Project Proposal
Abstract
Impacts on the marine environment from increased tourism-related development pose threats to the health of the Loreto Bay National Marine Park in Baja California Sur. Loreto Baykeeper, established in 2008, strives to protect the bay from degradation and improve overall water quality, however, no assessment has been done of the marine impacts of land-based development. As Loreto Baykeeper is a new and understaffed organization, they do not currently have the resources to complete this analysis. We propose conducting a watershed analysis that will clarify the major impacts on the marine environment from the ever-increasing population that will allow us to provide recommendations for improvements in the Loreto Bay National Park Management Plan in addition to educational recommendations. This report provides background information supporting the need for a comprehensive watershed analysis as well as our objective and methods for completing the analysis.