Misplaced Pages

#358641

103-513: Most of the overwintering monarchs from eastern North America are found here. Researchers discovered these areas in 1975. Presidential decrees in the 1980s and 2000 designated these still privately held areas as a federal reserve. The Reserve was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1980 and a World Heritage Site in 2008. The reserve remains predominantly rural. Reserve administrators continue to be concerned with deleterious effects of illegal logging and tourism. Conservation efforts sometimes conflict with

206-702: A VPA - or those who will be entering into such negotiations - by providing examples of good practices. These good practices were identified and recorded following interviews with the main stakeholders in the eight VPA countries in West and Central Africa, the European Forest Institute's (EFI) EU FLEGT Facility and the European Commission . In 2016, the FAO-EU FLEGT Programme published an additional study, Traceability:

309-527: A cargo ship transporting timber from the Indonesian company Korindo, which was being imported into France, UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. Korindo is known to be using illegal timber from the last rainforests of Indonesia. In May 2003, an Indonesian Government investigation confirmed that Korindo was receiving illegal timber from notorious timber barons known to obtain timber from an orang-utan refuge –

412-1212: A general framework for possible actions to be undertaken by governments as well as civil society. The conference took place as the United Kingdom prepared to pass the G8 Presidency to Russia. As Valery Roshchupkin, Head of the Federal Forestry Agency of the Russian Federation , confirmed, illegal logging would be of special importance for Russia as the G8 President and for the following G8 Summit , also held in Saint Petersburg. The East Asia Forest Law Enforcement and Governance ( EA FLEG ) Ministerial Conference took place in Bali in September 2001. The Conference brought together nearly 150 participants from 20 countries, representing government, international organizations, NGOs, and

515-643: A head injury before drowning. State prosecutor, Adrián López Solís reported that robbery does not appear to be a motive as nearly US$ 500 (more than 10,000 pesos) in cash was found on Gómez's body. Shortly after Gómez's body was recovered, the body of Raúl Hernández Romero was found. Hernández was a tour guide at the same reserve as Gómez; it is unknown if the two deaths are connected. Michoacán Governor Silvano Aureoles Conejo expressed hope that Gómez would be found alive. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called Gómez's death "regrettable" and "painful". Poet and environmentalist Homero Aridjis stated to

618-590: A letter written by Homero Aridjis, Lincoln Brower and Ernest Williams and addressed to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, U.S. President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in advance of the North American Leaders' Summit in Ottawa later that month, urging the three countries to work together to mitigate the loss of the butterflies' breeding habitat and to terminate all logging in

721-470: A management tool for business and governments , providing examples of good practices in the region's traceability systems, which help prevent illegal logging by tracking timber from its forest of origin throughout its journey along the supply chain. In response to growing concerns over illegal logging and advice from TRAFFIC and other organisations, on 22 May 2008, the U.S. amended the Lacey Act , when

824-460: A market of rising and falling prices, allowing traders or "timber barons" to stockpile illegally sourced logs during periodic bans and then flood the market when the trade windows open and prices are high. Over 350,000 trees were illegally felled in Madagascar between 2010 and 2015, according to TRAFFIC . The unsustainable exploitation of these tropical hardwoods, particularly rosewood from

927-671: A ministerial declaration and action plan as well as a variety of informal implementation initiatives. In 2014, the FAU-EU-FLEGT Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations published the study The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) process in Central and West Africa: from theory to practice to document and foster strategic reflection in partner countries already engaged in negotiating

1030-432: A plant is found to have been harvested in violation of the laws of the country where it was harvested, that plant would be subject to seizure and forfeiture if imported into the U.S. The Lacey Act also makes it unlawful, beginning 15 December 2008, to import certain plants and plant products without a Plant and Plant Product import declaration. This Plant and Plant Product Declaration must contain (besides other information)

1133-508: A pressing issue, particularly since the 1980s, a period marked by economic downturns due to plummeting world petroleum prices, devaluation of the Nigerian currency, rampant corruption, and a rapid increase in the country's population. These economic challenges had adverse effects on food production and led to escalating deforestation concerns. In regions that were rural or semi-urban and endowed with abundant forest trees and agricultural produce,

SECTION 10

#1732780815359

1236-537: A private and state-controlled one created "a land [enclosure] in the name of ecosystem protection work to further capitalist expansion and class privilege... and a [space] for instituting neoliberal economies... through financialization and decentralization." Gonzalez-Duarte states that the presence of the UNESCO program and the neoliberal structures of Mexico and North America have "reshaped local, regional, global, and human-nature relationships in ways that have facilitated

