City the days when your eyes burn, when your throat itches and you say: alas is that today there is a lot of pollution, and that is the common denominator of those who live here.”

In addition, these spaces “are four times better than tropical forests can be” because “50% of the carbon stored in the oceans is kept by wetlands. They do it for free, without requiring any investment, any impulse, nothing more than letting them be, they clean the environment”, emphasized the legislator.

Sometimes these ecosystems are not recognized because it is thought that beautiful natural landscapes are only found in states such as Campeche, Yucatan, Oaxaca, but such spaces also exist in Mexico City and some are located in “Xochimilco, a very magical place in a space south of one of the denser and larger cities and, despite that, it is an oasis full of green spaces, with many birds, many flowers and many very particular and endemic species there,” said Laila Bustamante, member of the socio-environmental project of the Atzin Xochimilco chinampa.

Xochimilco, the Nahuatl word meaning “field of flowers”, has always had a privileged place among the other metropolitan sectors with bodies of water, even though in 1987 it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, although it should be noted that the main character of this site has always been the chinampa.

“Chinampas are productive systems that ancestral cultures, the Aztecs, developed. They are systems that alone could be said to be natural, why are they natural? because they are respecting the biological and natural processes of the lake system, in this case the Xochimilco lagoon,” biologist Lesly Méndez, director of the environmental education project Horti Sativa, shared with Infobae Mexico.

Although most people often think of a trajinera or an axolotl when they hear the name of the mayor's office, Xochimilco is much more than that. However, it is important to mention that there are also not-so-wonderful elements that characterize the locality, among which are: pollution, the extent of the urban stain, excess garbage, the few actions by local and federal governments to mitigate the damage and a long etcetera that ends directly affecting wetlands.

The fact that different natural areas are threatened represents a danger not only to the demarcation, but to the entire city and “wetlands are one of the places that are most at risk because they are not paid attention, because they think that water is there and will be forever but it is really falling victim to many processes of the population”, explained Lesly, a specialist in botany.

Members of Horti Sativa explained that one of the big problems lies in the fact that “if water is contaminated, the production of many crops, mainly vegetables, is affected and that puts one of the main economic activities of Xochimilco families at risk”.

It should be noted that the former delegation is classified as one of the most important centers for the production of vegetables and flowers and is one of the places that supplies these elements the most to CDMX, a situation that also threatens the capital's food security and the economic security of various producers.

This is the case of Alonso Flores, a producer in the neighborhood of La Asunción, who together with his family has been growing seasonal vegetables and flowers for a long time. Alonso shared that, at times, due to the poor conditions of Lake Xochimilco, it has had serious effects on its income.

“This year I grew about 3 hectares of corn, but because of the water lily that is in the water I couldn't get anything out of the harvest, everything was spoiled. We made complaints to the authorities so that they would clean the canals and because they did nothing, then my crop was practically spoiled because I could not have access to my chinampas.”

He and his family are not the only ones facing these situations, because “that happens here in Xochimilco, it happens in Tlahuac and it happens in Milpa Alta. It is a strong problem because it is a production on which many local families in the communities depend, so their quality of life and their economy are put at risk in the future,” said the Horti Sativa collective.

The financial stability of many producers is jeopardized by the lack of attention to these natural areas, although it is of the utmost importance to emphasize that it is not only a monetary loss, it also implies the loss of their efforts, their work, the dedication and love they place on their crops.

“As consumers, many of us go to the supermarket and put an apple in the cart, we pay for it and it is already ours, but all that meant that it got there was thanks to a very long, heavy and tumultuous process. I think that the fact that we don't know what it costs to give a food means that we don't appreciate enough what we eat,” said Álvaro Covacevich, member of the Chinampero group Atzin.

In addition, Nolwenn Lubrez, from the same group, revealed that “it is very hard to plant something and see that it doesn't turn out as you thought because in the end it is a very personal thing to sow things. You want me to come out, even literally see the fruits of your labor.” Regarding this, Laila Bustamante added that part of the problem that is being experienced is due to the fact that “the work of the land is very little valued”.

This whole issue is compounded by the difficulties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, because of it “many people stopped producing because they didn't even have money to invest. It is a good thing to make such a strong investment in something that is the countryside, to lose everything because they did not have the tools to carry it out,” said the teacher of plant production, Lesly Mendez.

In addition to the list of threats and obstacles already mentioned, there is a fundamental question: the problem of water quality, a situation that undoubtedly influences wetlands, even in the areas of the mayor's office that have been declared Natural Protected Areas.

“The main difficulty is water, the wetland is water and water is essential for all processes, both productive and for our lives,” explained the Horti Sativa group. Biologist Lesly explained that “in the water of Xochimilco there are both pesticides and heavy metals, mainly copper, bacteria that are pathogenic to humans such as E. coli and salmonella. All that combination is causing the things that are produced to not be of the quality they should.”

