February 2010 - Monthly
Bulletin of the Sierra Gorda, Biosphere Reserve, Queretaro, Mexico
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Earth Festivals start in February to be celebrated
throughout the Sierra Gorda bioregion and commemorate the 40th
anniversary of Earth Day this year.
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In order to strengthen the environmental culture and to
rescue the cultural roots of the Mountain Region, 40 "Earth
Festivals" will be held.
The Sierra Gorda Ecological Group (GESGIAP) has conducted
these celebrations for 20 years, but this time they also are
linked to the framework of commemorating Earth Day, which is
promoted by the organization, the Earth Day Network. As in
the past, these events will be conducted at public sites in
selected communities of the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve
and at select sites in the states of San Luis Potosi and
Hidalgo. The GESGIAP will contribute a play with the
thoughtful message, "Gifts the Forests Give Us,”
demonstrations of the use of solar cookers, as well as
donated fruit trees for schools, or trees to reforest the
backyards of homes and school areas previously
requested by school Directors. Having gained roots as a
tradition in the region, the Earth Festivals have been
celebrated for 20 years.
We estimate "Earth Festivals" to take place in about 85
schools, with the participation of 500 teachers 2,100 adults
and parents, 11,500 students and we thank the dear teachers
for their participation and organization of these loving
Earth Festivals. Our sincere thanks
to the Mitsubishi Foundation for the Americas for supporting
the Environmental Education program in the region and
beyond.
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Mr. José Calzada Rovirosa, Governor of the State of
Queretaro recently visited the Sierra Gorda Earth Center.
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On 22 January Centro Tierra Sierra Gorda had the honor of
hosting Mr. Jose Calzada Rovirosa, Governor of Queretaro
State, and his wife, Mrs. Sandra Albarran, the President of
the State System for Integral Family Development (DIF) and
his staff.
The visit included a tour of our facilities and offices of
the Sierra Gorda Alliance, followed by a presentation of the
biodiversity of Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, as well as
strategic lines of work that are proposed for developing
with the agencies under his administration. It is very
satisfying to see the genuine interest of Mr.
Calzada for the environment and the possible synergy with
his administration, since meetings with members of his
cabinet have only led to agreements to boost sustainable
development in the Sierra Gorda
Biosphere Reserve.
Fortunately for the citizens and biodiversity of the state,
we foresee an administration that will lead to a Sierra
Gorda with order and greater environmentally friendly
productive options for its people.
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The Sierra Gorda Earth Center courses and workshops began in
2010 with the topics of Climate Change and Food Security. |
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The workshop "The Bio-intensive Method of Cultivation," held
on 29, 30 and 31 January, and led by instructor John M.
Martinez Valdez, covered the theory and practice of the
fundamental principles of this method, including prevention
and control of pests, garden planning, composting, and
natural fertilizers, among other topics. Through this new
way to cultivate food, a group of young people from the
Sierra Gorda are enthusiastically seeking, an opportunity to
develop opportunities and thereby, little by little, achieve
greater food self-sufficiency. |
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The on-line diploma course, "Teaching and Learning for a
Sustainable Future" began a week of first-hand experience in
the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve.
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Sierra Gorda Earth Center´s on-line diploma course graduates
its third generation with the endorsement of the Ministry of
Public Education, the Autonomous University of Querétaro and
UNESCO. The hands-on portion of the course took place from
February 2 to 5, with participating educators visiting our
facilities and some field activities, forming a network with
national and international educators and developing an
action plan. In this offering, teachers of basic levels and
professionals from various states of Mexico participated, as
well as from Venezuela. Advisors and experts of the Sierra
Gorda project shared their extensive experience on a variety
of topics, leading to the participants being trained and
motivated to start similar projects in their own locales,
replicating the accumulated experience in Sierra Gorda. |
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Sierra Gorda Earth Center with the support of PRODUCE
Foundation invite agricultural and livestock producers in
the region and other parts of the country to participate.
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With
the consultants COAS, the Earth Center presents the
workshops ABC, organic agriculture, biofertilizer
preparation, and organic insecticides, in order to form new
skills. These international experts will teach the
regeneration of soils using techniques that will return
productivity to the land in a few years time, avoiding
erosion and providing more hyrological capture.
You are welcome to join us the 18, 19 and 20th
of February.
The
21st to the 24th of February, COAS
will teach the design of soil restoration works known as the
Keyline Methodology. The integration of holistic cattle
management as a complementary solution for recuperating
soils seeks to develop the novel ecosystem product of
capturing carbon in the soil, a further solution to global
warming. Contact
us for more information.
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Sierra Gorda Ecotours offers ecotourism packages for the long weekends coming in March and
April and Sierra
Gorda is becoming a global tourism destination which brings
promise to the region.
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The Sierra Gorda tourism destination, a new stage in the
touristic development begins with the complete support of
the state government.
The purpose is to develop new capacities in all the
segments of attention to the tourist within the Reserve by
involving all the service providers in a process to
continuously improve the skills, installations, interpretive
trails, public use areas, and provide new services.
Additionally we will seek to make the Reserve a recognized
global tourist destination since we know there are plenty of
natural, cultural and gastronomical attractions. And above
all else, this is a peaceful society whose hospitality will
receive the tourist with a renewed spirit of service that
will be maintained and will flourish among stakeholders in
the region.
Currently Sierra Gorda Ecotours offers tourist services in the best
natural and cultural destinations of the region.
The next long weekend has a lot to offer!
3 day package: Experience Springtime!
March 13 to 15
We will visit: the Cuatro Palos Overlook, the Chuveje
waterfall, Jalpan de Serra, Landa de Matamoros, the Fossils
of El Madroño, Xilitla, Tilaco, Conca and where two rivers
meet (the Ayutla and Conca rivers).
4 day package "Sanctuaries of the Sierra"
1 - 4 April
We will visit:
the
Cuatro
Palos Overlook, the Chuveje waterfall, Jalpan de Serra,
Conca, Las Adjuntas (where
two rivers meet, the
Ayutal and the Conca), Landa de Matamoros, the Soledad de
Guadalupe ceramic workshop, and the cabins of San Juan de
los Durán.
More
information:
http://www.sierragorda.net/sg-ecotours/index.htm
Contact us:
ecotours@sierragorda.net
Tel. 441 296 0242 ó 441 296 0229
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Photo of the month.
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This winter has been a confirmation that Mother Earth,
despite the damage we have caused, is still alive and
working with weather systems. Periodically there have been
heavy snowfalls and frost in the Sierra Gorda that have
played a key role in controlling forest pests. We expect the
low temperatures this winter will help control pine bark
beetle populations that have caused so much damage to pine
forests on the Reserve. This image is from the snowstorm of
January 16th which occurred at the high elevations of the
mountain range of Pinal de Amoles, more than 3000 meters
(9,840 feet) above sea level.
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The
Alliance for the Conservation of the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve
extends its sincerest thanks to our funders and partners.
BOMBARDIER, Fundación Mitsubishi para las Américas,
Monte de Piedad I.A.P., Fundación Gonzálo Río Arronte, Development
Marketplace (Banco Mundial), Viva Sierra Gorda, Global Greengrants
Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, World Land Trust UK, Gulf
Coast Bird Observatory, American School Foundation of Monterrey,
Fundación Biodiversidad, Progreso Network, Deutshe Bank México,
Katoomba América Tropical, UICN Holanda, Aceros Prime S. de R.L.,
Peace Corps
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