In pre-hispanic times this region was inhabited by the Matlatzinca people, whose name means "the ones that use the sling." The town of Cacalomacán (which means, "Place where the ravens are hunted by hand") seems to have been founded about 1477, which is the first year that their name is listed as a part of the Mexican Empire.
The Cooperative of Cacalomacán was decreed July 28, 1925. It has a total surface area of 943 hectares, 244 of which make up this park and they are within the National Park, Nevado of Toluca. The flora of the park consists mainly of cedar forests and mixed pine forest. One can find a great variety of edible mushrooms and medicinal plants here also. As for the fauna, one can find rabbits, squirrels, tlacuaches, zorrillos and diverse birds including hawk and the raven.
The main objective of the Park Ejidal Cacalomacán is the conservation of the natural resources in both the cooperative and the National Park. The people of the cooperative know that the health of the forest and their quality of life are closely related. For this reason, this ecotourism project seeks to offer an unique space in Toluca for open air recreation and an opportunity for jobs and resources to sustain the Cooperative, and support its 30 year efforts to conserve the forest for benefit of all inhabitants of the Toluca Valley.
Park infrastructure was built with the support of Toluca City Hall 2000-2003, and with support from Natural Gas Mexico under the supervision of ecotourism consulting firm, BALAM. Services provided in the Park include:
-
Walking paths for hiking, riding horses or mountain biking
- Camping platforms, shelters and restrooms
- Pic-nic area with palapas and BBQs
- Parking
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Security
Parque Ejidal San Nicolás Totolapan
The people of this
ejido date from pre-Hispanic times and the place name ´Totolapan´
in Náhuatl means, "Place of Turkeys" (Totol
- Hen, Apan - Water). Currently, the total extent of the ejido
is 2304 hectares, belongs to 336 ejidatarios. Approximately 80% of the
ejido is covered by temperate coniferous forest (Pine). There
are 13000 inhabitants in the ejido. They cultivate oats, maize,
beans, potatoes, vegetables and fruits. They graze cattle, horses, pigs
and sheep. The ejido provides an enormous amount of water that supplies
all the southern zone of Mexico City.
In the middle of
1996, Consultoría BALAM S.C. and the ejido initiated a tourism
project in the countryside of Mexico City, as a means to halt
the growth of urban development in the Valley of Mexico.
This project was supported by the Mexican Fund for the Conservation
of the Nature. The
objectives of ´´El Ejidal Park San Nicholas Totolapan´´
are to:
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Conserve and Preserve of the Forests of Mexico City.
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Preserve the Natural Resources within Mexico City, to halt the growth of the urban development
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Create a Sustainable enterprise for the Ejidatarios and their children
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Provide the citizens of Mexico City a safe place to experience nature
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Be an example for other rural communities in Mexico City
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Promote environmental education and conserve the flora and fauna of the area.
-
Create a safe area to practice outdoor sports
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Share our forest with you
The Ejidal Park San Nicolas Totolapan is considered one of the most successful ecotourism projects in Mexico. It has been shown that the flora and fauna of the area has regenerated, allowing a continuous supply of water to the southern zone of Mexico City. It is one of the safest sites to practice mountain biking in Mexico City
Reference websites:
http://www.parquesannicolas.com.mx
http://www.planeta.com/planeta/97/1197ajusco.html
http://www.planeta.com/planeta/99/0599totolapan.html
http://www.planeta.com/planeta/97/1197ajuscotrip.html
Parque
Nacional del Chico
In November 2001,
Balam Consultancy was contracted by the government of the State of
Hidalgo to develop the recreational infrastructure of one of its national
parks. This national park is one of the oldest and most recognized
in Mexico. The primary objective was to make a project that would
serve as a model for infrastructure for visitors, and that it would
fulfil the requirements of the Protected Natural Areas of the
Country. The park includes the well-known area ´Monte Vedado´,
which covers more than 500 Ha.
Currently, as a result of the works created by Balam the park
has a:
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A cartographic system for recreational use
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Trained personnel for the construction, maintenance and care of the parks
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25 kilometres of multiple-use Trails
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2 camping sites with 6 cabins for 25 people and 20 tent sites.
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System of signage and information for visitors
It is worth mentioning
that after just a short time, the camping site “Dos Aguas”
is a commercial success that significantly contributes to
the maintenance and promotion of the natural area. By its characteristics
the park is a model for the planning and installation of recreational
areas. It is the first protected natural area of federal nature that
has a network of multiple-use trail.
