UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE NUEVO LEÓN
SECRETARÍA DE SUSTENTABILIDAD
Day of recovery of natural environments in urban areas in the bed of the La Silla River
In the last twenty years, Monterrey and its metropolitan area has experienced rapid population growth, one of the causes being internal migration, of people from other states of the country who travel to Nuevo León attracted by the creation of qualified jobs generated by the economic growth of the region state.
Actualmente, la población total que habita Nuevo León es de aproximadamente 5 millones 800 mil habitantes, de los cuales el 92 % habita en Monterrey y su área metropolitana.
The growth that the urban areas of Nuevo León have had has caused an increase in pressure on the remnants of natural areas that they still have, causing their deterioration or disappearance, with the serious consequences that this situation causes.
Natural areas located in urban areas are of great importance, due primarily to the environmental services they provide such as climate regulation and improvement of air quality, carbon sequestration and storage, moderation of natural phenomena, capture of water, prevention of erosion and conservation of soil fertility, pest control, pollination, in addition to providing vital spaces for flora and fauna, which helps maintain the biological richness of the ecosystems where they settle. the cities. Additionally, natural areas provide city residents with aesthetic inspiration, cultural identity and spiritual experiences related to the natural environment, as well as spaces for recreational and tourism activities.
The degradation or disappearance of natural areas in urban areas causes an increase in human health problems derived from pollution, the exacerbation of social problems and puts urban systems at risk of collapse.
In order to improve the current condition of natural areas in urban areas, the Secretary of Sustainability of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL), through the Project Development Directorate,
promoted the creation of the program Days for the recovery of natural areas in urban areas in 2016, with the aim of recovering public spaces with ecological importance to improve the environmental quality of the urban area of the city, in addition to promoting social coexistence and recreation of its population.
In this context, last Thursday, September 29, 2022, the Day for the recovery of natural areas in urban areas was held in the bed of the La Silla River in the San Ángel area in the portion of the La Silla River that is located between Valle Alegre and del Río avenues.
More than 350 volunteers from different university departments of the UANL and three private companies participated in the event, who supported the removal of municipal solid waste improperly deposited in the river bed, in addition to participating in environmental education activities, through the holding of two workshops given by personnel from the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) and students from the Faculty of Biological Sciences of the UANL, the first on strategies for the control of invasive species and the second on the ecological importance of bats.
Participating agencies:
- High School No. 8
- Preparatoria No. 15 Florida
- Faculty of Visual Arts
- Biological Sciences Faculty
- Communication Sciences Faculty
- Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
- Faculty of Social Work and Human Development
- Directorate of Social Service and Professional Practices
- Voluntariado UANL
- Izzi Telecom
- Index Nuevo León
- Pachamama
The holding of the Conference had the support of the municipal presidency of the City of Monterrey, through the area of Municipal Public Services and the Secretariat of Urban Development and Ecology, who provided support in logistics, materials, equipment, vehicles and personnel that were required, which made it possible to achieve the originally set goals. Likewise, there were public security and municipal civil protection personnel, who provided support in the area of security and attention to risk situations.
Thanks to the enthusiastic work carried out by all the participants in this important activity, it was possible to remove more than 100 tons of waste, which contributed to improving the ecological quality of the La Silla River, as well as eliminating possible sources of pollution that could affect the health of the inhabitants of the area, in addition to improving their living conditions, through the ecological recovery of their environmental environment.
Being recognized as the Most Sustainable University in Mexico, for the fifth consecutive year, by the GreenMetric World University Ranking, represents for the UANL an enormous commitment to continue working on the construction of sustainable environments, inside and outside the university campuses, for the benefit of the members of the university community and the entire society.
Thank you very much to all the participants for helping to improve the world we live in!
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