Xala in Costalegre Mexico is a new community which has sustainability at its core through social responsibility which has been developed in the 15 years that it has taken to build Xala. This differentiates Xala in comparison to other new community building projects as conservation and inclusivity are key focuses, which remove barriers and create opportunities. Through their own vision and with added partnerships, everyone has been thought of when it comes to the sustainability of this flourishing community from locals to travellers, to the flora and the fauna.
Ricardo Santa Cruz, Founding Partner of Xala Mexico said, “Everyone involved in the project is part of a family, that is committed to the same goals. We all have a social responsibility, not only to the environment but to the planet and the community living here too. We want to create something that is going to positively contribute to the future generations and stand the test of time.”
The Community
The community is what creates Xala and brings it together. With the aim to offer 75 rancho estates, 50 homes, 3 boutique hotels and one hostel, Xala is a cultural paradise.
Travellers are offered the opportunity to create new memories in an enriched lifestyle. All the luxury leisure activities that take place are enriched, whether that’s visiting the turtle sanctuary, the organic mango plantation, mountain biking, surfing and more, they are all infused with sustainability to protect and enhance the community and environment.
This community which has been built from the locals, also looks to their well-being and sustainability in the Xala community. Employability enables locals to showcase their unique skills, traditions, and experience with the land that they know best, making them a part of the Xala community. Even the local art and artisans were looked at to bring authentic cultural aspects as well as the ingredients used in the food from regional harvests to educate and promote sustainability within Xala. This provides longevity to locals.
This key sustainable focus is what differentiates Xala away from traditional built communities as sustainability is an element that flows throughout.
Flora and Fauna
Surrounded by an array of flora and fauna and located on the extensive Coastalegre region, which Xala is dedicated to restoring and protecting, the community actively works on conserving Xala which has a thousand hectares of land, eight kilometres of long-sandy beaches and two estuaries. Being based on deep-rooted respect for the existing communities, environment and all-natural elements, 250 hectares of land has been reforested with 500 hectares of land being created into a private protected natural area.
Xala is also leading in the recovery and restoration of the Chalacatepec and Xola-Paraman estuaries which are wetlands protected under the Ramsar Agreement due to the significant role they play for migratory birds. Additional programs have also been generated to protect reptiles, ocelots, and turtles.
The scale of conservation at Xala is immense, and in order to aid with this conservation, Xala has a dedicated environmental team who oversee Xala’s protected natural areas, the Ramsar wetland sites and turtle sanctuary. This team is also spearheading larger environmental initiatives like no fishing zones and ridge to reef restoration projects for the region.
Xala x The Heart Supply
The Heart Supply was established with the aim of using skateboards to break divides and bring communities together which perfectly complements Xala’s own sustainable community. Thus, the creation of the Xala with Heart Foundation emphasises skateboarding as a means for children from underprivileged backgrounds and communities to learn how to skateboard, acquiring new skills and facing challenges.
Along with the announcement of The Heart Supply’s first community skatepark called the ‘Heart Park’, several other initiatives have also been put into place, such as play spaces for sports, a community centre for artistic and cultural activities and programs to promote the overall well-being of the community. The skatepark specifically highlights inclusivity as its seen as a place of playing and coming together to learn or develop skateboarding without the fear of judgement in a safe space. A contrast to golf courses primarily seen on resorts which emphasise tourist exclusivity.
The Heart Supply gives every child that is part of the project a free skateboard to let them know that the foundation is here to help and support them skate through life. Both brands having a keen focus on benefitting local communities whilst also protecting the natural environment, this partnership works well in unifying people from different socio-economic groups.
The Reforest Project
The Reforest Project is an organisation which actively supports tree planting and forest conservation for people, nature, and the environment. Xala and The Reforest Project have also partnered together, for every skateboard produced, The Reforest Project will replant equivalently, according to the materials that are used to produce a board.
Photo: Bamba Estudio
How did Xala’s foundation celebrate the sacred Día de Los Muertos?
The Xala Heart Foundation is an active part of being change makers in their very own community to create that strong cohesion. With over 500 people in attendance, the foundation awarded prizes for best altars to schools and civil society groups that participated in the contest. The 3 schools who won the altar contest received teaching materials and computers, benefiting 340 students’ academic lives.
In a nutshell
Xala Mexico is a prime example of how sustainability can be intertwined with all aspects of life as communities grow, being the perfect blend of all thing’s social responsibility, inclusivity and conservation with culture and leisure built in.
To discover more, visit: xala.com
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All imagery courtesy of Xala Mexico.