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La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve
© Mary Huffman
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The Latin American and Caribbean Fire Learning Network has been active in Mexico since 2001. Fire is a significant conservation issue across the country, in both fire-dependent and fire-sensitive ecosystems. Descriptions of four Mexican reserves where we have been working are below.
The Ajos-Bavispe Forest Reserve in Sonora covers almost 456,000 acres (189,000 ha). It is a montane reserve with ecosystems similar to those found in national forests in southern Arizona and New Mexico. This reserve has been burning under an appropriate fire regime while U.S. forests have experienced more than 50 years of fire suppression. This forest serves as a model for what U.S. forests should look like. The main threat is growing fire suppression in Mexico. The Nature Conservancy funds (through USFS) a fire specialist with BIDA, our partner in Sonora. This specialist is working with reserve staff to develop a fire management plan for other fire-dependent reserves in Mexico.
El Ocote Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas along with Chimalapas in Oaxaca and Uxpanapa in Veracruz is part of the second largest tropical forest in Mesoamerica. This reserve encompasses 250,180 acres (101,288 ha) and contains an evergreen seasonal forest, a lower montane rain forest, a tropical deciduous forest, a pine-oak forest and a short tree savanna. The tropical forest at this site is fire-sensitive and has been severely impacted by agricultural fires originating outside the reserve. Forty percent of the reserve burned during the 1998 El Niño-induced drought. The Nature Conservancy supported the development of a model fire management plan.
La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve located on the Sierra Madre mountain range in Chiapas is one of the most biodiverse forest reserves in the world. The reserve covers 413,253 acres (167,309 ha) and protects 10 of the 19 vegetation types in Chiapas, including cloud forest, tropical forest, and pine-oak forest. Frequent burning for agriculture and grazing may have altered the fire regime in the pine-oak forest. The Conservancy is currently supporting a fire specialist to assist in developing a fire management plan. Reserve staff and personnel have participated in exchange programs and network workshops.
The Sierra Manantlan Reserve is a 345,000-acre reserve that supports 11 species of pine, all fire-dependent. The reserve also contains fire-dependent oak woodlands and fire-sensitive montane forests. It is one of the few reserves that is experimenting with fire as a management tool. The Conservancy is not working on the ground on this reserve but is providing support for existing work by promoting it as a model through LAC Fire Learning Network workshops.
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