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2004 Mushroom Fair
http://forum.planeta.com/viewtopic.php?t=223

2005 Mushroom Fair
http://forum.planeta.com/viewtopic.php?t=455

REFERENCE

Mushroom Fair
http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/oaxaca/hongos.html

[Gerhard]

Feria de Hongos 2004
http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/oaxaca/hongos.html
Los prÛximos 4 y 5 de septiembre, los Pueblos Mancomunados, de la Sierra Norte de Oaxaca, mostrar·n las iniciativas de algunas comunidades para el aprovechamiento sustentable y cultivo de hongos comestibles y otros productos forestales no maderables, en Cuajimoloyas.
M·s informaciÛn en
http://www.raises.org/eventos.htm

Mushroom Fair 2004
http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/oaxaca/hongos.html
On 4 and 5 September, San Antonio Cuajimoloyas in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca will display the community initiatives of sustainable use and cultivation of edible mushrooms and other non-wood forest products with the annual Mushroom Fair.
For more information (in Spanish):
http://www.raises.org/eventos.htm

Watch this forum for follow-up information.

[Gerhard]

The Mushroom Fair is an example of ecotourism linking with other sustainable community activities. A healthy forest ecosystem is essential for both ecotourism and sustainable use of renewable non-timber forest resources like mushroom collecting.

Thereby a fair like this adds value to forest conservation in a way that the community, the forest and the visitors win:
1. Visitors can learn about the forest and the products and for the community this extends the potential market of the products.
2. The fair showing these products attracts tourists making the ecotourism market grow.
3. The community has more reasons to protect the forest
4. The ecotourists enjoy themselves!

[Gerhard]

Some more background information for the Mushroom Fair (4 & 5 September 2004):

Los Pueblos Mancomunados de Oaxaca, ejemplo de aprovechamiento de Productos Forestales No Maderables.
Desde finales de los aÒos 70, pequeÒas empresas comunitarias comenzaron el desarrollo de iniciativas de aprovechamiento sustentable de los bosques en la Sierra Norte de Oaxaca.
Hoy, los Pueblos Mancomunados conformados por ocho pueblos (Benito Ju·rez, Latuvi, La NeverÌa, Cuajimoloyas, Llano Grande, Amatl·n, Lachatao y YavesÌa), localizados a dos horas de la Ciudad de Oaxaca, ofrecen a los turistas proyectos de ecoturismo y aprovechamiento sustentable y comercializaciÛn de especies frutales, hortalizas (papa, berros, chÌcharos, entre otros) y hongos silvestres.

The ìPueblos Mancomunadosî of Oaxaca as example of non-timber forest use.
Since the late-1970s small community businesses started developing initiatives for sustainable use of the forests of Oaxaca¥s Sierra Norte. Nowadays the so-called ìPueblos Mancomunadosî consist of eight villages (Benito Juarez, Latuvi, La Neveria, Cuajimoloyas, Llano Grande, Amatlan, Lachatao and Yavesia) about two hours from Oaxaca City, offering ecotourism projects and sustainable use and commercialization of forest fruit, vegetables and wild mushrooms.

for more information on the region:
http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/oaxaca/sierranorte.html

[Gerhard]

Una empresa que promueve el Desarrollo Comunitario

La ìEnvasadora y Empacadora Pueblos Mancomunados S.S.Sî, empresa comunitaria de envasado de agua mineral, decidiÛ en el aÒo 2000 ampliar sus alternativas de desarrollo de la comunidad, --adem·s de la agricultura tradicional y el creciente ecoturismo-- con una unidad de deshidratado y empaque de hongos, frutas y verduras. Para lograrlo, Methodus http://www.raises.org/methodus.htm (organismo civil profesional que fortalece capacidades de organizaciÛn y manejo de recursos naturales de comunidades y organizaciones campesinas), con el apoyo de organizaciones nacionales e internacionales y de la empacadora, coordinÛ estudios tÈcnicos, ambientales y econÛmicos, y un estudio de mercado para desarrollar la primera estrategia para el mercado interno y los distribuidores e importadores de productos italianos y "gourmets". En la IV Feria de Hongos comestibles http://www.raises.org/documentos/iv-feria-hongo.pdf habr· adem·s de una muestra gastronÛmica, conferencias sobre algunas alternativas de desarrollo sustentable.
M·s informaciÛn en espaÒol en:
http://www.raises.org/documentos/cuartaferiahongo.pdf

