Following the recent announcement that access to the Xinantécatl volcano or Nevado de Toluca had been restricted due to the hurricanes that have been recorded, the member of the Nevado de Toluca Contingency Group, Isaías de la Rosa Gómez, recommended keeping in mind that regardless of the weather conditions, this place should always maintain a flow of visitors of no more than 400 people so as not to damage it.
The professor at the Technological Institute of Toluca (ITToluca) and the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMex) also indicated that since it is an attractive tourist area, the volcano is always very visited during vacation periods and when it snows, but there should never be more people than allowed in order to improve mobility.
“More than 400 people can fit in the volcano, but in order not to damage it and facilitate mobility, the recommended number should not be exceeded, particularly in the two semi-craters – Laguna del Sol and Laguna de la Luna. The important thing is that people can move around in this place,” he said.
Access to the Nevado de Toluca is closed due to constant rains
The specialist in environmental issues, said that the Nevado de Toluca is the fourth highest mountain in the country, which is made up of two permanent lakes located in the crater of the volcano.
“In the volcano we have unique ecosystems such as high-altitude grasslands, diversity of species and a vital area for recharging water to the hydrological basins of the Lerma and Balsas rivers, which feed the Cutzamala system that provides the Valley of Mexico with the vital liquid,” he said.
Also, the ITTol professor highlighted that this area becomes a highly visited site during the winter, and even annually an average of 300 thousand visitors and up to 20 thousand people have been recorded in a single day, which generates enormous pressure and deterioration to the alpine ecosystems of the area.
Finally, he said that the volcano belongs to the Venados and Nevado national parks, which include the entire Toluca and Tenango valleys, as well as the municipalities of Zinacantepec, Calimaya, Tenancingo, the capital of the State of Mexico, Tenango del Valle, Villa Guerrero, Coatepec Harinas and Temascaltepec.
Source: elsoldetoluca
