We just received some sad news from Baja. One of our favorite eco resorts has lost its fight against developers who will soon raze the idyllic, solar-powered outpost to make way for yet another Mexican mega-hotel.

Situated on an isolated cove just south of Loreto, Danzante was a model for sustainability in a region whose natural resources are always at risk. Owners Lauren and Michael Farley were not only stewards of the local environment but also the local community—they hired all of their help from a nearby village and used lodge proceeds to build a school.

Several years ago, as we ate fresh fish tacos and enjoyed Michael’s famous margaritas, I debriefed the Farleys on my first two days at the resort: island hopping by kayak, horseback riding through cactus-studded arroyos, hiking in an arid canyon.

They told me it takes most guests three days to turn from “human doings” to “human beings,” and they were right on target—I spent the following day reading and napping in the hammock outside my palapa.

It’s a shame to see Danzante go, but its passing may help fuel a burgeoning opposition movement. Meet some of Baja’s emerging eco-heroes here.