Our Project
We work
with
private landowners within the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve to reforest
their degraded lands with native trees. Landowners are compensated for
planting and caring for trees, and managing their reforestations for
optimum growth and carbon sequestration.
Local forestry experts accompany the landowners every step of the way,
providing technical training and expertise, and ensuring successful
reforestations that meet carbon sequestration requirements.
Purchasing Sierra Gorda Offsets helps sustain biodiversity in the Sierra
Gorda Biosphere Reserve's million acres by funding sustainable
activities for its 100,000 residents that both further conservation and
combat rural poverty.
Project Benefits
Our reforestation project offers several
benefits of local and global value:
Climate
Reforestation is the only type of carbon offset that actually
removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It is estimated that
tropical deforestation accounts for 25% of the carbon dioxide released
into the atmosphere causing global warming. Restoring the world´s
forest cover is a key element in fighting global warming.
Community
We work in communities of extreme poverty where landowners have few
options for generating income. Traditional agriculture and grazing
on the steep slopes of the Sierra Gorda promote severe erosion and soil
loss, and lead to watershed degradation. Our reforestation project
creates a sustainable land use alternative, providing much needed
additional income to residents of the Reserve.
Biodiversity
Mexico is one of the most biologically rich countries
in the world. Unfortunately, Mexico has been largely deforestated. More
than one million hectares are logged each year (many of them illegally)
which is impacting water and soil quality, depleting aquifers and
threatening biodiversity. Reforestations within the Biosphere Reserve create habitat corridors
for wildlife, and restore watersheds by increasing water infiltration
and reducing soil erosion.
Meeting High Standards
Our project was designed to meet the highest standards.
The benefits of Sierra Gorda
Offsets in terms of carbon sequestration, biodiversity preservation,
hydrological services and improved livelihoods for the people of local
communities are being verified through ongoing scientific assessments
and social return on investment analyses.
The University of Monterrey and
Bosque Sustentable have measured the amount of carbon stored in the
various ecosystems of the Sierra Gorda and inventories are underway to
determine how much carbon has been captured thus far in reforestations.
Current studies are also examining various flora and fauna, including
jaguar, in the reserve.
Scientists at the University of
Queretaro are using data, in combination with information about land
cover and soil type, to model improvements to hydrological processes
throughout the Reserve resulting from reforestation and soil
conservation measures.
Grupo
Ecológico Sierra Gorda has also undertaken a Social Return on Investment
Analysis to assess the range of impacts of their programs on the
communities in the Sierra Gorda.
We are
currently preparing the documentation to seek certification using the
Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Alliance standards.
Carbon Verification
In addition to yearly inspections
made by the landowner, forestry technicians from Bosque Sustentable
carry out detailed monitoring of the reforestation sites ensuring that
carbon sequestration commitments are met.
This monitoring follows the steps outlined in Márquez, 2000 (http://www.winrock.org/fnrm/files/fundacionsolar.pdf),
in accordance with the small-scale reforestation rules
under the Kyoto Protocol.
For
further Project Information please read our:
Descriptive Document
Project Detail Document
or
Contact Us
|