Although from time to time there have been efforts by the authorities to clean up the lake, they have been poorly focused, since they have focused only on cleaning some areas and this represents a very half-assisted because in the end “all the channels are connected, so you can clean in parts, but in the end the garbage on one side ends up reaching the other,” argued Nolwenn Lubrez.

Due to the expansion of the urban spot near the wetlands and the lake, there has been an increase in waste. Alonso Flores, who lives a few meters from the canal, said that “the neighbors take their garbage for the week or month and even plastic, cans and batteries and they are going to leave it where there are vacant land, then the dogs and take all that out of their sacks and the time they throw it on the shore, then the wind has already thrown it off the canal”.

Producer Alonso indicated that the water has also been getting worse because the drains of the houses around the canals flow directly into the lake. “Here the mayor's office built some jails in different neighborhoods, but the truth is that I don't see any benefit, because at the end of the day when they wash them or I don't know what they do, they discard part of the water from that prison into the canal.”

Researcher Alejandro Alva explained that Xochimilco lives thanks to the fact that there is the Cerro de la Estrella water treatment plant, however, Nolwenn emphasized that there must be sewage filtration directly into the canals because “people who have homes near the small canals do not have a seepage of your drain, then everything that comes out of the toilets falls down there and that affects the overall water situation.”

The members of Horti Sativa emphasized that among several people they have already concluded that “all the mayor's office has to do is help by changing the water or making local treatment plants, which is also a benefit for the producer and his family.”

Faced with this, Alonso said that for a long time he has heard that there are projects of water treatment plants and purifiers, “but nothing else stays in that and that is the bad thing because I don't know where that money is.”

In the same way, boats represent a problem, because the engine seriously affects the ecosystem “here they run as if they were in Acapulco and the authorities don't do anything to set a limit. Today there are many engines and that pollutes a lot,” said Alonso, who is a resident of the La Asunción neighborhood, Xochimilco.

The actions of governments have generated the distrust and discontent of various neighborhoods and towns in the mayor's office, since it is they who are most affected by the fact that the water quality of Lake Xochimilco is getting worse and worse.

Proof of this is the lack of awareness and, above all, of knowledge in the actions implemented. One example was the introduction of water lily and tilapia fish, two species that have greatly affected the condition of the ecosystem. In fact, tilapia, being so predatory, was the main culprit for the disappearance of axolottes and other animals.

“I remember when I was 6 or 7 years old and my dad brought long white fish or charales. He says that 50 years ago there was a clam, now you search and there is nothing like that, it's all over. There were many things that are not today, the culprit of all that is tilapia,” explained Alonso Flores. Likewise, the Atzin collective added that these aquatic species are also destroying chinampas.

Lesly Mendez pointed out that introducing alien species into natural habitats is an issue that is considered by the National Biodiversity Commission (CONABIO) as one of the major causes of biodiversity loss.

It is also important to note that various social programs have been implemented and continue to be implemented that provide assistance to producers and the care of natural areas, including, recently, a chinampería school was opened to teach the people of Xochimilco in agroecology.

The problem is that, they said, in some selection processes to give support there is a lot of corruption and favoritism. In addition, as detailed by the interviewees, attendance is very low, initiatives are not constant and no long-term commitment is reflected.

Although there is a lot of organization among some mayoral groups, there is a lot of fragmentation, disunity and lack of coordination, which makes it difficult for society's actions to have a greater impact. This results in the absence of communication between the federal government, the local government and the groups of the inhabitants.

It should be clarified that in order to consult another perspective on the situation of the organization and the concerns of the inhabitants of the territory, an attempt was made to contact the Coordination of Towns, Indigenous Neighborhoods and Colonies of Xochimilco, however, no response was obtained.

It should be added that, as Dr. Alejandro pointed out, “there are many opportunists who try to use folk, traditional and religious language to try to sell something or to have more allies.” Such was the case of the recent “Axolotón”, a project led by several mayors to reintroduce the axolotl to the Xochimilco canals, taking advantage of the fact that this is one of the most valued species in recent years.

It should be noted that all this problem does not only occur in the center of the Republic, it is a systematic problem that affects all wetlands — and in general all ecosystems — in Mexico.

The negative antecedents of several government projects that have destroyed large numbers of natural spaces and species, have caused discontent, distrust and, above all, anger to different communities that have long fought for environmental spaces. For this reason, it is very common to assume that the works being carried out are poorly planned, as happened with the recent construction of the Periférico South-Oriente vehicular bridge.

This work generated various protests and mobilizations in society because the bridge was built over a wetland, a situation that immediately set off the alarms of several groups.

