On their second day of activities in Mexico City, the International Climate Champions met up at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Terciary Education (ITESM), Mexico City Campus, to link up with the British Council offices in London via videoconference.  The purpose of the videoconference was to hold a talk with Professor Dave Reay, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geoscience at Edinburgh University. ( http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/ homes/dreay ).  Both the 2008 and 2009 International Climate Champions had the opportunity to share their experiences and their project ideas with Dr. Reay and two Environmental Champions from the UK, who also shared their activities with the young Mexicans.

Afterwards, the group was taken to the southern most part of Mexico City to a place called Milpa Alta, which is located more than 2,300 metres above sea level.  There they visited La Gran Palapa Chicahuac Zacacalli , which means the big grass house.

La Gran Palapa Chicahuac Zacacalli is an Environmental Education Centre, which grew out of the need to preserve the territories of náhuatl settlements so that they wouldn´t be absorbed by the ever increasing urban sprawl of Mexico City.  The work the Centre does, supports the conservation of natural heritage sites and regional culture.  Running through the centre is “the Royal Way”, where General Emiliano Zapata, who was known during the Mexican revolution as the Leader of the South, crossed as he came into Mexico City. 

Remains from the prehispanic era have also been found here in the form of Teocholes . When the prehispanics were working in the fields to cultivate corn, they would put stones that they found there all together in one place, which would create a kind of promontory.  A Corn Ceremony is held here on March 21st each year.

When the International Climate Champions arrived, they were welcomed in náhuatl, the local indigenous language.  Sr. Pedro Rodriguez, Vice President of the park, talked to them about the history of the place as well as the different activities that they do there.  They were given citronella tea to drink during the talk, which is cultivated in the area and helps relaxation.

Once the introduction had finished, they were divided up into three groups, each one with a different guide.  The guides explained the importance that the forest has for Mexico City in terms of the conservation of the biodiversity and the production of oxygen that it affords, acting as one of the principal lungs of Mexico City. During the tour, they were shown how to make compost, the process in a “zetaria” where mushrooms are produced, and they received an explanation about how to promote forestry sanitation.  The Centre has dry toilets, solar panels and a system to capture rain water.  All its constructions are made from local and regional materials such as woor, stone, reeds, straw and slate.  In the same way, they were shown the hide used for birdwatching, which has a spectacular view down to the forest, which also forms part of the ecological centre.

Afer the tour, the visit was rounded off with a typical meal full of regional dishes such as  bean tamales (beans wrapped in cornmeal dough and then steam cooked wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves), Mexican rice, pickled nopales (cactus), blue corn tortillas, red mole (traditional sauce created with chocolate and chilli) with chicken, and tamarind flavoured water.




The Vicepresident of the park expressed his thanks and encouraged the young people not to give up and to keep working to help the environment.  Finally he gave a mug, keyring and a t-shirt to each one of the participants so that they could take away with them a small souvenir of La Gran Palapa Chicahuac Zacacalli .