Planting trees for people and birds

Water, soil, and forest: restoring balance in the Moxviquil Ecological Reserve

Water availability is one of the main factors that determines the development of life and the proper functioning of natural cycles and processes. For this reason, soil conservation and water infiltration works are a fundamental part of our conservation, restoration, and reforestation projects in the Highlands of Chiapas region.

Water and soil are key elements for sustaining life. Soils with sufficient moisture allow plants to find the resources they need to develop their roots and establish themselves. At the same time, microorganisms keep life active in the lower layers of the soil, improving its structure and allowing greater water infiltration into the subsoil.

In the Highland of Chiapas region, constant rainfall often washes away fertile soil. In many cases, water is unable to disperse adequately through forest land to infiltrate the soil. This is due, among other factors, to soil compaction caused by overgrazing and the presence of gray infrastructure that alters the natural flow of water.

In recent months, as part of efforts to promote water infiltration, reduce runoff velocity, decrease sediment transport to our rainwater collection system, and disperse water throughout the mountains of the Moxviquil Ecological Reserve, various conservation projects have been carried out. These include three drains over 10 meters long located along the contour line, three dams made of dead wood, and six stone barriers. Five women and thirty men participated in these activities, totaling more than 15 hours of collective work.

These works, implemented on a landscape scale, allow water to infiltrate, be stored, and flow slowly through ecosystems. This reduces surface runoff and helps maintain soil productivity even during dry periods. This deep relationship between water, soil, and vegetation explains why projects that integrate ecological restoration and water recharge tend to strengthen ecosystem resilience and promote water availability over time and across the territory.

Links:

• Pronatura Sur web page

Mexico is the country with the greatest diversity of oak trees on the planet, with 179 species. However, many of them are at risk of disappearing due to habitat loss, deforestation, and the effects of climate change.

Among these species is the majestic Chicalaba Oak (Quercus insignis), known for having the largest acorn in the world and reaching up to 50 meters in height. This impressive tree inhabits cloud forests and rainforests in Mexico (states of Nayarit, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Veracruz), Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama in increasingly fragmented and threatened ecosystems.

The Encino Chicalaba is listed by the IUCN as an endangered species. Its populations are isolated, and its habitat suffers from the impacts of agriculture, livestock, droughts, altered fire regimes, and extreme temperatures.

To help reverse this situation, the team at Pronatura Sur's Encinar Moxviquil Nursery recently visited a little-known population in Chiapas. There, we confirmed its presence, assessed its habitat, and collected seeds for propagation. Our goal is to develop a comprehensive conservation strategy together with local communities and the owners of the land where this species still survives.

Your donation can make a difference.

With your support, we will be able to strengthen our efforts in nursery propagation, reforestation, reintroduction, environmental education, outreach, and research on the oaks of Mexico.

Join us as a Guardian of the Oaks of Mexico Every contribution helps unique species like the Chicalaba Oak continue to provide shade, life, and hope to our forests.

Links:

• Pronatura Sur web page