Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico - The Riviera Nayarit is joining in the celebration of National Parks Day with an Eco-Rally on Saturday, August 18, in Punta de Mita. The goal is to promote the protection of this tourism destination's natural areas.

The Event:

The event is organized by the National Commission for Protected Areas (Conanp) via the Islas Marietas National Park and the Sierra de Vallejo Río Ameca Nayarit Jalisco, together with the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Bahía Unida, the Punta Mita Foundation, and Mita Recycled, using the tagline "Enjoy, Learn, and Protect."

This community event also has the support of the following organizations: Ocean Connectors; Aquaventuras from Dolphin Discovery; the Manta Project; El Cora Crocodile Sanctuary; Pronatura Noroeste A.C.; Scouts; CEMBAB (Bahía de Banderas Marvelous Species Conservation), Quality & Hygiene Laboratories, and San Pancho Bird Observatory.

The Details:

Organize your family and/or friends into teams of 4 or 6 people. There will be awards and prizes for the Eco-Rally winners!

Registration will take place at 8:30 am on Saturday, August 18th at the Punta Mita Foundation's Del Mar Community Center. The community center is located on 67 Avenida Las Pangas, Corral del Risco, Punta de Mita, Nayarit.

The Facts:

National Parks Day is celebrated around the world every August 24th to educate the public about the importance of conservation and the protection of the existing species of flora and fauna. The national park is a natural reserve that's subject to the regulations protecting it for posterity and for the conservation of its flora and fauna.

There are two protected areas in Nayarit: Las Marietas National Park in Bahía de Banderas and Isla Isabel National Park in Santiago Ixcuintla. The spring at La Tovara in San Blas is currently in the process of being declared a protected area as well.