SMA PROGRAMS: Biocultural Conservation:
Community Biosphere Reserves

SMA has replaced the fast-track approach with a long-term, ejido-by-ejido approach to establishing reserves. The focus has been in protecting old growth forests in communities that have taken independent initiatives to defend their rights and protect these territories. However, the vast network of subtropical and smaller temperate canyons of the Sierra provides ample opportunities for declaration of community reserves. Over time, these community conservation zones will form a de facto Biosphere Reserve.

CONANP estimates that it will require 15 to 20% of ejido territory to be designated as protected to qualify for certification as a community reserve. According to previous agreements, traditional indigenous use of natural resources will be permitted in all core community reserves. Many ejidos will be able to meet this goal by including much of their canyonlands. Others may want to include areas of secondary forest in need of recovery. However, those with remnant old growth forest are the highest priority for conservation.

SMA, CESTAC, and Tierra Nativa have focused on a vast area known as the Urique-Sinforosa corridor, with the following recent successes:

• As a result of negotiations with both ejido and indigenous authorities and the biocultural mapping initiative, the Ejido Yoquivo is close to an agreement to protect 2,000 hectares of primary forest.

• Pino Gordo (the Choreachi traditional pueblo) solicited establishment of a 29,000 hectare protected area in 2002. CONANP suspended a decision on the project until the land conflicts with Coloradas de los Chavez are resolved. The protected area includes approximately 12,000 hectares of old growth.

• Coloradas de la Virgen and San Carlos are both interested in establishing protected areas once their agrarian conflicts are resolved. These communities possess over 10,000 hectares of old growth.

• CESTAC completed a preliminary field study of the Mesa de Manzano, the high mesa that separates the Batopilas and Urique Canyons. This Mesa is currently roadless and contains approximately 2,000 hectares of old growth pine-oak. Threatened and endangered species such as Apache Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Thick-billed parrot, three species of Trogon and Military Mackaw have been recorded on the mesa. It is also a popular backpacking route from Batopilas to Urique. The Mesa de Manzano is split between two ejidos, Batopilas and Guapalayna. Various SMA backed partners are working in both ejidos with a combination of productive projects, temporary employment, biocultural mapping, ecotourism, environmental education and training.  The objectives include declaration of the Mesa de Manzano as a protected area and promotion of adventure tourism

• Ejido Baborigame decided in 2004 to protect a 2000 hectare micro-watershed that includes a sacred Tepehuan mountain and supplies the town with most of its drinking water.  Fencing and written agreements are needed.

Throughout 2005 and 2006, SMA, CESTAC, and CONANP also sponsored dozens of planning and diagnostic workshops with indigenous leaders and ejiditarios in eight municipios. Over 2000 indigenous representatives attended multiple workshops. Once the concept of Biosphere Reserves and community protected areas was clarified, the indigenous leaders, ejidatarios and municipio authorities expressed widespread support for conservation proposals.

As always, local participation and co-investment are the cornerstones of this new approach. US Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife’s Without Borders Program and SEDESOL have also supported these workshops, which have been very effective at clarifying the goals and processes in planning a Biosphere Reserve and potential benefits for communities and indigenous pueblos. CONANP contributed over two million pesos for watershed restoration projects in 2005 and 2006 and has made a long term commitment to the region. And SMA, CESTAC and other partners, with support of the US Fish and Wildlife Service Neotropical Migratory Bird Program, have begun restoration of over nine kilometers of riparian area in five ejidos with another four kilometers planned for early 2007.

Through this localized approach, communities are providing de facto protection for over 25,000 hectares of old growth forests in the region via community declarations.  Those indigenous leaders who have been educated also continue to be highly supportive of the larger reserve proposal despite the official tabling of the plan.

SMA and CESTAC are committed to helping ejidos and communities form a network of protected areas, corridors and restoration zones based upon the principles of a Biosphere Reserve. The planning methodology includes local education, training, biocultural conservation mapping, and community planning with the indigenous pueblos and the ejidos. To date, fifteen indigenous pueblos have begun such planning and progress, albeit slow, is being made on the ejido level. CONANP is supportive of this strategy and in working on a method of certifying community reserves.

Eventually, this network of certified community reserves will form the grassroots basis for recognizing the Sierra as a natural Biosphere Reserve.  The groups which stalled the Biosphere Reserve planning process do not represent either the ejidos or the indigenous pueblos who own the lands, or the municipios who will benefit from economic diversification and promotion of the region.

As the ejidos, pueblos and local businesses continue to learn and benefit from conservation, the principals for managing a Biosphere Reserve will gradually take hold. Ejido by ejido, interest is building to gain certification for sustainability and conservation. Regional collaboration and integration will evolve. This process may take years to develop, yet each year, more and more communities are receiving benefits and taking action to protect and restore their most valuable natural resources.