For reservations in any of the camping sites of the park and/or to obtain
more information, the visitor can contact:
Park Management: 01 (771) 717 60 37
State Ministry of Tourism: 01 (771) 718 39 17
Mountain Guides: 01 (771) 715 29 41
Reference websites:
http://www.bicimapas.com.mx/El%20Chico.htm
http://www.meb.com.mx/hidalgo/mineral/index.htm
http://www.hidalgo.gob.mx/atractivos_turisticos/atractivo.asp?atractivoID=122
Parque
ejidal ecoturístico y cinegético “El Guajolote”
In January 2002, the government of the State of Hidalgo together with
the Ejido of “El Guajolote” entrusted Balam
Consultancy with the design and construction of recreational infrastructure.
The purpose was to initiate an Ejidal park with the capacity to provide
recreational and forest activities in an area of 1,100 hectares of pine
and oak forest within the municipality of Epazoyucan. The park
has:
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15 kilometres of multiple-use trails
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Camping sites with 7 tent- cabins and 12 tent sites
-
System of Cartography for recreational and educative use
-
IInternal signage system.
Since its inauguration,
the park has been used twice as part of the “Echo challenge”
route. The site is ideal for family camping and sports like mountain
biking and rock climbing. It has great rocky crags and a surrounding
area of a thousand hectares.
To visit the park,
the visitor can contact:
Hidalgo State Ministry of Tourism:01 (771) 718 39 17
Commissariat of “El Guajolote” 01 (771)
792 50 59
Mountain Guides
01 (771) 715 29 41
Tourist promoter Mr. Roberto 01
(771) 719 12 23
Axosco
Turismo en la Naturaleza
Throughout 1999 and 2000, Balam Consultancy, with funds from the federal
program PRODEFOR, created a local eco-tourism group in the community
of Santo Tomás and San Miguel Ajusco. As a result of the
community organisation the government of the Federal District
through the Commission for Natural Resources invested in the construction
of 17 kilometres of multiple-use Trails, a camping site and three
parking areas. Currently,
the Axosco park has:
-
One alpine patrol that offers aid on the weekends
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A 17 kilometre pathway, considered as one of the best in the world as catalogued by the magazine “Bike”
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Three parking lots each with security guards
-
7 tent sites for camping
The park “Axosco,
turismo en la naturaleza” was one of the first to include design
and construction techniques of Balam consultancy. It is important
to emphasize that the visiting area and the Trails are along the
junction of the communal lands and the decreed national park “Cumbres
del Ajusco” thus the total area in use and the recreational observation
exceeds a thousand hectares.
To visit the Axosco
park: Head along the scenic highway of the Ajusco peak, turn off at
the intersection towards Jalatlaco and Toluca. Enter the pathway
through the more known sites such as: Abrevadero, Albergue, Tezontle
y Cantimplora.
Reference websites:
http://www.bicimapas.com.mx/Axosco.htm
http://www.mountainbike.org.mx/axoscotuercas.html
http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/balam/balam.html
Reserva
de
Monte Alto
Monte Alto was decreed
as an ecological reserve by the government of the State of Mexico in
1991, with the purpose of conserving the natural resources of Valle
de Bravo. The reserve covers a total area of 540 hectares.
The dominant vegetation type of the reserve is Pine and oak forest.
Pines dominate the forest with trees of an average height of around
20 meters.
Under a joint initiative of the State Commission of Natural Parks and
Fauna (CEPANAF), the Ministry of Tourism of the State of Mexico
and Balam S.C. a park was constructed in the reserve of Monte
Alto, Valle de Bravo. This included the construction of 32 km of multiple
use Trails, 2 camping sites including 12 bunk beds, 3 fire places,
6 dry toilets, 6 ´´Tent-Cabins´´ with
4 beds each, 2 information booths and more than 300 signs. The design
and development of the mountain biking tracks received strong
support of International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA).
The objective of
the development of the reserve, Alto Mount, is to develop efficient
and sustainable alternatives to conserve the resources of this
protected natural area. The community of Acatitlán is the
group responsible for the maintenance of the reserve. This guarantees
employment for the community and contributes to stop the illegal logging
in this area.
Currently,
the tracks of Monte Alto are considered as some of the best for practicing
mountain biking and are part of the multiple recreation activities
that can be undertaken in Valle de Bravo.
