This year six indigenous communities and four ejidos (communal properties) that live in and around the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) reforested 104.90 hectares with 45,918 trees! The trees were grown and maintained in 15 school nurseries, seven community nurseries and two nurseries located at Alternare's training center. Nine hundred eighty-eight children and adults took care of maintaining the nurseries to have the seedlings ready and actively participated in tree planting.
Several species of pine (Pinus pseudostrobus and Pinus devoniana) trees were planted on the MBBR's buffer zone along with alder (Alnus acuminata), ash (Fraxius), Mexican cypress (Cupressus lusitanica) and oak (Quercus). The tree nurseries were maintained by teachers, students, communities, and Alternare's team.
Map of 2024 Reforestation Sites
During the 2023-2024 reforestation cycle, communities carried out monitoring, prevention and control activities for pests (particularly bark beetle infestations). People are learning that to control pests successfully, it is necessary to add practices like restoration with diverse species and other forestry techniques to their traditional knowledge such as conventional felling and immediate extraction. These practices are closely linked to Dr. Erika Gómez Pineda's MBF-supported research, and is an example of how our collaborators share information and feedback to improve conservation strategies.
Additionally, Alternare and the communities are gradually transitioning into recyclable trays to avoid using plastic bags during the reforestations. Although plastic bags are still being used it won't be long before they are completely phased out. Environmental organizations have to adapt to the evolving technology and Alternare is not an exception. Their use of trays, as well as all the innovative ecological techniques that the communities have been learning throughout the years and have embraced is an example of doing good conservation work. Alternare continues to amaze us!