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What is 15 Years of p 3 El Carmen? p13 Conservation CEMEX biodiversity Initiatives conservation legacy. 2016 represents 15 years of continuous conservation.
El Carmen in Awards and p 4 Figures p16Achivements It is part of a large 60 scientific and popular trans-boundary biological articles published due to corridor between Mexico research. and the U.S.
Habitat and Collaboration p Species p Conservation efforts and 8 Restoration 18 coordination with neighboring communities, 20,000 hectares of native conservation NGOs and grasslands restored. government agencies.
CO2 Capture p and Ecosystem 12Services Around 11.2 million tons of CO2 are captured in the area. This initiative reflects CEMEX’s commitment to give back to nature, while offsetting our operations’ environmental footprint. Create a trans-boundary legacy of high-impact biodiversity conservation
Create a trans-boundary legacy of high-impact biodiversity conservation managed and certified under international standards exemplifying how to compensate the business and production activity What Is El Carmen? through actions that enhance natural capital and environmental services. 1. Contribute to the global fight against climate change by enhancing and CEMEX biodiversity conservation legacy. maintaining an important sink for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. A private nature reserve located along the Through our El Carmen Conservation Program, we border of Mexico and the United States are able to restore habitats and wildlife in a region that is 8.4 times larger in size than the total sum of El Carmen is a private nature reserve managed by CEMEX. Located along the areas impacted by our operations worldwide the border between the states of Coahuila, Mexico, and Texas, USA, Mexico’s federal government decreed 77% of its area of 140,300 hectares (ha) as Natural Protected Areas. Its ecosystems include rivers, desert scrub plains, grasslands, and mountainous forests. It is also part of an extensive biological corridor, vital for wildlife migration and distribution. Restore habitat Conserve Among the world’s five major wilderness area and native biodiversity 100% species Among the world’s five major wilderness areas, El Carmen is home to 45% of mammals, 90% of birds, 35% of amphibians and reptiles, and 40% of plants across the Chihuahuan Desert Ecosystem. El Carmen contributes to the conservation of 26% of the bird and 16% of the mammal species registered in Mexico. A habitat for endemic species, it provides protection for the largest Enhance and Compensate for black bear population in the country. maintain an the environmental A habitat for endemic species important sink for footprint of CEMEX’s Protection for the largest black bear population CO2 emissions worldwide operations in Mexico
To supervise and conserve El Carmen’s ecosystems, the area’s biologically diverse flora and fauna has been repeatedly inventoried since 2000. More than Provide Serve as 1,500 plant, 289 bird, 80 reptile and amphibian, and 78 mammal species have environmental an outdoor been identified. services conservation lab El Carmen has full-time staff, including wildlife management and conservation experts, for its operation and administration. El Carmen 15 years 3 2. El Carmen in Figures It is part of a large Area: 140,300 ha. The area of El Carmen is Area of El Carmen in USA: trans-boundary Equivalent to the size of Mexico 8 times greater than the 7,300 ha biological corridor City, including its 16 delegations, area impacted by CEMEXʼs the size of Houston, Texas, or worldwide extractive activities. between Mexico close to half the size of Big Bend and the U.S. National Park, Texas
Area of El Carmen in Mexico: Number of hectares within Natural Protected Areas in which Five ecosystems: protected areas: El Carmen is located: desert scrublands, 133,000 ha 108,000 (77 %) Maderas del Carmen, grasslands, oak forest, Ocampo, and pine forest, and gallery Rio Bravo del Norte. forest
Species biodiversity: Home to 30% of the flora Black bear: El Carmen is CO2 sink: El Carmenʼs carbon 1,500 plant, 40 fish, 8 registered in Coahuila, home to the largest population sink captures 11,230,000 amphibian, 73 reptile, Mexico, and about 45% of the of this species in Mexico. tons of CO2, equal to the flora of the Chihuahuan annual emissions produced by 289 bird, and 1 Oso / Km more than 2.3 million vehicles. 80 mammal Desert
El Carmen is energy Operating El Carmen requires Area under Mexicoʼs Volunteer El Carmen has full-time staff, self-sufficient, generating 18 vehicles, three pieces of Conservation Register since 2009: including experts in wildlife 33,000 kilowatt hours heavy machinery equipment, two management and conservation (kWh) year by four wind tractors, five quad bikes, and a 22,400 ha programs. generators and 100 solar panels. Cessna plane.
El Carmen 15 years 4 Location and infrastructure of El Carmen:
El Carmen 15 years 5 Infraestructure of El Carmen.
Pilares Operation Center.
La Cueva Center.
Operation Center, El Carmen USA.
Camp #1 Dam. Pilares Bighorn Sheep Reserve.
El Carmen 15 years 6 Widlife Conservation activities.
Wildlife monitoring with radiotelemetry. Wildlife Monitoring with camera traps.
Wildlife release. Widlife observation.
El Carmen 15 years 7 3. Habitat and Species Restoration Habitat Restoration Process.
