El Charco del Ingenio, Botanical Garden and Protected Natural Area of San Miguel de Allende, wishes to express its position regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, which has become, in a few weeks, the total scenario of our lives. It is evident that in the entire territory of Mexico, this health contingency requires the concentrated effort of society as a whole, based on the strict monitoring of the guidelines of the Federal Health Agency.
Since the contingency was announced in March, the Botanical Garden has suspended all scheduled group activities: dozens of school visits, scientific and cultural workshops, birdwatching tours, temazcales, as well as the annual spring equinox concert. Likewise, the cafeteria service was restricted and subsequently suspended. The staff and users of the Garden were instructed in the "healthy distance" practice and preventive measures of personal hygiene, without major problems due to the gradual decrease in the number of visitors.
As of the recent declaration of a sanitary emergency, decreed by the National Health Council, and the emphatic official recommendation to reduce mobility and stay as long as possible in houses, new measures will be necessary as the successive agreements of the Federal Health Agency are issued. We therefore ask users, members and visitors of the Botanical Garden to be attentive to the notices published on El Charco’s FB page.
Regarding the reserve staff, workers over 60 have been sent to their homes, while the rest of the staff have reduced their presence in the Garden through alternate shifts. An unavoidable situation, due to the need for continuous vigilance that El Charco requires, especially during the current fire season. And by all means, the salaries of all staff will be covered in full.
We also want to point out that the construction of the new visitor center will continue its course, as far as possible and according to the evolution of the contingency.
It will be weeks, perhaps months, of a difficult emotional and economic situation at both the planetary and local levels. Perhaps this is a great opportunity to rethink the uneven and predatory development model that has governed San Miguel in recent years, to find fairer and more respectful paths for the community and nature.