Growing up in Akumal
by Laura Bush Wolfe

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Growing up in Akumal , located 60 miles south of the Cancun Airport, provided me plenty of lasting memories of virgin beaches, an untouched reef, a jungle teeming with life, and total solitude from the rest of the world.

I was always involved in the community, serving on various boards such as the Homeowner's Association and the Hotel Association. The growing pains of Akumal became my pains, and development came over the area in a matter of a few years with little or no guidance from the government, and with arbitrary and conflicting guidelines. Our community struggled to form its own internal guidelines, which we are still working on. In this interval, we were able to form an Ecological Association with a group of the original founders of Akumal, and our work in this field has been very rewarding.

As a hotel operator in an area of Mexico indispensable for its growing tourism revenue, I felt a great responsibility to "do things right" and perhaps make Akumal an example for the rest of the coastline. The Ecological Association has made definite strides in the right direction, helping Villas Maya operate in an environmentally sensitive manner. For example, we started by setting up a composting area, and giving our staff seminars on the subject. While we are still trying to formalize the separation of plastic and glass ? there is no one buying it from us in the area - we are, however, collecting, separating and selling aluminum to be recycled.

Sewage treatment, on the other hand, has been an ongoing dilemma, due to the geography of this area. There are numerous underground rivers flowing from "cenotes", or fresh-water holes in the jungle, which flow towards the ocean in a Swiss cheese-like effect. For years, the government required only septic tanks, with everyone draining the overflow into the ground, either into a deep well (60-80 meters deep) or right on the surface into an absorption well. This was later found to be very damaging to the environment, and efforts are now being made to require all new developments to put in treatment plants. Existing developments like ours, however, are now being made to pay quotas for the discharge water, depending on the level of contamination, or comply with the requirement and put in the sewage plant, thereby eliminating the quota. The government, however, is only enforcing these regulations for the larger properties.

We have started to take care of the sewage with a system called Reconstructed Wetlands, a very successful way of treating sewage which the Ecological Association has promoted for everyone in the area. The Planetary Coral Reef Foundation has set up a field station on the Ecological Association's land for its own needs, and has brought the technology to Akumal for the rest of us to share. It is a very simple design which allows for water to flow out of the sealed septic tanks, through a special filter, and into a bed of gravel and plants found locally. The plants use up all the nutrients from this water, essentially filtering out all harmful bacteria. The outflow water has been tested over time, measuring within normal limits of fecal coliform according to the EPA standards of the United States.

The best part for us is that there are no pumps, no machinery, very little maintenance, and no smell. We have a beautiful thriving garden right next to our rooms. Being in the tropics, I could not ask for a better system!

We are now working on expanding the system for all of Villas Maya, which would better protect our reef system and our water resources (which are taken from cenotes nearby and utilized for bathrooms and kitchens). Our major task now is to involve the government in getting the local communities proper sewage treatment. It is not enough to take care of our own problem; we must assist the local population and tend to its needs as well.

Apart from the issue of sewage treatment, we are also lobbying to get the local garbage dump moved and turned into a proper sanitation fill, instead of just pouring the garbage into a hole. It is a long and tedious road for all of us who are concerned with protecting our piece of paradise, but the efforts are worthwhile, even if the results are not always evident. For Villas Maya's environmental efforts, we have been awarded the ECOTEL Certification. We have achieved two out of a possible five Globes - the Employee Education and Community Involvement Globe and The Legislative Compliance and Native Land Preservation Globe.

One of the most rewarding programs we have supported through the Ecological Association is the annual Turtle Watch Protection Program. Akumal (meaning "place of the turtle" in Mayan) has long been a favorite nesting ground for the sea turtles. In recent years, though, the numbers of turtles have been depleted due to poachers, carelessness, and natural predators. With this program, we have seen the number of nests rise steadily. Best of all, the nests have been protected and the baby turtles are being released right in the bay. Our guests have come to love the summer and fall months because they provide guests the opportunity to help sponsor the protection of the turtles, and to get a first hand look at these incredible and gentle creatures.

I can honestly say that my experiences in Akumal of not only running our resort, but also helping the community and being part of the Ecological Association, have made the last 13 years fly. I am looking forward to many more rewarding years here, always with the vision of protecting the natural beauty of Akumal.

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