Conservation in Action in the Heart of Mexico, Sierra Gorda, Querétaro
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Conservation in Action in the Heart of Mexico SIERRA GORDA, Querétaro 2012 Buffet Award RE-GREENING THE PLANET, A NATURE-BASED RESPONSE • Bosque Sustentable, A.C. Founded in 2002, to protect unique sites with high biological value by Bosque Sustentable, A.C. (BSAC) is an independent civil purchasing them for strict conservation. Today, it society association. The forest management experience protects 8,000 hectares of temperate and tropical Forest loss and soil deterioration in Mexico happens extensive grazing in the forest understory, a practice in the Sierra Gorda communities is a result of networks forests that host an important diversity of flora and for many reasons and are causing serious problems that is so harmful to forest health and the wonderful built by GESGIAP since 1987. BSAC works to establish fauna species and where degradation by logging, cattle for the Mexico’s natural heritage. We are headed for a process of forest regeneration, thus increasing the a conservation economy, restore soils by advising ranching, and other activities has been eradicated. chaotic and impoverished future. The rich biodiversidad performance of environmental services. agricultural producers on best practices, reforest when treasure and sustenance of our country, is in grave • Viva Sierra Gorda. Founded in 2004 as an We have the tools, experience, strategic alliances and necessary and promote natural regeneration otherwise. danger. Loss of moisture and productivity, abuse of Earth Island Institute project, Viva Sierra Gorda is support of many organizations including: the National Training and accompaniment in holistic management, agrochemicals, destructive conventional techniques, located in Berkeley, California. It is a fundraising partner Livestock Coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture diversify micro-entrepreneurial activities, and develop agricultural producers given bad advice, flawed and organization, transferring accessible technologies and Rural Development (SADER), Queretaro State ecosystem products and voluntary CO2 offsets are obsolete public policies, dependence on external inputs and networking. It also created the platform www. Secretariat of Agricultural Development (SEDEA), available. and production of highly contaminated food, are all carbonneutralplanet.org that allows companies and Multilateral Investment Fund MIF-IADB, Mitsubishi negatively impacting our soils. • Joya del Hielo, A.C. Founded in 1996 as individuals to compensate their carbon footprint in Corporation Foundation of the Americas, and the an initiative of GESGIAP’s members and other forests and soils. Extensive cattle ranching in the forests is causing Overbrook Foundation and World Land Trust to conservationists, the aim of Joya del Hielo, A.C. is serious damage, preventing forest regeneration, aiding implement our conservation work. As pioneering degradation and decline, and the grievous threat of experts, Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda developed provoked forest fires is increasing. A forest with no a NAMA project, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation LINES OF ACTION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS value for its owners is always at risk of logging. Actions, which is nationally recognized and listed in the UNFCCC Registry. “Subnational Mitigation Actions Sierra Gorda Earth Center - Highly poisonous foods and soils are the bain of rural Inter-institutional Public Relations, Fundrai- areas which are being abandoned as productivity for the Regeneration of Landscapes,” a provocative Teaching and learning best sing and Environmental invitation on a sub-national level for states to implement Resource Networking diminishes; the water sources, lakes and springs, are practices Activism drying out and the human populations are constantly regenerative practices for forests and soils. growing and demanding more services. Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda works to achieve our goal Mexico fortunately has ranches under regenerative as a measurable response that will increase carbon management that demonstrate how soil recovery can capture by drawing it down to stay in biomass and be achieved. We have several successful pioneers of the ground, and in turn capitalize the countryside by regenerative soil management in Chihuahua, Coahuila, generating economic value of the natural capital and its Sonora and in the Sierra Gorda, all of whom have years keepers. It is time to prepare ourselves for the climate of experience. With determination and commitment, effects that already plague the territory, strengthen food they are engaging technicians, producers, students and production, form agricultural water and carbon sinks, authorities at the highest levels, creating knowledge as well as to dignify life in