Grassland Habitat Restoration. Selection of the Vegetation 20,000 hectares of native grasslands restored area. analysis. When CEMEX began managing El Carmen, overexploitation and degradation of the site’s natural resources required application of management techniques to restore native species and habitat. Open space for wildlife movement
Since 2001, all domestic livestock were removed to allow habitat recovery from Removal of domestic Removal of livestock overgrazing. Mechanical aerator roller treatments, prescribed burning, and grass seed livestock. fences. planting restored 20,000 hectares of native grasslands. Moreover, approximately 350 kilometers (km) of internal barbwire fences were removed, providing an open space for wildlife movement.
Permitting Implementation of process. restoration techniques (e.g., aerator roller, prescribed burning). Before the restoration process.
Native grass Vegetation planting. analysis.
After the restoration process.
El Carmen 15 years 8 Species Restoration Elk, desert bighorn sheep, and pronghorn are back after more than a six-decade absence
To restore El Carmen’s native species, several actions were undertaken to revive the habitat and wild populations of black bear, mule deer, white- tailed deer, elk, desert bighorn sheep, and pronghorn. Thanks to CEMEX’s conservation efforts, the last three species are back after a more than six- decade absence from the area. Bighorn Sheep Restoration Mule Deer Restoration 200 bighorn population More than 800 mule deer released, restoring population in the region To return the desert bighorn sheep to El Carmen, a 5,000 ha brood facility was built. After receiving a founding group of 45 bighorns, the return of At the beginning of El Carmen’s operation, the mule deer population was so desert bighorn sheep to northeast Mexico became a reality. low that it was considered unviable. Overgrazing, lack of water, and poaching placed this species on the brink of extinction in the region, so a restoration Currently, the El Carmen reserve has a population of 200 bighorns. Since plan was established utilizing surplus deer. In collaboration with the Texas 2009, 100 sheep have been captured and released in the Sierra del Parks and Wildlife Department and ranch owners in the U.S., 816 deer have Carmen the only wild population that exists in the state of Coahuila. been released in El Carmen and neighboring ranches in Mexico and the U.S. since 2006, restoring the mule deer population in the region.
80 Bighorn Population Mule Deer Pupulation 70
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El Carmen 15 years 9 Pronghorn Restoration More than 150 pronghorns are back in their historic habitat
Another priority is the restoration of large mammals, such as pronghorn, to El Carmen. Pronghorn disappeared from the state of Coahuila due to livestock overgrazing and poaching in the late 1950s.
In 2001, a restoration process was established to recover its habitat in El Carmen. The first step was the removal of all domestic livestock and 350 km of interior fences.
During 2009 and 2010, in coordination with the Mexican and U.S. governmental agencies of SEMARNAT, the Environmental Agency of Coahuila State, and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, 100 pronghorn were captured in New Mexico and released in El Carmen’s restored grassland. Today, more than 150 pronghorns are back in their historic habitat of northern Coahuila.
Pronghorn Population Black Bear Protection The black is a conservation priority in Mexico due to the problems affecting their population in most of their historic migration regions. In El Carmen, the black bear population density is 1 bear/km² and requires permanent protection. This contributes to their recovery in both Mexico and the Big Bend area of the U.S.—where their movements are widely documented. Additionally, universities and governmental agencies collaboratively monitor the species and provide environmental education to landowners in order to conserve a healthy bear population and habitat in Coahuila.
El Carmen 15 years 10 Species Restoration Process
Species Information Potential habitat Management selection. collection. analysis. plan.
Selection of areas for Processing Habitat Preparation of species translocation. government enhancement. capture sites. permits.
Species capture. Biological data Transfer and placement of Release. collection and collar specimens in positioning for tracking. soft release pen.
Monitoring of specimens and Analysis of Population growth development of research monitoring data. monitoring. projects with students.
El Carmen 15 years 11 neighboring municipality of Musquiz, Coahuila, this research indicates that the value society gives to the biodiversity and landscape found at 4. CO2 Capture and El Carmen is approximately US$60 million per year. Considering the annual CO2 sequestration and capture process, this Environmental Services value increases to US$70 million per year. Around 11.2 million tons of CO2 are captured in the area, equivalent to the emissions produced by more than 2.3 million vehicles in a year
The restoration activities developed over the past 15 years have increased natural capital throughout the area, contributing to the conservation of biodiversity in the region and mitigating the effects of climate change by capturing CO2 through the growth of vegetation cover in El Carmen.
During 2015 and 2016, a study was conducted measuring the biomass of El Carmen’s vegetation. By applying allometric equations, it was estimated that the area under conservation captures 11.2 million tons of COv, equivalent to the emissions produced by more than 2.3 million vehicles or the electricity consumed by more than 1.6 million homes annually, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The economic valuation of ecosystem services is a useful conservation tool. It explicitly displays the importance and close relationship between the integrity of nature and human welfare, while providing environmental services with a monetary unit that enables comparison with other goods. Through the contingent valuation method, a Master of Science research thesis was conducted to estimate the value that society gives to environmental services provided by the biodiversity and landscape of El Carmen. By applying 100 surveys of the adult population in the
El Carmen 15 years 12 5. 15 Years of Conservation Initiatives 2016 represents 15 years of continuous conservation efforts including programs focused on habitat and species restoration, scientific research, and infrastructure development to operate this unmatched nature reserve.
