Fiesta El Pilar 2007 Celebrates Maya Forest Gardeners: |
Saturday, October 13, 2007 from 11 am to 4 pm |
Fiesta El Pilar will be held on Saturday, October 13, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Farrand Hall. The Fiesta is put on by Exploring Solutions Past: The Maya Forest Alliance, and will feature Beatrice Waight and Alfonzo Tzul, two Maya Forest Gardeners visiting from Belize. They will be sharing a vast knowledge of the flora and fauna of the rainforest and a philosophy of cultivation that has conserved the Maya heritage. At 11:30 a.m. a panel discussion will be presented to introduce the Maya theme, followed by an exploration of the Maya forest gardening tradition by the Mayas and Santa Barbara landscape professionals. They will discuss how these principles and practices can be applied in our own public and private landscapes to promote productivity, soil fertility, secure water, and clean air. A reception from 1:30 to 4 pm, with music by El Son del Pueblo, will follow with food, beverages, and information. Attendees are promised a delightful venue to engage with the forest gardeners, panel participants, and those interested in gardening, archaeology, conservation, landscape design, the Maya, anthropology, permaculture, and sustainable models. A donation of $25 is suggested. Straddling the Belize and Guatemala border, the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve for Maya Flora and Fauna conserves 5,000 acres and an ancient Maya center that includes 150 acres of temples, plazas and palaces. The unique qualities of El Pilar are important in a number of areas. Its location has provided a venue for the two countries in conflict to discuss resource management and to propose a Peace Park. Its ancient buildings are protected by the principles of Archaeology Under the Canopy, which utilizes plant cover to reduce degradation of the limestone. In addition, the site features Maya forest gardening to document knowledge of the Maya forest as a garden, develop adventure tourism, and provide a marketing outreach for the Maya Forest Gardeners. The vision of El Pilar is to develop this site as a model for cooperation, conservation, tourism, and sustainability. The governments of Belize and Guatemala, and the University of California at Santa Barbara are all committed partners in this vision. Fiesta El Pilar provides an opportunity for people in our community to learn about El Pilar and connect to a positive project that addresses some of the global challenges we are facing today. Exploring Solutions Past: The Maya Forest Alliance is partnering with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History as a key sponsor for this event. Also participating are Casa Magazine, Our Daily Bread Bakery and Cafe, Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market, Santa Barbara Independent, Pacific Travelers Supply, Sojourner Café, Tinta Latina, Via Maestra 42, and others. Contact: Anabel Ford |