Community Conservation of Monarch Forest in Mexico

Nine local indigenous communities joined Alternare in this year’s reforestation efforts surpassing the original goal of planting 21,000 trees by 1,200 for a total of 22,200 trees planted in 23 hectares! The area was also larger than the 20 hectares that has been planned originally. Around 800 women, men and children participated in the effort making this year as successful as the previous ones. MBF is proud to see that summer reforestations are consistently being carried out effectively.

A woman who wants to convert her agricultural parcel to forest told us, “I’m so pleased that Alternare and my fellow community members are helping me plant trees so I can let the land become what it originally was. I planted corn to subsist but now I know better and realize that it’s important to keep the forest alive, so we have water.”

Additionally, eight workshops were held in six communities with the participation of 164 people who built five cisterns and four water distribution systems. After careful analysis the communities identified that to use water sustainably, and provide water to more families, it was necessary to attach gutters to the cisterns with faucets so that each family can access the water.

Alternare’s proven reliability throughout the years working with communities has consolidated and strengthened MBF’s partnership with them making us proud to contribute to the improvement of reforestation and sustainable practices in the monarch butterfly’s overwintering forests. Without your support none of this would be possible and for that MBF is deeply grateful!