Carbono Biodiverso
Most conservation models ask communities to sacrifice.
Carbono Biodiverso asks something different: what if protecting nature could be profitable for forest owners?
In Mexico’s Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, more than 99% of the land is in the hands of private owners, ejido members, and families who have lived in the forests of the region for generations. No conservation plan that ignores that reality can last.
That’s why we have spent decades building a model where the economics of conservation work for the people who actually live in the landscape. Where a landowner who protects their forest earns more than one who clears it.
Carbono Biodiverso is that model. And it’s working. It’s showing that conservation and community prosperity aren’t in tension, but are one and the same.
Pati Ruiz Corzo’s Career Recognized Nationally
The work of Pati Ruiz Corzo, director of the Sierra Gorda Ecological Group, was recently recognized in an article published by El Sol de México, which highlights her nearly four decades of work leading a community conservation model in the Sierra Gorda.
The report highlights the development of a collective effort that now spans the northern third of the state of Querétaro, integrating actions such as carbon sequestration, waste management, productive diversification, biodiversity protection, climate change adaptation, and the strengthening of a network of more than 190 recycling collection centers.
This type of recognition highlights the impact of working together with communities and reinforces the importance of continuing to promote local solutions for sustainability.
Active Participation by GESG During the Presentation of Querétaro Seal Certificates by the Secretariat of Sustainable Development
On Monday, April 13, Marco del Prete and the team from the Querétaro State Secretariat of Sustainable Development presented Querétaro Seal of Emissions Reduction certificates to 43 companies that have completed this process during 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Mr. del Prete emphasized the importance and great value of the attending companies turning their shared concern for helping to halt climate change into reality through concrete actions with clear benefits. Given the urgency imposed by the knowledge that we have no other planet—that there is no “Plan B”—moving from words to action is worthy of recognition. He concluded by stating that with the Emissions Offset System and all its participants, Querétaro is moving toward a more sustainable state.
For their part, companies can be certain that more than 80% of their payment goes directly to these hands and can even witness the delivery of payments to beneficiaries, get to know them, and learn about the area and the methodology of this program, which is unique in Mexico.
The Silence Worth Listening To
Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda on Global Giving
On the most remote trails of the Sierra Gorda—where only peccaries and deer roam—a single camera trap captured something extraordinary: a puma and a jaguar in excellent condition. There is no better proof that conservation works.
This winter brought generous rainfall, forest fires were minimal, and our two 10-person brigades—part of the State Fire Management Committee—are ready to respond. In the reserves, time seems to have stood still: the tree-dwelling margay raises its cubs in the hollows of century-old trees, and the elusive Tamaulipas Pygmy Owl—endemic to northeastern Mexico—has once again appeared before our cameras.
Just beyond our boundaries, chainsaws work nonstop. Our presence is what makes the difference.
Make history with us—for the first time, online.
We’ve never before opened a digital door to receive your support. Today we’re doing so through GlobalGiving, a platform certified for its transparency and effectiveness, so that your donation goes directly to the jungle, the forest, and the silence we protect together.
This year, our environmental education colleagues have once again held 41 Earth Festivals in schools and communities across the Sierra Gorda and the Huasteca, promoting the revival of mountain traditions and the strengthening of a more conscious and sustainable environmental culture.
Through plays aimed at children and teenagers, as well as musical events, we create spaces for learning and reflection that strengthen the bond between new generations and their environment.
This work has been made possible thanks to the support of teachers, school administrators, parents, and the communities that actively participate in each event. As always, we thank USEBEQ and the mountain teachers for being steadfast allies of environmental education.
Follow-up Visits to the Ruta del Sabor Strengthen Its Quality
With the support of staff from the State Tourism Secretariat, we conducted follow-up visits to the establishments that make up the Ruta del Sabor, with the aim of verifying compliance with health regulations and evaluating their operating conditions.
During the visits, we provided direct guidance to service providers on best practices in food hygiene and customer service, helping to improve the visitor experience.
We also reviewed the level of adoption of the Sello Sabino (Cypress Seal), identifying progress and areas for improvement to strengthen each establishment.
These actions promote a more responsible, safe, and high-quality tourism offering, benefiting both visitors to the region and the small business owners who operate these establishments.
Sanitation: Moving Toward a Cleaner and More Sustainable Sierra Gorda
In coordination with the Municipal Public Services Department of the Arroyo Seco City Council, we support the operation of an organic waste management and recycling facility that improves the municipal landfill, where these materials are transformed into useful resources. This strategy is complemented by 7 community units, with a combined capacity of approximately 1,400 liters per day, which helps reduce pollution and extend the landfill’s useful life.
In addition, we are strengthening the network of recyclers by providing handcarts, facilitating the transport of materials such as PET and cardboard, and improving their working conditions. These actions represent a solid step toward cleaner, more organized, and sustainable communities, while also strengthening the local economy. We continue working toward a greener, more responsible, and more environmentally conscious Sierra Gorda.
Photo of the Month
I have had the privilege of visiting several mesophilic forests in our country. But none like this one conveyed that sense of age and magnificence, well hidden in the deep folds of the Sierra Madre Oriental and protected by its owner. And best of all, these magnificent trees are the most powerful and impressive specimens of a magnolia species (Magnolia pedrazae) that became relatives of mine thanks to the generosity of my friend and taxonomist, Dr. Antonio Vazquez, who described them as a new species. My dad is pictured next to one of them, as a small point of reference.
Besides, meeting these giants changed my perception of magnolias. The ones I knew are mere young ones with a long life ahead of them.
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Ave. La Presa S/N Barrio, El Panteon, 76340 Jalpan de Serra, Qro., Mexico.
email: info@sierragorda.net