1339-472: A role. However, public scrutiny has put significant pressure on shipping companies involved in the trade, and the United States is starting to enforce the Lacey Act by investigating companies with suspected involvement in the illegal trade of Malagasy precious woods. The indiscriminate logging in the rainforest and uncontrolled felling of trees for fuel wood are reported to have had adverse effect on

1442-486: A rosewood mafia easily bribes government officials, buying export permits with ease. These illegal operations are funded in part by advance payments for future shipments (financed by Chinese expatriates and Chinese importers) and by loans from large, international banks. Demand is fueled mostly by a growing Chinese middle class and their desire for exotic imperial-style furniture. European and American demand for high-end musical instruments and furniture have also played

1545-647: A scientific perspective, the destruction of these trees significantly impacts the carbon cycle and intensifies the greenhouse effect due to carbon depletion. The socio-economic losses to the nation, particularly concerning endangered species in the South-west and Mid-west forest zones of Nigeria (encompassing states such as Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Edo, and Delta), are immeasurable. The rapid urbanization in Nigeria, coupled with escalating unemployment rates, persistent poverty, inequalities, inadequate social services,

1648-435: A significant developmental challenge in Nigeria, has far-reaching adverse effects on environmental crime . Environmental crime often takes a back seat in priority in most developing nations, as there is a common belief that the forest belongs to everyone in the community. Furthermore, Nigeria's over-reliance on crude oil has led the government to place less emphasis on the annual losses from theft of forest produce. Regrettably,

1751-541: A system with diverse individuals and institutions involved in meeting the industry's supply and demand requirements, whether legitimate or illegitimate. Given the unemployment rate in the country, which currently stands at about 20.3 million jobless Nigerians (National Directorate of Employment, 2012), primarily youth, a crucial question arises: how are they sustaining themselves? Undoubtedly, deviant activities tend to thrive in such circumstances, especially in forested areas. The diversity and dynamics of crime and illegalities in

1854-678: A working group to ensure the conservation of the Monarch butterfly, a species that symbolizes our association." In June 2014, Obama established a Pollinator Health Task Force, one of whose stated goals is to "increase the Eastern population of the monarch butterfly to 225 million butterflies occupying an area of 6 hectares in the overwintering grounds in Mexico, through domestic/international actions and public/private partnerships, by 2020." In June 2016, more than 200 scientists, writers and artists signed

1957-516: Is characterized by outcroppings of basalt forming fissures , faults and cliffs in a northeast–southwest orientation. Rock formations have replaced older ones such as volcanic cones and old lava beds. The soil is highly permeable, resulting in little surface water. There are some small ponds and arroyos . The forests of pine and of drought-resistant oyamel fir trees provide microclimates that provide shelter when temperatures fall to freezing and/or there are winter rains. Scientists are concerned that

2060-446: Is frequently associated with corruption, money laundering , organized crime , human rights abuses , climate change and, in some cases, violent conflict. In the forestry sector, cheap imports of illegal timber and forest products, together with the non-compliance of some economic players with basic social and environmental standards, destabilize international markets. This unfair competition affects those European companies, especially

2163-465: Is now officially endangered. In past years the decline in butterfly numbers was blamed on logging in Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, out-of-control ecotourism and devastating climate events such as the 2002 winter storms in the state of Michoacan and the severe 2011 drought in Texas. But now monarch butterfly experts are in agreement that the main cause of the dizzying drop in monarch numbers

SECTION 20

#1732780815359

2266-430: Is repetitively employed on the same plot of land until it is denuded of its nutrients and could no longer suffice to support agricultural yields. Thereafter, these farmers will move on to occupy another plot of land and continually practice their slash-and-burn technique. This contributing social factor to deforestation reinforces the challenges faced by forestry sustainability in developing countries such as Indonesia. On

2369-450: Is technically difficult, but a series of attempts is made. Therefore, a legal basis for normative acts against timber imports or other products manufactured out of illegal wood is missing. Scientific methods to pinpoint the geographic origin of timber are currently under development. Possible actions to restrict imports cannot meet with WTO regulations of non-discrimination. They must instead be arranged in bilateral agreements. TRAFFIC,

2472-736: Is the harvest, transportation, purchase, or sale of timber in violation of laws . The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission, or from a protected area; the cutting down of protected species ; or the extraction of timber in excess of agreed limits. Illegal logging is a driving force for a number of environmental issues such as deforestation , soil erosion and biodiversity loss which can drive larger-scale environmental crises such as climate change and other forms of environmental degradation . Illegality may also occur during transport, such as illegal processing and export (through fraudulent declaration to customs );