The following actions have been developed over time:
Acquisition of land in Mexico. 2000 Removal of domestic livestock. Removal of 350 km of interior fences. El Carmen project launch. Construction of Pilares Desert Reintroduction of 45 bighorn 2001 Bighorn Sheep facility. sheep at Pilares Bighorn Sheep Construction of El Carmen Reserve Start of white-tailed deer Landing Strips. program. Start of research thesis program. Grassland and habitat restoration. Construction of Start of baseline biodiversity 2002 San Isidro House. inventory. Start of student workshops.
Release of 19 elk. 2003 Release of 19 elk. Release of 33 desert 2004 bighorn sheep.
El Carmen 15 years 13 - Release of 22 elk. 2005 Construction of Camp #1 Release of 6 desert bighorn sheep. - Regional restoration of 320 2006 mule deer. Start of student internship program. - Regional restoration of 85 mule deer. 2007 Expansion of El Carmen to the U.S. with purchase of Adams Ranch in Texas.
2008 - Regional restoration of 350 mule deer. Construction of Camp Adams Ranch (USA). - Release of 30 desert bighorn Construction of Camp 2009 sheep. Pilares. Release of 45 pronghorn. - Release of 55 pronghorn Release of 6 desert bighorn sheep 2010 Shipment of 16 desert bighorn sheep to New Mexico (USA)
- Start of wildlife fires 2011 management program.
El Carmen 15 years 14 Release of 18 desert bighorn sheep. 2012 Regional restoration of 22 mule deer.
- Construction of La Cueva Visitors Center. 2013 - Release of 100 Release of 111 gamble quail. gamble quail. Regional restoration of 106 2014 mule deer. Release of 100 collared peccary. Regional restoration of 21 2015 - Regional restoration of 30 mule deer. mule deer. - Construction of Wildfire 2016 Fighters Camp #5. Regional restoration of 31 mule deer. Release of 450 collared peccary. Certification of El Carmen by Wildlife Habitat Council.
El Carmen 15 years 15 6. Awards and Achievements
Achievements:
Restored species: desert 16 master's thesis 60 scientific and 950 students bighorn sheep, pronghorn, elk, and doctoral students popular articles visited El Carmen. mule deer, and collared from prestigious Mexican and published due to research peccary. U.S. universities, such as in El Carmen. ITESM, UANL, UNAM, UCLA, Yale, and Texas A&M.
350 km of interior More than 20,000 More than 2,050 fences removed ha of grassland native wildlife specimens restored reintroduced
El Carmen 15 years 16 Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Mexico) Texas State New Mexico Game and Fish Honorable Mention Environmental Government (USA) Department. Recognition of the Merit Award 2016, Business Recognition of binational efforts and dedication of CEMEX Category. conservation efforts, Texas, Red Rock area management staff U.S.- Coahuila, Mexico. for the translocation of desert Wildlife Habitat Council. bighorn sheep to El Carmen (5 recognitions) (Reserve Pilares), Mexico. Gold-Tier Program of the Year for biodiversity protection projects. Species of Concern Project Award. Mammals Project Award. Desert Project Award. Forest Project Award.
2001 2009 2010 2015 2016
The Desert Bighorn Council. Texas Bighorn Society, Wild Sheep Foundation. Honorary plaque for the vision, Recognition as a Special recognition for dedication, and commitment to conservation partner. conservation. the restoration of desert bighorn sheep in northeastern Mexico and its contribution to the restoration of wildlife.
El Carmen 15 years 17 7. Collaboration Conservation efforts and coordination with neighboring communities, conservation NGOs and government agencies
In collaboration with our neighbors, we signed agreements with private landowners, including Rancho Guadalupe and Museo Maderas del Carmen, with whom we work to conserve and restore wildlife habitat.
We collaborate with conservation NGOs, including Cuenca Los Ojos, Texas Bighorn Society, Wild Sheep Foundation, and Mule Deer Foundation, on habitat and wildlife restoration projects on both sides of the border.
We also collaborate with the Commission of Natural Protected Areas of Mexico (CONANP) to protect forests and monitor biodiversity. El Carmen’s staff is a permanent member of the Technical Advisory Board of the Maderas del Carmen and Ocampo Natural Protected Areas, where we share our experiences and coordinate conservation efforts with neighboring communities.
Finally, we closely coordinate with governmental agencies such as SEMARNAT and SEMA Coahuila in Mexico, and the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in the U.S.
El Carmen 15 years 18 For more information:
[email protected] [email protected]
www.cemexnature.com
/CEMEXNature /CEMEXNature /CEMEXNature
CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. Corporate Sustainability. Av. Ricardo Margain Zozaya 325 Valle del Campestre San Pedro Garza Garcia, N.L. ZIP 66265 Mexico Photography by: Jonás A. Delgadillo, Santiago Gibert Isern / Dimensión Natural, Bonnie Mckinney, Alejandro Espinosa T. and El Carmen Staff
2016