Teacher Lesly shared that one of the arguments put on the table was that she would see a general impact on the ecosystem, since “the water in the wetland is connected by the water table. Superficially we see one thing, but below it is connected, so when they are changing or modifying a part everything is affected.”

“The mobilization that was created around 'I protect the wetland' came about because they are angry with the whole system, because people have been fighting for many years and no one has solved them, no government, whether it is from the mayors or the city, nobody has listened to them,” said Deputy Royfid Torres, who has met with several groups to understand the problems of organized peoples.

The situation of the bridge is quite complex, since it has benefited many people who live nearby and use cars. Neighbors have said that the time of their transfers was greatly reduced, which is why talking about whether the actions of the CDMX Government were wrong “depends on who sees it, I biologist does not see it well, but it is also something that is helping him to improve the quality of life,” said Lesly from Horti Sativa.

Another factor is that “due to the increase in population there has been an urban need that prioritizes the growth of economic activity rather than caring, rather than cleaning,” added Diego Castaño of the Atzin collective.

“If in the end it ends up benefiting some people a lot, I don't doubt it, but I think it's also difficult to evaluate it because everyone has personal priorities, for some it's the environment and for others it's mobility,” added Álvaro Covacevich.

It should be emphasized that, as Lesly Méndez emphasized, “that is not to say, do not touch nature, because we are not protective parents, simply if we are going to use it we have to think beyond it and do it in a sustainable way”.

However, the specialist in aquatic systems and resources and responsible for the restoration and relocation of the wetland under the Periférico Sur - Oriente bridge, Alejandro Alva, explained in detail to Infobae Mexico the process with which a balance was sought to avoid affecting the ecosystem 100%.

Regarding this situation, Deputy Royfid Torres said that “what should have been done in that area was to recover the part of the wetland that was in very poor condition due to pollution, carelessness and lack of attention to influence the problem of air pollution”.

However, Dr. Alva argued that when he arrived there he was already full of tezontle, so he had to devise-through a series of studies- what was the best alternative considering that the work was not going to stop, that people were upset and that there was a wetland that was being threatened.

In addition, a protected natural area and a Ramsar site were to be intervened, which entailed more social and environmental challenges. The solution was to take advantage of the resources and machinery that was already operating on the site to restore the body of water that was in very poor condition.

Then, from a “disturbance”, a degraded ecosystem was obtained with an intervention that allowed rehabilitation. We sent all the soil they were removing to the National Axolotl Museum and we already have this new wetland, we sent to Cuitláhuac Park and we already have new lakes, so was this piece lost? no, only the piece of wetland that was full of eucalyptus trees was lost and modified for good.”

The biologist specified that in the new ecosystems there are already new species, even some that have already disappeared. Similarly, “the species from before are already appearing and are returning to the place”.

He stressed that the Government's efforts and concerns to ensure good management of the area were due, in part, to the demands and organization of society. Although the specialist in aquatic bodies also stressed that the objective is to improve the processes of conjunction between environment and progress.

“I don't see more bridges crossing wetlands, but if I see more wetlands under the bridges and at the end, we already have four different wetlands thanks to the (ancestral) and traditional xochimilca system,” he said.

We must continue to fight and above all, demand that the government “the benefits of any work, of any infrastructure, be compared with the benefit of preserving the environment. Everything must be aimed at the benefit of everyone, not just a small part of the population,” said official Royfid Torres.

Finally, it is necessary to change the relationship between government and society with nature and, in this case, with wetlands, because, as Senator Verónica Delgadillo pointed out, “there will be no social justice without environmental justice, the first ones who will suffer from water shortages, who will they be? those who have the least, who are the first to suffer from air problems? those who cannot have access to health services”.

Everyone from their trenches and from their possibilities can contribute to environmental awareness. In this case, the legislator, together with her team, recently launched an initiative that seeks “to understand what blue carbon is, that the protection of coastal ecosystems, wetlands, mangroves, etc. is implemented in the national climate action plan and that resources are designated for its care.

It is important to emphasize that the project also has a local scope, as Deputy Royfid Torres shared that it is essential to “listen to citizens to create synergy exercises and turn them into more initiatives that can solve the underlying problems and achieve points of agreement”.

For their part, the Horti Sativa collective and the Chinampero group Atzin are dedicated to socio-environmental projects that seek to contribute to society's understanding and learning of the importance of nature and its care.

There is also Alonso Flores, one of the many producers in Xochimilco who, despite adversity, continues to fight for his land, crops and cultural and historical heritage, because “it is something unique, very valuable that our ancestors left, and the least we could do is give up, sell the land and that's it, but we want to keep them even though sometimes the work to achieve them is immense. The course is a very nice thing.”

The message is clear: if wetlands are at risk, so is Mexico City's food production, air quality and resilience.

And as the senator said: “We need co-responsibility, working as a team to be able to face environmental adversities. It is a matter for all of us.”

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