Reducing Impacts of Ranching on Biodiversity

 
Project Snapshot:

The Project Design Document (PDD) for the program of Carbon
Sequestration in Communities of Extreme Poverty in the Sierra
Gorda of Mexico is now in the final stage of revisions. The PDD
for Integrated Ecosystem Services in San Antonio Tancoyol
(Gourmet Product) has been completed and will be utilized for the promotion of this program.  

The basket of ecosystem products and services from the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve will be completed as a result of the “product development”. It comprehends 5 strategies. 

At the beginning of the project our goal was to sell 21.800 tons of carbon, benefiting 73 people. To date we have sold 23.708 tons and benefited 56 people and  180 sales are on pending status.

23 beneficiaries received payments for environmental services to protect biodiversity and water by CONAFOR in 13.614 hectares; and 38 People benefitted from payments made by DM, assuring the protection of a land area of 4,318.50 hectares, representing a grand total of 17.932 hectares and 61 beneficiaries, surpassing the initial goal.

49 people were benefited from the leasing land program for conservation to protect a total area of 9.225 with payments of the Gonzalo Rio Arronte Foundation.

Strategies to improve the income of pilot farms have been successful, and today we can speak of an increase in earnings of 610% to the second year and is expected to reach 1000% in the coming years when we get a better supply of milk and cows reach their higher productivity.

Objectives:

Reduce the impacts of extensive cattle grazing on ecosystems and biodiversity, improving the livelihoods of landowners through the sale of carbon captured in reforestations, development of integrated environmental services products, payments for environmental services, intensive livestock management and practical dissemination for replication. By the end of year 2, 73 landowners implementing reforestation plans will receive US $196,200 for the sale of 21,800 tons of sequestered carbon. 85 landowners of 13,800 hectares will receive US $393,673 in payments for environmental services. Five pilot ranching operations will increase their incomes by an estimated 1,000%. The landowners of 15,200 ha of forests will eventually sell integrated environmental services.

Rationale:

Deforestation and loss of biodiversity are intimately associated with ignorance and poverty in rural areas. The Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve (SGBR), located in eastern-central Mexico, is the most ecosystem-diverse Natural Protected Area in the country. Extensive cattle grazing is widely practiced on its 384,000 hectares. Facing climate change and urgent threats to biodiversity, it is critical to implement viable solutions which reduce poverty and achieve ecosystem conservation, safeguarding environmental services of local and global benefit.

Innovation / Expected Results:

We are successfully applying an innovative strategy that will establish an economy of conservation based on the quantification of environmental services we have carried out to give economic value to our Natural Infrastructure. We are pursuing certification, verification, and sales of carbon captured in reforestations, and are developing “gourmet” products of integrated environmental services. Pilot demonstrations of intensive cattle operations will transfer new technology.