In the deep folds and caves of the Sierra Gorda and Xilitla, in an underground and nocturnal world, the Flatfoot Salamander (Chiropterotriton magnipes) evolved. Being endemic to a very small sector of the mountains, it is our responsibility to protect its populations. To this end, the World Land Trust has funded a second expedition to document its populations and those of other amphibians that call the humid cloud forests and temperate forests home. Once again, expert herpetologists Alejandro Calzada and Raúl Trejo took on the task of searching for it, with the best possible support from our friends in the Ejidos in Xilitla and the Sierra Gorda, as well as Roberto Pedraza Ruiz, our photographer and naturalist. It was significant to find a female with several fertilized eggs, given that almost nothing is known about this species, and the adventure that meant being isolated for two nights due to the torrential rains that fell from October 7 to 10, and having to use picks and shovels to clear the landslides on the roads in order to return home. Such are the hazards of the trade in the Sierra Madre Oriental.

We accompanied Angélica Olvera, a new beekeeper from the town of Petzcola, Jalpan de Serra, who recently received boxes and nuclei to start her apiary.
As part of our efforts to strengthen beekeeping in the region, we provide technical assistance and food to strengthen and grow the hives of 30 beekeepers who receive support from GESGIAP.
With actions like this, we promote beekeeping as a sustainable productive alternative.

On October 7, we held a training session for the region’s network of recyclers, with the support of Gustavo Tamayo from Tetra Pak and Ecolanas.

We had the valuable participation of Yolanda Villarreal, a recycler from San Juan del Río, who offered to buy the Tetra Pak recovered in the Sierra Gorda, ensuring that this material is reincorporated into the production chain. Currently, we receive 400 tons of glass, cardboard, and plastic per month in the Sierra Gorda recycling centers – and our landfills benefit from this on/going management.

We are deeply grateful to all the people who made it possible to move toward a more conscious and sustainable management of our waste.

We continue to protect the jaguar’s home and the future of our forests.
On October 17, we had the pleasure of welcoming the beneficiaries of the Payment for Environmental Services for Carbon Capture program, which we operate with the support of the World Land Trust.

During this event, landowners received their semi-annual payment for conserving more than 2,500 hectares of forest in the municipalities of Landa de Matamoros and Jalpan de Serra, ensuring the protection of key ecosystems and the provision of the environmental services on which we all depend.

Likewise, beneficiaries of the Carbono Biodiverso program, backed by the SEDESU Queretaro State Low Emissions Seal, received their payments for conserving more than 4,500 hectares in Arroyo Seco, Landa de Matamoros, Jalpan de Serra, and Pinal de Amoles.

Conserving the forests of the Sierra Gorda is essential in the face of climate change, as these ecosystems capture carbon, regulate the climate, infiltrate water, and maintain the biodiversity that makes our region unique. Each protected hectare represents a firm step toward a more sustainable Querétaro and a healthier planet.

On Wednesday, October 22, at the Sierra Gorda Earth Center (Centro Tierra), elementary school principals participated in a workshop to reconnect with nature and strengthen environmental education in their schools. Organized by the Sierra Gorda Ecological Group, the meeting featured speakers who addressed various topics. Pati Ruiz Corzo highlighted teacher leadership and presented the Sierra Gorda Alliance, which promotes conservation through community projects in the region. Roberto Pedraza Ruiz, photographer and Deputy Director of the Sierra Gorda Alliance, shared insights on climate disruption and biodiversity in the Sierra Gorda, highlighting the importance of our forests, which provide environmental services and serve as a refuge for wildlife. Apolinar Morales shared strategies for environmental sanitation and waste management, and Olivia Pérez Jiménez closed by reaffirming the importance of promoting climate action in schools. This workshop reflects the commitment to forming communities that are aware of and committed to caring for the planet.