Principal Investigator: Dr Richard Griffiths
Project Officer: Dr Ian Bride
Project Dates: 2002/05
Funding Body: Darwin Initiative
Project Website:
http://www.kent.ac.uk/anthropology/dice/research/azaxs/index.htm
Project Summary Purpose
To assist Mexico in the development of a sustainable development programme to conserve the axolotl and other endemic fauna and flora of Xochimilco through the promotion of nature tourism.
Project Activities
Collaborative work collating data on the ecology and conservation of axolotls and the Xochimilco system.
MSc training at DICE; in-situ workshop-based training programmes for trainers, unemployed artisans and Mexican students.
Train local staff in tourism management.
Establish a local wildlife association with resource planning responsibilities.
Produce a land use and resource utilisation strategy.
Design, production and distribution of a range of educational materials and commercial product.
Outputs
Through training and implementation, to establish an on-going ecotourism venture and associated wildlife monitoring and conflict resolution centre.
Axolotl/Xochimilco ecology data
Mexicans trained: MSc Tourism & Conservation; amphibian ecology, conservation education assessment and community appraisal
Trajineros trained as nature guides; unemployed artisans trained-souvenir production.
Species/ Habitat Action Plan.
Conservation education programme.