the countryside, mitigate transfer through a rich educational offer that is aimed global warming and poverty, and recover degraded at a variety of actors. soils and forests. This is how we pledge allegiance to Environmental Education Women and Youth Solid Waste Management our homeland. We want to re-green Mexico. For the past 5 years, our state of Querétaro has been and Community Organizing Leadership Strategies operating a state carbon footprint mechanism, with Martha Isabel “Pati” Ruiz Corzo new financing from a small subnational carbon fee. This Director, Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda I.A.P. tax allows us to create economic incentives for carbon capture in forest re-growth, withdrawing livestock from CONSERVATION ALLIANCE FOR THE SIERRA GORDA Wildlands Conservation Conservation Economy – Regenerative Agriculture and Rural Tourism Microenterpri- Livestock ses, Carbon Offsets Together with the affiliate organizations of the Sierra • Productos y Servicios Turísticos Sierra Gorda, QUALITY GENDER decent work and ZERO HUNGER Gorda Alliance, Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda I.A.P. S.A. de C.V. Founded in 2008 as an umbrella company 2 4 EDUCATION 5 EQUALITY 8 economic growth (GESGIAP) leads a grassroots movement building that aims to catalyze local micro-enterprises to higher consistentcivil participation among the networks with standards within a sustainable destination criteria. reduced sustainable cities responsible consumption which it works across sectors and government levels. Two trademarks include the local service providers: 10 ineQUALITies 11 and communities 12 and production In this way, it protects the wildlands and species of the Sierra Gorda Products and Sierra Gorda Ecotours. The Reserve. The Sierra Gorda Alliance includes: tourism operator helps finance conservation activities climate action life on land partnerships and training for partners in the region and offsets the 13 15 17 for the goals trips to protect old forests. 2 sierragorda.net 3 sierragorda.net Nationally Appropriate Mitigation NAMA Action Subnational Mitigation Actions for the Regeneration of Landscapes Registered under SEMARNAT: NAMA-MX-28; UNFCCC: NS-272 rupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda, I.A.P is operating a forest regeneration. GNationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) Contribution to Mexico’s NDC in Mexico called “Subnational Mitigation Actions for The NAMA contributes to mitigation and adaptation the Regeneration of Landscapes”. This NAMA promo- Impacts for Sustainable Development national and international goals for sustainable develo- goals of Mexico’s Nationally Determined Contributions tes regenerative actions for forest and pasture lands The NAMA’s subnational actions contribute to sustai- pment. Reinforcing the subnational actions, the NAMA (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. We estimate that in 12 high-priority states of Mexico. It is rooted in the nable development in Mexico. They provide rural forest also promotes a regenerative reorientation of the sys- the regeneration of pasture lands will have a net GHG successful Carbon Compensation Mechanism of the and pasture owners new forms of income for environ- tem of government programs, technical support, incen- impact of -2.9 MtCO2e/year in 2030, which represents State of Queretaro, in which the government assigns a mental services, increase the productivity of livestock tives and financial mechanisms in the affected sectors. 52% of the theoretical planned grazing potential esti- portion of the fees for annual license plate renewal to a ranches, create hydrological ecosystem services, sti- We are also forming a critical mass of regenerative edu- mated by the National Institute of Ecology and Climate special fund that supports projects that reduce green- mulate biodiversity and aid carbon sequestration, all of cators, technicians, officials, and legislators who are ca- Change (INECC ) and 41% of the goal of -7 MtCO2e house gas (GHG) emissions in the state and increase which greatly benefit society. In the livestock subsector, pable of significant intervention at many levels. All of for the entire agricultural sector in 2030. The subna- we estimate a 53% increase of income for the participa- the above is paired with awareness campaigns geared carbon capture in its forests. As a part of the NAMA, tional actions for forest regeneration are projected to ting ranches and an increase of environmental services towards the general public in principal cities of partici- GESG and the state of Querétaro are promoting the de- have a GHG impact of -694,000 tCO2e/year in 2030. worth $47 million USD per year. In the forest sector, we pating states regarding climate emergency awareness velopment of similar mechanisms in other states. The The impacts of the NAMA have been assessed utilizing project economic and environmental returns worth $20 and voluntary