Sierra Gorda joins the EarthCheck Sustainable Destinations program
August 2021: In a first for North America, the UNESCO Biosphere of Sierra Gorda has become the first National Park in Mexico to join the EarthCheck Sustainable Destinations program.
Protected areas are an essential resource for conserving biodiversity. At present, approximately one-tenth of the world’s land surface is a protected area in some form. Bordering the states of Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí and Hidalgo, the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro is a shining jewel in the heart of Mexico. Extending across 384 thousand hectares, the Biosphere Reserve occupies 33 percent of the State of Querétaro and its strategic biogeographical position between the Arctic Neotropical and the Mesoamerican Mountain regions makes Sierra Gorda one of the most ecologically rich and diverse places in Mexico.
“Protected areas need tourism, and tourism needs protected areas. Though the relationship is complex and sometimes adversarial, tourism is always a critical component to consider in the establishment and management of protected areas.” – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of the State of Querétaro is leading the way, involving all of the local actors and institutions within the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, to develop regional tourism that conserves the territory and its natural wealth through regenerative practices. Local landowners are involved through developing their capacity to participate in a conservation economy that values scenic beauty. This new culture of service provision will allow their product to be accessed niche markets.
The Sierra Gorda Alliance is a model of entrepreneurship and social participation in the Sierra Gorda. Their crucial role is in developing skill sets and economic value for the landowners whose forests provide environmental services, scenic beauty, and carbon and water capture. Together with various stakeholders, they work together to promote the destination as a living laboratory showcasing cultural and environmental practices.
The EarthCheck certification is key to creating a world- class Sustainable Destination. Public policies and programs should follow to help create regenerative tourism with minimum environmental impact, increased local community involvement, value for cultural knowledge, and linkage to wider audiences.
“Becoming an EarthCheck Certified destination will add value to the way in which we market Sierra Gorda as a sustainable destination,” said Martha Isabel “Pati” Ruiz Corzo, General Director, Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda I.A.P. (GESG).“Working with EarthCheck will help us to monitor and improve sustainability and promote our achievements, as well as sharing our learnings with other leading destinations of the world,” she said.
Tourism provides an opportunity to explain park values, help tell the conservation story, support the local community and directly contribute to human welfare through the active recreation and cultural experiences that are being provided in the park.
“EarthCheck is delighted to be working with the Sierra Gorda Alliance and to support the excellent work they have done to transform the region into a role model for sustainable resource use. Pati is a true champion, and we feel honoured to be working with her team to support the livelihoods of disadvantaged rural communities and helping to secure the protection of the wider ecosystem.” Said Stewart Moore, CEO and Founder, EarthCheck.
The EarthCheck Sustainable Destinations Program is a worldwide network of destinations that aim to achieve world-leading sustainability outcomes. Supported by the EarthCheck benchmarking, certification and performance improvement system, the program uses EarthCheck science to tackle environmental and social problems such as climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management.
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About Sierra Gorda
Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda I.A.P. leads a grassroots environmental movement that has transformed 33% of Querétaro State into a world class UNESCO Biosphere Reserve through environmental education, solid waste management, regenerative practices in soils and forests, sustainable rural tourism, community microenterprise networks, and voluntary carbon offsets for the private sector and subnational climate action. 2021 Awards: Equator Prize, One World Award and Global Citizen Mexico Hero Prize.
Contact
Pati Ruiz Corzo
Tel: +52 1 441 29 60700
+52 1 441 29 60229
Olga Roldán
Tel: +52 1 441 29 60700
+52 1 441 29 60229
Cel: +52 1 441 115 4742
About EarthCheck
EarthCheck is the world’s leading business advisory group specialising in sustainability and destination management for the travel and tourism industry. EarthCheck’s holistic approach to responsible tourism and its world-leading science enables destinations and operators to benchmark and certify their performance with confidence and surety.
Through its Total Tourism Management™ platform, EarthCheck collaborates with clients to help plan for the future and guide the design, construction and operation of intelligent buildings and the responsible management of tourism destinations. Find out more at earthcheck.org
Contact
Andre Russ, EarthCheck
Email: marketing@earthcheck.org
Phone: +61 7 3924 4200
Website: www.earthcheck.org
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