2575-409: Is the huge increase in land planted with genetically modified, herbicide resistant soybean and corn crops (93% of total soybean acreage and 85% of corn acreage in 2013) in the U.S. Corn Belt. Relentless spraying of herbicides on the fields has destroyed the once abundant milkweed plants, the only plants that monarch caterpillars can eat. The monarch butterfly is literally being starved to death. Sharing

2678-419: Is the key transit country for illegal wood products from Indonesia. Private corporations, motivated by economic profits from local and regional market demands for timber, are culpable for deforestation. These agro-industrial companies often do not comply with the basic legal regulations by inappropriately employing cost effective yet environmentally inefficient deforestation methods such as forest fires to clear

2781-456: Is the result of illegal logging. Subsequent estimates were that between 40% and 55% of logged in Indonesia is the result of illegal logging. A 2021 study estimated that 81% of forest conversion for palm oil in Indonesia was illegal, and that Indonesia's Supreme Audit Agency determined that less than 20% of the nation's palm oil operations complied with national laws and regulations. Malaysia

2884-418: Is unreliable and often runs out before it replaces income lost through the communal logging repeal. Mexican agrarian communities often rely heavily on governance from local agrarian and labor union leaders rather than the federal government. The changes in land usage imposed by governmental and foreign influences have made the reserve less effective in its conservation efforts and increased the negative impacts on

2987-690: The Associated Press that "if they can kidnap and kill the people who work for the reserves, who is going to defend the environment in Mexico?" The director of the World Heritage Centre , Mechtild Rössler , as well as Miguel Clüsener-Godt, director of the Man and the Biosphere Programme , both expressed sadness and concern after the death of Gómez. In Germany, the first "flower field passage" against species extinction

3090-963: The Chinese border . Logs are commonly cut on the Burmese side and then smuggled to processing facilities in China or Thailand. The scale of illegal logging represents a major loss of revenue to many countries and can lead to widespread associated environmental damage. A senate committee in the Philippines estimated that the country lost as much as US$ 1.8bn per year during the 1980s. The Indonesian government estimated in 2002 that costs related to illegal logging are US$ 3bn each year. The World Bank estimates that illegal logging costs timber-producing countries between 10 and 15 billion euros per year. This compares with 10 billion euros disbursed as EC aid in 2002. In March 2004, Greenpeace carried out actions against

3193-489: The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 expanded its protection to a broader range of plants and plant products (Section 8204. Prevention of Illegal Logging Practices). The requirements under the new Amendments are two-fold. First, the Lacey Act now makes it illegal to import into the United States plants that have been harvested contrary to any applicable Federal Law, State Law, Indian Tribal Law, or Foreign Law. If

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve - Misplaced Pages Continue

3296-554: The Malagasy government , although the logging of rare hardwoods was explicitly banned from protected areas in 2000. Since then, government orders and memos have intermittently alternated between permitting and banning exports of precious woods. The most commonly cited reason for permitting exports is to salvage valuable wood from cyclone damage, although this reasoning has come under heavy scrutiny. This oscillating availability of Malagasy rosewood and other precious woods has created

3399-951: The Russian Federation announced its intention to host the ENA FLEG process, supported by the World Bank. A preparatory conference was held in Moscow in June 2005. The Saint Petersburg conference brought together nearly 300 participants representing 43 governments, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations. It agreed to the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance in Europe and North Asia . The Declaration includes an indicative list of actions, intended to serve as

3502-575: The SAVA Region , has escalated significantly since the start of the 2009 Malagasy political crisis . Over 350,000 trees were illegally felled in Madagascar between 2010 and 2015, according to TRAFFIC . Thousands of poorly paid Malagasy loggers have flooded into the national parks—especially in the northeast—building roads, setting up logging camps, and cutting down even the most difficult to reach rosewood trees. Illegal activities are openly flaunted, armed militia have descended upon local villages, and

3605-733: The Tanjung Puting National Park . Tanjung Puting National Park is a 4,000-square-kilometre conservation area of global importance. It is recognized as a world biosphere reserve by the United Nations and forms the largest protected area of swamp forest in South-East Asia. The Europe and North Asia Forest Law Enforcement and Governance ( ENA FLEG ) Ministerial Conference was held in Saint Petersburg , Russia on 22–25 November 2005. In May 2004,

3708-400: The avoidance of taxes and other charges, and fraudulent certification. These acts are often referred to as "wood laundering". Illegal logging is driven by a number of economic forces, such as demand for raw materials, land grabbing and demand for pasture for cattle. Regulation and prevention can happen at both the supply size, with better enforcement of environmental protections, and at

3811-583: The 'services' provided by communities' unlogged forests." In the early 2000s, adjustments were made to the reserve's border zones, which included permitting seasonal tourism. Five of the eight colonies are located in Michoacán but only two are open to the public: Sierra Chincua in Angangueo and El Rosario in Ocampo. Both receive visitors starting from November until March, when residents offer guided tours. In

