Xochimilco Ecological Park and Plant Market
[1] The park was inaugurated in 1993, on chinampas (artificial lake islands) which had been previously declared as part of a World Heritage Site.
However, the area's ecology was badly degraded, and the park was established in order to revitalize and preserve the ecosystem.
The park extends over 215 hectares (0.83 sq mi) in the borough of Xochimilco, 23 km south of the historic center of Mexico City, between the Calle de Miramontes and the headquarters of the Secretary of the Navy.
Chinampas are artificial islands created on the shallow waters of the lakes starting in the pre-Hispanic period.
Over time, these rafts would sink and pile up on the shallow lake bottom, eventually becoming fixed islands.
Facing these waterways is the Cuemanco embarcadero (docks) from which trajinera boats depart,[2] near the best-preserved chinampas in Xochimilco.
Tourist trajineras have been somewhat modified from ancient ones with the addition of a roof for shade, tables and chairs for picnicking and a large brightly decorated arch, often with a woman's name over top.
[6] In October and November, for Day of the Dead, the Cuemanco embarcadero hosts a play about La Llorona, a spectre said to roam parts of Mexico at night looking for her children.
There are two greenhouses, bicycle and jogging paths, the Cuemanco canal for rowing, a small zoo, an aviary managed by SEDESOL, an area with archeological artifacts, enclosures for deer and coyotes in rehabilitation, playgrounds, 35 fields and courts for sports and areas for picnicking with palapas.
[14] The waters contain reeds, another plant called chacatules,[check spelling] often used in crafts, aquatic birds, insects and fish.
[14] Registered birds include sparrows, grackles, storks, hummingbirds, eagles, herons, moorhens and egrets.
The most commonly observed migratory species is the American white pelican, which was not seen in the area before the lake and canals were restored.
The water is contaminated by sewage and household garbage, damaging flora, driving away wildlife and risking the health of surrounding residents.
[16][17] It is the main moneymaking operation of the ecological park, renting out 1,700 stalls to sellers of live plants and related items, much the same way as Mexican traditional markets.
[3] The market has at least seven stands that serve beer without the necessary permits and have been accused of selling to underage students from the three universities and prepas near the area – UAM Xochimilco, ITESM-CCM and Colegio de Bachilleres#4.
[13] Another problem was ongoing disputes between plant sellers and the then manager of the market, which required intervention by borough authorities.
The area was declared a biological reserve by the Mexican government in 1984 and a World Heritage Site in 1987 by UNESCO.
However, the area had been severely degraded with lakes and canals going dry and the salinity and pollution of the remaining water making farming nearly impossible.
Despite major investments and efforts into restoration, there were still very serious contamination problems and a number of ejido lands that had been appropriated in the 1980s were given back to owners by the courts.
The setback caused a number of local organizations to denounce the project as a failure and demand that then Mexico City mayor Andrés Manuel López Obrador investigate.
[21][22] Many people living illegally on the land have organized to put political pressure on authorities to let them remain, with mixed success.
[22][23] The fact that there are still illegal settlements in the park, which is land designated as a World Heritage Site, has put the borough at odds with UNESCO.
UNESCO wants all illegal settlements out in order to preserve the site's status, but borough officials claim this would not be feasible.
