Ben Franklin has been quoted as saying, “As we must account for every idle word, so we must account for every idle silence.”
The following article is written with these words in mind. Although I am addressing a local conservation issue it is one that is played out many times over in any city in any country. The question is: How can we promote tourism while still maintaining our town’s natural beauty?

Coatepec is a small town in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is blessed with many positive aspects: mild climate, lots of greenery produced by the ample rainfall, birds and orchids and coffee and macadamia nuts, safe neighborhoods and friendly folk. However, it is being “discovered’ and in the process little attention is being paid to the destructive forces that accompany rapid growth.
The town appeals to people wanting to escape the horror of Mexico City and to those arriving from further North seeking peace and quiet and nature.
Coatepec might be characterized as “provincial”, a town that has been in a time warp and which is now awakening from that deep sleep. Historically the local workers have relied on the huge production of coffee which has dominated the region for over a hundred years. Times change and this traditional livelihood is changing also. Coffee plantations are giving way to housing developments. Sugar cane is pushing out acres and acres of what were once fertile coffee fields. The sugar cane has a devastating effect on the land, but that it a bigger story that this article can address today.

The thrust of this article is to wonder how a town that has relied upon and loved its natural setting can allow it to be destroyed by encroaching development. Ask anyone who was born here what the town was like 20, 10 even 5 years ago and you will hear a consensus…it has changed drastically. The perimeter of town that used to end in coffee fields has swallowed up the fields and is now covered with homes. These homes, usually individually built, have not been gentle to the environment. They are, for the most part, concrete blocks in various sizes that have stripped the land of any vegetation and the saving grace of tall trees. All exposed space has concrete patios rather than green gardens. Birds are losing their habitat and the soft sounds of nature are giving way to the roar of cars. Packs of dogs roam the streets which makes walking a disagreeable experience.
People arriving from the big city do not have a sensibility toward protecting the natural resources that they have moved here to enjoy and seem to end up building the same type of “city” house that they were so eager to leave behind.

This individual disrespect for caring for the natural environment has also afflicted the town fathers. As a Pueblo Mágico, Coatepec has received federal funds to make some necessary civic improvements. The streets are being lined with quaint old fashioned street lights (a nice touch) and the buildings are getting a facelift with fresh paint (lovely). Yet, the one aspect that drew me to this town several years ago seems to be in danger of disappearing: tree lined streets. The main road entering the town is lined with liquidambar trees which gave way to old growth trees that were astounding. This was so unusual that absolutely every time I entered I took note of it’s beauty, as do most tourists. Now, however, in this civic madness for modernization, the main entrance road has been denuded of the old trees that provided shade and a pleasant welcome. The street was torn up to put in drainage pipes and new sidewalks but the tress have gone. There is no plan to replace them with new ones. We have been given a barren concrete pathway in place of the former tree shaded street. The whole town seems hell bent on embracing the almighty car over any other consideration.

This town is about to install a newly elected mayor. I do not want to remain silent: To the new Mayor I would offer this series of questions:

How do you plan on balancing growth while maintaining the beautiful natural resources of Coatepec?
How do you plan on promoting sustainable tourism?
How do you plan on enforcing rules on the books that prohibit the cutting of trees without permits?
How do you plan on providing open spaces in new neighborhoods?
How do you plan on controlling traffic in and around the quaint “jardin”?
How do you plan on encouraging responsible growth in the city center?
How do you plan to reward those who show their civic pride by promoting and retaining the special characteristics of a Pueblo Mágico, i.e., special paint, controlled sizes of signs, street lighting, etc
Do you even have a plan?

These are questions that everyone can ask of their own town fathers. By asking such questions and by demanding a response you might help to promote a conscientious growth plan for any small town on its way to becoming a tourist Mecca.