3914-547: The 1960s to the year 2000. Notably, industrial and social development, contending for the same land areas occupied by forests, has not been praiseworthy. Nigeria, given its extensive land area, encompasses diverse and favorable climatic and ecological zones. The nation's significant size, diverse population, and socio-political and economic challenges have placed immense pressure on the forest belts. The rise in unemployed youth has revealed that looting forest products for survival presents an opportunity. Consequently, unemployment,

4017-481: The 2000s, with a dozen confirmed colonies as of the 2007–2008 winter. Colonies number varies; in 2004/2005 there were only seven. In general, the number of colonies varies between eight and twelve. Most of the reserve is occupied by dispersed rural farming communities of Otomi and Mazahua peoples, especially on the Mexico State side. Many of the protected hectares do not belong to the government directly, and

4120-669: The East Asia region, among senior officials from the forest and related ministries, NGOs, and industry representatives; and commit to action at the national and regional level. In May 2003, the European Commission presented the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Action Plan ( EU FLEGT ). This marked the beginning of a long process by which the EU aims to develop and implement measures to address illegal logging and related trade. The primary means of implementing

4223-533: The Genus, Species, and Country of Harvest of every plant found in commercial shipments of certain products, a list of applicable products (along with other requirements and guidance) can be found on the USDA APHIS website. Homero G%C3%B3mez Gonz%C3%A1lez Homero Gómez González (1969 or 1970 – January 2020) was a Mexican environmental activist, agricultural engineer, and politician. He

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve - Misplaced Pages Continue

4326-690: The Group of 100 Homero Aridjis convinced President Miguel de la Madrid to give the overwintering sites special protection, and the resulting presidential decree, published October 9, 1986, designated Sierra Chincua, Sierra El Campanario, Cerro Chivatí-Huacal, Cerro Pelón and Cerro Altamirano as protected areas for the migration, hibernation and reproduction of the monarch butterfly as part of the Monarch Butterfly Special Biosphere Reserve covering 16,110 hectares [39,809 acres]. A "total and permanent ban on logging and use of

4429-455: The Mexican government designated the area as a biosphere reserve most of reserve is owned by 38 ejidos , seven indigenous communities and 16 private holdings. The main human communities in the area are Contepec, Temascalcingo, Angangueo, Ocampo, San Felipe del Progreso, Zitácuaro, Villa de Allende and Donato Guerra. The closest urban center is Zitácuaro, whose growth has promoted the growth of

4532-658: The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán and the State of Mexico. In 2020, there were nine monarch colonies in Mexico, occupying 2.10 hectares. As scientists estimate there could be as many as 50 million monarchs in a hectare, the 2020 population only reached 105 million. Another notable piece of context regarding the MBBR is the disappearance of Homero Gómez González in January 2020, who

4635-724: The Monarch Reserve has threatened the existence of the region and its populations instead of furthering its prosperity. Gonzalez-Duarte notes that the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB) has inadvertently increased the risk of disappearance of both human and butterfly inhabitants of the reserve. To combat this unethical authority, the author suggests that "principles from non-dualist traditional ecological " methods can improve conservation efforts for all parties involved. Illegal logging Illegal logging

4738-583: The Plan is through Voluntary Partnership Agreements with timber producing countries. The European Union Timber Regulation was adopted in 2010 and went into effect 3 March 2013. A Greenpeace investigation published in May 2014 demonstrates that EU Timber Regulation is ineffective if fraudulent paperwork is accepted at face value and there is not sufficient enforcement by EU authorities. The Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance ( AFLEG ) Ministerial Conference

4841-564: The Sierra Chincua there is a research facility dedicated to the monarch butterfly and a nursery for reforestation efforts. Cerro El Companario has facilities for tourism. Millions of butterflies travel south into Mexico, from Texas and then follow the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains to the preserve. The butterflies congregate, clustering onto pine and oyamel trees. To many, the trees appear orange and branches sag from

4944-614: The State of Mexico, La Mesa and El Capulin are open to the public. Reserves are visited by thousands of Mexican and international tourists, principally from the United States, Canada, Spain, France, Germany and Japan. The best known and most visited of the butterfly colonies is El Rosario. Some conservationists are concerned about the environmental impacts of tourism as "there is no easy way to manage massive tourism... without an ecological footprint ." In February, Angangueo celebrates its Festival de la Mariposa Monarca (Monarch Butterfly Festival). This festival began in 1992 to promote awareness of

