Conserving forests is fundamental to protect life, as they are home to 80% of the earth’s biological diversity. And birds, as an indicator species of the well-being of ecosystems and our environment, find in them healthy environments to shelter, feed and reproduce.
With the common goal of promoting the conservation of birds and their habitats, such as forests, and fostering local economic development in the communities that inhabit the Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl volcanoes, the National Audubon Society and the Popocatépetl volcanoes are working together to promote the conservation of the birds and their habitats, as well as the local economic development of the communities that live in the area of the volcanoes, the National Audubon Society -a hemispheric leader in conservation and committed to the protection of birds- and Reforestamos Mexico -a civil society organization focused on ensuring more and better forests for sustainable development- signed last Friday a collaboration agreement that will allow them to build, in alliance with local communities and ejidos, a community bird tourism project that will contribute to the conservation of forests and their biodiversity.
Ernesto Herrera, general director of Reforestamos Mexico emphasized that “bird tourism is a high-impact activity for conservation and economic development of local communities. Mexico is home to more than 1,100 bird species, representing 11% of the world’s avian diversity. Among the most representative species in Izta-Popo National Park are endemic birds at risk such as the boreal flycatcher and Cooper’s hawk. Birdwatching not only allows the observation of unique species, but also strengthens the link between conservation and community development, since it is the local experts who, in addition to sharing their knowledge, work actively to protect the forests for the benefit of all.”
Aurelio Ramos, Audubon’s general director for Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada said that “Izta-Popo National Park and its buffer areas, in addition to the purity of its air and providing water for Mexico City, benefiting more than 13 million people, is a landscape with a unique potential for community birdwatching. But it is also almost 40,000 hectares of forest that serve as a fundamental host for migratory and resident birds. With 120 years of work with a hemispheric vision and in favor of community benefit, Audubon works in the Americas in alliance with local and national partners, such as Reforestamos, contributing its experience in issues such as the development of bird tourism and forest management."
Iztaccihuatl-Popocatepetl is a National Park in Mexico that spans three states: the State of Mexico, Morelos, and Puebla. It is a protected area known for its breathtaking views of the iconic volcanoes, and covered with lush pine and oak forests, and home to endemic bird species. In addition, because of its proximity to Mexico City, it is a site of great importance for groundwater recharge and the provision of drinking water to the metropolitan area of the Valley of Mexico.
Birds, guides for conservation
The joint project will be implemented initially as a pilot in the communal properties of San Pedro Ecatzingo and Amecameca, with the possibility of expanding to San Miguel Atlautla and Santiago Cuautenco, communities that are part of the Union for Forestry and Agricultural Development of the Valley of Mexico (UDEFAM), formed in 2019 and which groups 13 agrarian nuclei that integrate 3,119 communal and ejidatarios, owners of a total area of 33,209 hectares, located around the National Park in the State of Mexico.
UDEFAM’s partners promote sustainable forest management activities to address problems such as illegal logging and hunting, fires, and pollution due to poor waste management. Significant progress has already been made in this process, such as obtaining international certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), generating carbon credits, implementing restoration activities, and developing productive projects, including a regional nursery for plant production and designing nature tourism routes with a community focus.
Fernando Cisneros Velázquez, president of UDEFAM’s board of directors, added: “Birds, as key indicators of environmental health, reflect the state of our ecosystem, which is why we celebrate the collaboration between Reforestamos and Audubon. From UDEFAM, we reaffirm our commitment to continue working with strategic allies such as Reforestamos, the National Union of Community Forestry Organizations (UNOFOC), and other organizations. We enthusiastically join this collective effort to build better living conditions for our communities.”
Pedro Pérez Yáñez, Tourism Coordinator of Ecatzingo Expeditions, shared: “We are excited to know that these alliances are consolidating a proposal that promotes environmental education and conservation, which we join. This collaboration seeks to consolidate as a national reference in nature tourism with a community approach, highlighting the strategic importance of this landscape that provides key ecosystem services both locally and for the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico, including Mexico City.”
If you are part of an organization interested in contributing to this conservation and responsible tourism network, we invite you to get in touch and explore ways to collaborate. For more information about the regional alliance write to Yamel Anaya, Director of FSC® Value Chains at Reforestamos Mexico yamel@reforestamos.org
* Reforestamos Mexico is a civil association that since 2002 has been working in alliance with different sectors of society: businesses, youth, communities, civil society organizations, academia and government, to ensure more and better forests and promote sustainable development in our country. For more information, please visit www.reforestamosmexico.org