MISSION
To conserve biodiversity and promote sustainable management of natural resources within Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, in central Mexico.
Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda
History
A small group of local residents formed the Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda (GESG) in 1987 for the protection and preservation of the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, located within the Eastern Sierra Madre mountain range. GESG has over 36 years of experience in developing programmes in environmental education, habitat restoration, training, and management of natural resources.
Partnership with WLT
In 2006, Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda attended the partners’ symposium in the Netherlands and were introduced to World Land Trust (WLT) as a potential partner in Mexico. After a site visit to investigate the feasibility of Carbon Balanced projects in the area, WLT and GESG became official partners in 2007.
WLT supports GESG with land purchase funding so they can increase their network of reserves (currently covering 7487 ha of temperate, cloud and tropical forests) within the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve. Since 2005, GESG has also been running its own carbon sequestration programme in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve and WLT contributed to this in 2007 by purchasing carbon offsets for its Carbon Balanced programme. Currently, we are operating two CO2 projects with the full WLT support; “Ensuring connectivity among the network of private nature reserves in the Sierra Gorda” protecting additional 2500 ha of forests and “Biodiverse Carbon in Xilitla, San Luís Potosí”, with 4710 ha in the neighboring state.
In addition, WLT supports the on-going protection of Sierra Gorda by funding rangers through the Keepers of the Wild appeal and a fire brigade as part of the CO2 projects.
WLT FUNDED PROJECTS
CURRENT
Other Activities
- Running an environmental education programme, including school presentations, tours, craft workshops, and community work days
- Online workshops and a diploma for teachers
- Didactic tools for climate change adaptation
- Regeneration and watershed protection
- Holistic and regenerative farm management
- Community projects, such as recycling supporting and strengthening 8 recycling micro-entrepreneurs, working in close coordination with the local Counties
- Aromatic herbs management and community empowerment in the semidesert
- Helping local women develop their skills and businesses
- Running ecotourism to generate a sustainable income for local entrepreneurs
- Climate change adaptation- 80 rain water catchment tanks in strategic communities
- Public policies development in the State of Querétaro Government- Sello Querétaro, a CO2 tax to car owners and companies based within the State
- Water treatment new projects along with the State Water Comission