5047-580: The State of Mexico. They are divided into five principal zones or nuclei. Eight of the fourteen colonies are in the protected area. The colonies proper cover only 4.7 hectares, but the protected biosphere area covers 56,259 hectares. Five colonies are open to visitors: Sierra Chincua and El Rosario in Michoacan, and La Mesa, Piedra Herrada and El Capulin in the State of Mexico. There are other colonies near San José Villa de Allende and Ixtapan del Oro , but they are not actively promoted for tourism because of

5150-435: The area to a minimum.(StateMex) During winter 2008–2009, there are plans to tag as many of the wintering butterflies as possible using very light self-stick tracers as to not impede their flight. The purpose of this is to determine the butterflies exact migration route as they fly back north to the U.S. and Canada in the spring. Butterfly counts coming in from the United States and Canada in recent years were relatively stable in

5253-438: The blame is continued degradation of the monarchs' overwintering habitat in Mexico, where small-scale illegal logging is still rampant." The joint statement released by the three leaders at the end of the meeting stated that "We will continue to collaborate in the protection of our region's biodiversity and to address other environmental challenges, such as wildlife trafficking and ecosystems at risk. Our governments will establish

SECTION 50

#1732780815359

5356-405: The butterfly habitat, take advantage of the ecotourism it offers and promote the culture and arts of the area. The festival includes events related to food, music, dance and exhibitions of arts, crafts and more. Many of the surrounding communities participate including Aporo , Contepec, Hidalgo , Irimbo , Jungapeo , Maravatío , Ocampo, Senguio , Tuxpan , Tlalpujahua and Zitácuaro. In 2010,

5459-486: The butterfly sanctuary—was also found dead a few days later, it has been speculated that he was targeted by organized criminals . Gloria Tavera, an official with the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas stated they believe Gómez's death was not related to his activism. Michoacán state prosecutors initially found no signs of violence on the body, but a later autopsy revealed that Gómez had suffered

5562-408: The coordination of international biologists and ecologists to improve the design of the reserve. A permanent monitoring system has been established to ensure the forests remain healthy and control clandestine logging and forest fires. On the Mexico State side, the largest sanctuary is located between San José Villa de Allende and Ixtapan del Oro. It is not actively promoted for tourism to keep damage to

5665-544: The demand side, such as an increasing regulation of trade as part of the international lumber industry . Illegal logging is a pervasive problem, causing enormous damage to forests, local communities, and the economies of producer countries. The EU, as a major timber importer, has implemented the European Union Timber Regulation as a means to halt the import of illegally sourced wood products. The identification of illegally logged or traded timber

5768-492: The ecology of the area is not well known. Therefore, it is not known how large the reserve actually needs to be to effectively preserve the monarch butterfly population. Since conservation efforts began, there has been progress. While infrastructure is still lacking, advances have been made in areas such as trash control and control of access into the protected areas. One effort by the World Wildlife Fund has been

5871-431: The environment.  The loss of trees and other vegetation cover can cause temperature increase, fewer crops, flood, increased greenhouse gases within the atmosphere, ecological imbalance, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity. The forest reserve in Nigeria spans approximately 10 million hectares, constituting over 10% of the total land area, which is around 96.2 million hectares or 923,768 square kilometers. The population

5974-463: The expansion of illicit economies and violence" in the Oyamel Forest. The reserve's land boundary has created a human/non human divide, contributing to the reshaping of authority systems. The resulting borders are frontier zones in which neoliberal structures and governing systems have allowed "outsourced" violence to implement il/icit economic activities. The presence of organized crime within

6077-411: The family paid. Over 200 volunteers joined the search for Gómez. The entire police force of Ocampo and Angangueo were detained for questioning. More than two weeks after his disappearance, his body was found in an agricultural reservoir in Ocampo. He was 50 years old at the time of his death. Because of his work combating illegal logging , and because Raúl Hernández Romero—another activist connected to

6180-486: The festival included the participation of the Symphonic Orchestra of Michoacan, The Enrico Caruso Ensemble, and the showing of an exhibition called "Papaloapan" about the monarchs by visual artist Luis Moro, as well as dance and photography workshops. These events took place at venues in Angangueo and other nearby communities. A new photographic exhibition has been assembled to highlight the connection between

6283-424: The forest belt have received relatively little emphasis, often overshadowed by discussions about environmental degradation and climate change. This study delves into the patterns and trends of illegal wood logging, forest exploitation, and how youths adapt and survive in Nigeria's South-West forest belt. A 2007 United Nations Environment Program report estimated that between 73% and 88% of timber logged in Indonesia