A local business promotes community development
In the year 2000 the ìEnvasadora y Empacadora Pueblos Mancomunados S.S.Sî (a community mineral water bottling business), decided to expand its community development initiatives, --besides the traditional agriculture and growing ecotourism ñ with packing of dehydrated mushrooms, fruits and vegetables.
Methodus http://www.raises.org/methodus.htm is an organization that assists communities and rural organizations in training, organizing and management of natural resources. In cooperation with the community business and with national and international support, Methodus coordinated economic and environmental technical studies and market research to develop the first strategy for the domestic market and "gourmetî product distributors and importers. In the 4th Edible Mushroom Fair http://www.raises.org/documentos/iv-feria-hongo.pdf besides sampling products, the visitor can attend conferences about sustainable development alternatives.

For more information (all links in Spanish)
http://www.raises.org/documentos/cuartaferiahongo.pdf

[Gerhard]

InformaciÛn reciente:

La IV Feria Regional de Hongos es un evento que aÒo con aÒo crece. En esta ocasiÛn a pocos dÌas de que se lleve a cabo el evento el cupo est· llegando a su lÌmite. A manera de sugerencia le recomendamos reservar con anticipaciÛn, pues por cuestiones de espacio una vez agotado el cupo de cabaÒas los visitantes pasar·n la noche en un dormitorio compartido. A?n quedan boletos disponibles para ambos dÌas, y las inscripciones se cerrar·n este viernes.

Adem·s de una caminata por el bosque, comida regional con hongos y un ambiente comunitario, la Feria contar· con platicas sobre bromelias, hongos y resina de copal en la maÒana del domingo.

M·s informaciÛn en:
http://www.raises.org/documentos/cuartaferiahongo.pdf
(o al telÈfono 5140527, en Oaxaca.)

Event information update:

A few days before the Mushroom Fair, more tickets have been sold than at the same time last year, which shows that the event is growing. Once the cabaÒas are full - which is nearly the case now, late reservations (until tomorrow Friday, 3 September) will be accommodated in shared dormitories. Until the 3rd of September there are also still tickets available for the Sunday activities (including lunch).

Apart from forest walks, good food (mushrooms and more) and mountain community atmosphere, the 2004 Fair has a conference part on Sunday morning with talks on bromelias, mushroom and other forest products.

For more information (in Spanish)
http://www.raises.org/documentos/cuartaferiahongo.pdf
or telephone in Oaxaca: (951) 5140527

[Gerhard]

Post-event feed-back:

Cientos de personas asistieron a la IV Feria Regional de Hongos. El s·bado un centenar de visitantes ñen grupos de 10-- subieron al monte para identificar y colectar hongos, en el bosque comieron y bebieron platillos y bebidas regionales y al finalizar el dÌa, muchos visitantes se hospedaron en cabaÒas de tres de los Pueblos Mancomunados (Cuajimoloyas, Benito Ju·rez y Llano Grande). El domingo un mayor n?mero de personas escuchÛ conferencias sobre productos no maderales, al tiempo que comerciantes de productos org·nicos, en su mayorÌa del mercado del Pochote (http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/oaxaca/organics.html)
expusieron y vendieron sus productos. A la hora de la comida, todos los asistentes degustaron platillos regionales a base de hongos y barbacoa.

Several hundred people attended the recent Fourth Annual Mushroom Fair over two days. On Saturday about a hundred visitors went to the forests to identify and collect mushrooms in guided groups of about 10 per guide, with a lunch typical of the region in the fields. Most remained for the night in three communities (Cuajimoloyas, Benito Juarez and Llano Grande). On Sunday there were even more people attending several talks on sustainable use of bromelias, mushrooms and other forest products, while several vendors who also sell at The Pochote Market in Oaxaca (http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/oaxaca/organics.html)
offered their organic products for sale. The event ended with more local food including various mushroom species.

[Gerhard]

To conclude the 2004 Mushroom Fair feed-back:
The event was well-attended and most visitors enjoyed their visit (the last group to arrive for lunch got very wet on the Saturday forest walk though!). On Sunday there was an impressive collection of 59 different species of mushrooms, 36 of them edible (and at least 11 toxic ones, that you should really avoid).

For the Pueblos Mancomunados the event means that several new visitors now know their region and several might return as ecotourists in future or tell their friends about it. They also bought and saw organic products and might continue doing so in future. So, come and enjoy the 2005 fair or visit this tranquil mountain region whenever you are in Mexico¥s Oaxaca state.