Cooperation agreement with Chapingo Autonomous University for the care and conservation of biodiversity at the Riviera Maya Golf Club

Last Monday June 3, at the Riviera Maya Golf Club's Clubhouse, a cooperation agreement was signed between Grupo Piñero, through its subsidiaries Bahia Principe Residences and Bahia Principe Golf, and Chapingo Autonomous University (UACh).

Attending the meeting were Dr. Bernardo López Ariza, President of Chapingo Autonomous University; Dr. Raciel Hernández Hernández, Academic Subdirector of the Department of Agricultural Parasitology at the UACh; Álvaro Moya, General Director of Bahia Principe Residences & Golf; Vanessa Vignali, Corporate Director of Bahia Principe Golf; Fernando Padrón, Golf Director at the Riviera Maya Golf Club, and Víctor Hernández, Green Keeper at the Riviera Maya Golf Club.

The signing formalized the relationship that both entities have maintained for more than four years, making it possible to focus the daily operation and maintenance actions carried out by the Bahia Principe team from a more sustainable point of view.

UACh students and alumni have at their disposal a natural laboratory to carry out studies, technical-scientific activities and biotechnology practices that provide added value to the daily operation, maintenance and sustainability of the golf course; the agreement also provides Bahia Principe Golf with scientific endorsement for the work carried out in the care of the course with a view to obtaining the Golf Environment Organization (GEO) certification.

Since 2015 Bahia Principe Golf has received 12 students from UACh who put their knowledge into practice and are trained in the Agronomic Management of Sports Turf. A third of these students are now part of other golf courses in Mexico, which also receive students on a one-day course practice.

“We are very satisfied with the collaboration that Chapingo Autonomous University is carrying out with Bahia Principe. For us it is a great opportunity that helps us strengthen our mission and widen the link with the productive sectors of the country that are related to the field of agronomy, in addition to providing areas and resources for UACh researchers to conduct research and disseminate it in scientific spaces such as conferences, articles and educational venues, so that students can put their knowledge into practice through internships and study trips to Bahia Principe,” noted Dr. Bernardo López Ariza, President of Chapingo Autonomous University.

“For Grupo Piñero the alliance with Chapingo Autonomous University helps to continue the commitment that we have as a company in the responsible management of the resources of our complexes, in this case, guaranteeing sustainability in the operation of the Riviera Maya Golf Club. We can proudly say that our Golf Course is getting closer every day to achieving international recognition for sustainable management adapted to the new times,” emphasized Álvaro Moya, General Director of Bahia Principe Residences & Bahia Principe Golf.

Grupo Piñero has been characterized by having a vision of the future, being pioneers in developing destinations. Over twenty years ago it set up operations on a now-privileged location of Mexico's Riviera Maya. As visionaries, Grupo Piñero participated in the tourist development of the area, driving the region's economic growth under the Social Responsibility approach that characterizes the company, generating investment in municipal infrastructures and the inclusion and training of local workers, among many other actions. The alliance with UACh is one more action that strengthens the efforts of the group to be at the forefront and provide, through real actions, benefits to the local community and the environment, helping to build a legacy for new generations.

The Riviera Maya Golf Club, located inside the Bahia Principe Residences, Riviera Maya, is considered one of the best golf courses in Mexico. It boasts a professional 18-hole, par-72 course and a 9-hole, par-3 Executive Course, which blend in with the magnificent vistas of the Mexican jungle. It is the work of the renowned architect Robert Trent Jones II, who included major challenges for players in the course design and also transformed the space into a true sanctuary for the local flora and fauna, which is protected and under the constant maintenance of the staff at Bahia Principe Residences, Riviera Maya.

With actions like this, Bahia Principe Residences & Bahia Principe Golf cooperate and strengthen their commitment to maintain sustainability and responsible management, not only of the golf course, but also of its environment.