SECTION 60

#1732780815359

6386-400: The forests were readily accessed and exploited not only by locals but also by foreign criminal networks. Particularly alarming were the activities of illegal traders of forest products, often facilitated by foreigners seeking rare and hard wood species for European and American markets. This resulted in rampant destruction and felling of trees on both communal and individual farmlands. From

6489-551: The future of the monarch butterfly at the North American leaders' Summit to be held in Toluca, state of Mexico on February 19–20. The letter said, "Plummeting from a high of 1.1 billion monarch butterflies overwintering in central Mexico´s high-altitude oyamel fir forests in 1996 to a pitiful 33 million thinly scattered over seven sites during the current 2013–2014 season, the extraordinary monarch butterfly migratory phenomenon

6592-413: The government's attempts to implement effective measures to combat illegal logging have not yielded the desired results, with only 6% of the nation's land area designated as protected. According to global data, a significant majority of unemployed individuals in developing regions, both in rural and urban areas, constitute about two-thirds of the total unemployed youth. In Nigeria, unemployment emerged as

6695-649: The impacts of deforestation became apparent. Logging is now illegal in Rosario. He became the municipal president and commissioner of El Rosario and was succeeded by Miguel Angel Cruz. Gómez managed and served as spokesperson of the El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Preserve, a component of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve . He used social media to share images of monarch butterflies. Gómez

6798-648: The interests of local farmers, community-based landowners, private land owners and indigenous people. The region that comprises the reserve was over-logged during the colonial period of the 19th century. The post-Mexican Revolution saw an increase in restitution for these actions in the form of land grants among the Indigenous populations. The region has remained mostly rural, noted for communities of Otomi and Mazahua . These communities have "traditionally preserved upper mountain ranges as communal lands for... collective use, including sustainable forest exploitation, while

6901-408: The lack of local community empowerment. Through the neoliberal reforms, the central government of Mexico has given sovereignty of the area over to NGOs rather than the local communities, but has, at the same time, created more responsibilities for the communities. Conservationists have withheld payments, even when illegal logging, not the community’s logging, has been occurring. Historically, NGO funding

7004-520: The land for agricultural purposes. The 1999 Forestry Law states that it is essential for companies to be endorsed by authorities in respective regions with an IPK permit, a timber harvesting permit, for legal approval of their deforestation activities. Many of these corporations could circumvent this red tape, maximise revenue profits by employing illegal logging activities as lax law enforcement and porous law regulations in large developing countries like Indonesia undermine forestry conservation efforts. In

7107-471: The local communities in the Oyamel mountains. In her 2021 article, Gonzalez-Duarte combines historical and ethnographic data to critique the neoliberal agendas which have been exerted by big international NGOs over Indigenous lands. She outlines the long and contentious history of the reserve. Once private and public institutions became involved in late 20th century, the transition from a communal property to

7210-532: The logging that takes place globally is illegal, especially in open and vulnerable areas such as the Amazon Basin , Central Africa , Southeast Asia and the Russian Federation . Available figures and estimates must be treated with caution. Governments tend to underestimate the situation, given that high estimates of illegal logging may cause embarrassment as these to suggest ineffective enforcement of legislation or, even worse, bribery and corruption . On

7313-534: The lower hills were divided into family plots where households grew crops in traditional food gardens" (see below: Conservation). Initial protection for the monarch butterfly overwintering areas was decreed in 1980 by President José López Portillo after decades of extensive research on the migratory patterns of the monarch butterfly. In the late 1980s reserve management was delegated to the Secretariat of Urban Development and Ecology. In 1986, poet and founder of

7416-653: The migration and the people of Michoacán. In January 2016 Google search devoted its Google doodle to The 41st anniversary of the discovery of the Mountain of the Butterflies . Conservation is mostly done through restrictions on the lands but the management of the reserve has not had direct participation by the communities affected by it. Some public and private community entities have tried to incentivize forest conservation and capitalize on butterfly tourism, with mixed results. Some communities are pushing back against

7519-406: The monarch butterfly's eastern U.S./Canada population. It is estimated that up to a billion individuals spend winter here in any given year. These colonies are dense, with between six and sixty million butterflies per hectare. The reserve areas are found in the municipalities of Ocampo , Angangueo , Zitácuaro and Contepec in Michoacán and Donato Guerra , Villa de Allende and Temascalcingo in

7622-521: The mountainous forests of eastern Michoacán to western Mexico State 100 km northwest of Mexico City . The reserve in Michoacán contains the highest elevations in the state, including peaks that reach 2,700 masl (metres above sea level). The climate is classified as being temperate and somewhat moist with a rainy season in the summer. The average maximum temperature is 22 °C (71 °F). Sub-climates exist in this area: cool and semi moist, semi cold and semi moist, and cold and semi moist. The reserve

