Creative Action in a River of Change
The Szekely family, along with their long-time business partner José Manuel Jasso, established Rancho La Puerta in 1940 with the goal of promoting holistic health, fitness, and natural living. To further their commitment to environmental, social, and educational causes in the Tecate and border areas, they founded Fundación La Puerta in the mid-1970s. This foundation was created to strategically support the local community, focusing on preserving endangered native plant and wildlife habitats.
Over the years, Rancho La Puerta has played a significant role in the community as a leading employer and a strong advocate for health, education, resilience, and conservation. Tecate, known for its friendly atmosphere, rich cultural life, and appreciation of nature, has benefited greatly from the foundation's efforts. For nearly fifty years, Fundación La Puerta has worked to nurture and preserve these qualities in Tecate, navigating the complexities of life in a vibrant border town.
As Tecate has evolved, Fundación La Puerta has grown alongside it, embracing the unique challenges and opportunities of a border town. Through its place-based programs, the foundation offers educational opportunities that promote the idea that human and natural ecosystems thrive best when they work in harmony.
“By honoring the culture and traditions that define and give identity to the region, Fundación la Puerta equips the community with visionary tools for transformation, positioning itself as an agent of change in a rapidly evolving world. ”
By honoring the culture and traditions that define and give identity to the region, Fundación la Puerta equips the community with visionary tools for transformation, positioning itself as an agent of change in a rapidly evolving world. For nearly 50 years, this non-profit has enabled Rancho La Puerta to directly invest in the well-being of Tecate through various commitments:
Preserving the natural beauty and integrity of Tecate's environment.
Leading initiatives in sustainable development and regional planning.
Fostering partnerships between government, businesses, non-profits, and the community.
Promoting a strong sense of place through educational and community-based activities.
Approaching solutions with an interdisciplinary perspective.
Protecting Tecate’s unique historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage.
Programs
Parque del Profesor
Parque del Profesor, named in honor of Prof. Edmond Szekely, the co-founder of Rancho La Puerta, is a 28-acre oasis designed for the community's benefit, attracting approximately 100,000 visitors each year. This unique venue in the city offers a natural, protected environment where families and individuals can come together. The park features a variety of activities held in both intimate indoor and outdoor classrooms, along with a plaza and soccer field for larger events. Its mile-long interpretive hiking trail through the chaparral provides stunning views of Mt. Kuchuma and is the only place within the city limits where the public can experience an intact chaparral ecosystem.
“Children are the cornerstone of our future, and cultivating their bond with nature is crucial for raising a generation that cherishes and safeguards the environment. Las Piedras Environmental Education Center is committed to offering a transformative experience that inspires and educates young minds.”
Las Piedras Environmental Education Center
Las Piedras Environmental Education Center
Children are the cornerstone of our future, and cultivating their bond with nature is crucial for raising a generation that cherishes and safeguards the environment. Las Piedras Environmental Education Center is committed to offering a transformative experience that inspires and educates young minds.
“Our little ones first come in pre-school: pulling a carrot out of the family garden, making a rainbow colored salad and eating edible flowers; they learn about phytonutrients and how plants grow and feed us. Learning how we breathe with our plant kin, how soil is made, how animals adapt to our long dry summers. And they slip into Las Piedras and feel the cool tunnels and shimmering colors of this magical classroom. They imagine being something small, a scarab beetle or a stink bug in the vast network of lives that live unseen and unnoticed in the city.”
Regional Leadership
Fundación La Puerta’s city-wide campaigns have successfully preserved the Tecate River, established community gardens, and contributed to the urban planning of a green corridor along the river, now home to Tecate's museums and performing arts center. They have forged partnerships and built networks with other organizations to protect and conserve the region's dwindling wild spaces. Notably, the foundation created Mexico's first bi-national conservation easement and actively participate in various regional governmental programs and initiatives focused on conservation and wellness.
Cultural Renewal
In the 1990s, Fundación La Puerta launched two significant festivals that attract participants from across northern Baja California. Every year, thousands of families gather at Parque del Profesor to celebrate World Environment Day and the Day of the Dead. These events offer a unique platform for artists, educators, local cultural organizations, and community groups to connect, inspire, and collaborate.
A Water Healing Plant
In 2022 The Residences at Rancho La Puerta announced today its partnership with Requilibrium, a leading Mexico-based firm of professionals who provide innovative and sustainable technologies to clean and revive water, to create a new $7 million “water healing plant” within the wellness focused village.
“We were early adopters of using the idea to clean wastewater when we built our first villas at Rancho La Puerta in the 1970s, and then we enhanced the process with a small conventional aerobic plant built in the 1990s, so it only made sense to create the next evolution with our new Residences,” said Rancho La Puerta’s President Sarah Livia Brightwood Szekely. “This new, important investment will help us to secure our water sovereignty. It will allow us to maintain our beautiful gardens, to replenish our aquifer and will lessen the burden on Tecate's wastewater treatment plant.”
The "water healing plant
Parque del Profesor
The new clean water system at Rancho La Puerta aligns with the Ranch’s founding philosophy, emphasizing holistic and eco-friendly principles to minimize environmental impact. The "water healing plant" will reclaim over half a million gallons of municipal wastewater daily from the city of Tecate, using passive, sustainable methods that generate energy and compost without releasing methane gas. This reclaimed water will be used to irrigate the gardens and vineyards at The Residences and Rancho La Puerta. The plant is expected to take a year to build and will become self-sustaining within 15 months.
“The “water healing plant” will reclaim over half a million gallons of municipal wastewater daily from the city of Tecate, using passive, sustainable methods that generate energy and compost without releasing methane gas. This reclaimed water will be used to irrigate the gardens and vineyards at The Residences and Rancho La Puerta. ”
Set to be completed by 2024, The Residences will be located on 118 acres within Rancho La Puerta’s 4,000-acre grounds. This private, wellness-focused village will feature homes thoughtfully integrated into the landscape, maintaining a connection to the Ranch while offering a distinct, sustainable community. The design of The Residences combines traditional wisdom with modern technologies to promote health, well-being, and environmental sustainability, serving as an extension of Rancho La Puerta’s vibrant and resilient community.
To learn more about Fundación La Puerta or future events, please visit: http://www.fundacionlapuerta.org/. Consider making a U.S. tax-deductible donation today to Fundación La Puerta!
For more about Rancho La Puerta, a pioneering world renown resort and spa visit www.rancholapuerta.com
