An Ethnographic Study of Non-profit Organizations and Environmental Education in Quintana Roo, Mexico

A Project by Areceli Morales-Santos

This ethnographic study examines the challenges experienced by non-profit organizations and their impact on environ- mental education in Quintana Roo, Mexico. By examining these increasingly complex groups, I explain how nonprofit organizations bring environmental awareness to rural and urban regions across the Yucatan Peninsula. To study the organization’s effects on community-based conservation and sustainable development, I used participant observation and semi-structured interviews with staff at a local nonprofit. This ethnographic research project demonstrates that non-profits’ struggles with financial support affect and constrain various aspects of their mission, including community outreach, education, research, and partnerships with other stakeholders. Communities around the world play a vital role in the conservation of natural resources and non-profits contribute to the success of this mission by assisting local communities. Therefore, it is important to understand how nonprofits with inconsistent or limited funding can maximize their efforts and find self-sustaining methods to continue their important work in creating a more sustainable planet.