7725-656: The only source of information apart from state institutions, which probably clearly underestimates the true figures. For example, the Republic of Estonia calculated a rate of 1% illegally harvested timber in 2003, whereas it was estimated to reach as much as 50% by the NGO "Estonian Green Movement". In Latvia, the situation is comparable; anecdotal evidence points towards 25% of logging being illegal. Illegal logging has detrimental impacts, including deforestation and, consequently, global warming. It leads to biodiversity loss, weakens

7828-413: The other hand, environmental NGOs publish alarming figures to raise awareness and emphasize the need for stricter conservation measures. For companies in the forestry sector, publications making high estimates can be regarded as potentially threatening to their reputation and their market perspective, including the competitiveness of wood in comparison to other materials. However, for many countries, NGOs are

7931-435: The other, more rural settlements. Many communities in this region are impoverished, with scarce access to basic services, and high rates of illiteracy and childhood malnutrition . In the past, mining provided many of the area's jobs, but the mines have since been depleted. These communities also have a tradition of exploiting forest areas, mostly to obtain wood for furniture and other crafts. High unemployment, especially among

8034-405: The oyamel habitat in the reserve will shrink or disappear by the end of the 21st century, mainly due to climate change. This area is predominantly covered in forests. The composition of the forest varies with altitude: Below 2400 masl, there are small areas with junipers , cedars, and meadows . Areas have been modified by agriculture and human settlements. The wildlife in the area ranges from

8137-493: The political front, the Indonesian governmental role in curbing deforestation has largely been criticised. Corruption amongst local Indonesian officials fuels cynicism with regard to the governmental clampdown on illegal logging activities. In 2008, the acquittal of a proprietor for a timber firm, Adelin Lis, alleged for illegal logging further galvanised public opinion and drew criticisms at the Indonesian political institution. Due to

8240-406: The presence of trans-national criminal organizations, widespread drug use and trafficking, and inadequately equipped security personnel and forest guards to combat illegal logging, lumbering cartels, clandestine markets, and sawmills for rare forest products, have driven many youths to explore opportunities in forest-related businesses. Illegal logging, lumbering, and sawmilling can be understood as

8343-554: The private sector. The event was co-hosted by the World Bank and the Government of Indonesia . The meeting included detailed technical discussions of forest law enforcement in relation to governance, forest policy and forest management as well as ministerial engagement. The Conference's primary aims were to share analysis on forest law enforcement; explore priority issues of forest law enforcement, including illegal logging in

8446-542: The reservation system represents land dispossession from indigenous and mestizo communities. These communities have ritualized practices which emphasize cohabitation and a sense of human-nature equivalence rather than dualism. The trees within the Oyamel Mountain Nature Reserve require human intervention to protect against plagues. Attempts at the usage of PES as an incentive to protect the forest against logging and human activities have failed due to

8549-667: The reserve is divided by a state line, which makes conservation efforts complicated. Within the Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, the greatest threats to the butterfly habitat are deforestation , illegal logging, unorganized tourism, forest fires and lack of cooperation among various authorities. Most of these dangers come from the surrounding human settlements, which put pressure on the natural resources. The interests of residents, land owners, farmers, farmer cooperatives, and local communities have been taken into account regarding conservation but conflicting interests remain. Even though

8652-421: The restrictions and demanding to be allowed to use more land for agriculture. The local ecological ethics of comunidades and ejidos have a long history of protecting the forests through communal management and social obligations to care for the local resources. Communities have created defensas comunitarias to protect themselves and the forests from illegal logging and organized crime organizations. The creation of

8755-646: The risk of harm to these butterfly colonies. El Rosario is the largest sanctuary in Michoacán, where the butterflies cover about 1,500 trees. While the Biosphere still has problems with infrastructure , especially with trash around parking and merchant areas, a number of improvements have been recently made, most notably in the sanctuary of El Rosario. These include well-defined footpaths with security patrols and stone/or concrete steps in steep places to help against erosion. Horsepaths were also eliminated for erosion reasons. Only two areas have significant installations. In

8858-475: The rule of law, and hampers responsible forest management. Moreover, it fosters corruption, tax evasion, and diminishes revenue for producer countries, limiting their capacity to invest in sustainable development. The economic and social consequences disproportionately affect the poor and disadvantaged, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars in timber revenue annually. Furthermore, the illegal trade of forest resources undermines international security , and

8961-467: The size and scope of Burma's forests, it is difficult for government organisations like Forest Department to regulate logging. There is a high demand for timber from Myanmar's neighbours–notably Thailand and China –who have depleted their forests much more than Myanmar. As a result, numerous illegal logging operations have sprung up near the Thai-Burmese border and in the province of Kachin along

9064-536: The small and medium-sized companies that are behaving responsibly and ready to play by fair rules. Illegal logging has been a problem in Madagascar for decades and is perpetuated by extreme poverty and government corruption . Often taking the form of selective logging , the trade has been driven by high international demand for expensive, fine-grained lumber such as rosewood and ebony . Historically, logging and exporting in Madagascar have been regulated by

9167-438: The social landscape, small-scale subsistence farmers in rural areas, who received minimal education, employ a basic method of slash-and-burn to support their agricultural activities. This rudimentary agricultural technique involves the felling of forest trees before a dry season and, subsequently, the burning of these trees in the following dry season to provide fertilisers to support their crop activities. This agricultural practice

9270-625: The sub-tropical to the sub-arctic including a number of species that are endemic only to this area. These include white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), coyotes ( Canis latrans ), long-tailed weasels ( Neogale frenata ), grey foxes ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus ), rabbits ( Sylvilagus spp.), ravens ( Corvus corax ), turkey vultures ( Cathartes aura ), great horned owls ( Bubo virginianus )(A), as well as various types of hummingbirds , reptiles and amphibians. There are fourteen major butterfly colonies located in these rugged forested mountains, which account for more than half of colonies of

9373-438: The sun, the butterflies take flight. The beating of their wings has been compared to the sound of a light rain. Conservation efforts, which were first intended to protect the butterflies, are now focused on preserving the habitat. The survival of the monarch butterfly population depends on a large number of habitats across North America. Information about the butterflies is insufficient; the full extent of their wintering areas and

9476-524: The vegetation and wildlife" was decreed in the core zones, 4,491 hectares [11,000 acres]. The buffer zones, 11,620 hectares [28,714 acres] were to "protect the core zone from outside impact, and productive economic activities were allowed, within environmental norms." In September 2000, the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve was enlarged to cover 56,259 hectares [217 square miles], with core zones of 13,552 hectares [52 square miles] and buffer zones of 42,707 hectares [165 square miles]. In 2008, when Homero Aridjis

9579-495: The weight. In spring, these butterflies migrate across America, sometimes ending up in Eastern Canada. Over the time it takes them to make this journey, four generations of monarch butterflies are born and die. The monarch butterflies migration patterns are altered by climate change. During migration, monarchs fly north once they are exposed to cooler temperatures. Dense congregations are thought to conserve heat. If warmed by

9682-409: The wildlife trade monitoring network, strives to monitor the illegal trade of timber and provide expertise in policy and legal reviews. It is estimated that illegal logging on public land alone causes losses in assets and revenue in excess of US$ 10 billion annually. Although exact figures are difficult to calculate, given the illegal nature of the activity, decent estimates show that more than half of

9785-477: The youth, also promotes migration into other parts of Mexico, as well as the United States and Canada. Currently, the reserve area hosts economic activities, including subsistence farming, livestock raising, and the sale of handcrafts and foods to tourists. Communities who agree to participate may receive compensation through a system called Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES). This program was established as an attempt to further conservation efforts by "paying cash for

9888-491: Was Mexico's ambassador to UNESCO, he convinced the World Heritage Committee's 21 members to unanimously agree to list the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve as a World Heritage Site, in the category of natural sites. In February, 2014, the Group of 100 and Make Way For Monarchs addressed a letter to President Enrique Peña Nieto, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking them to discuss

9991-546: Was a manager of El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Preserve, a component of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve , and a municipal president and commissioner of El Rosario, Michoacán , a community in Ocampo, Michoacán . Homero Gómez González grew up in El Rosario  [ Wikidata ] in eastern Michoacán . He came from a logging family and was a logger before becoming an environmental and anti-logging activist. He

10094-599: Was a prominent butterfly activist. He led efforts to keep loggers out of the reserve and organized marches, demonstrations, and anti-logging patrols. He worked with the government to increase the stipend local farmers could receive for preserving trees. Gómez managed 150 hectares of reforested land. He encouraged 260 communal land owners to reforest corn fields. He was a representative of the ejido in El Rosario. Gómez resided in Ocampo, Michoacán, with his wife, Rebeca Valencia González. They had at least one son. Gómez

10197-422: Was a skeptic of conservation efforts, fearful that ending logging activities would lead to poverty. He studied at Chapingo Autonomous University and became an agricultural engineer. Gómez later saw the potential for tourism and formulated the idea of a sanctuary. He collaborated with conservationists at the World Wildlife Fund and scientists. By the early 2000s, Gómez stopped logging and convinced others when

10300-677: Was about 170,790 in 2006 (National Directorate of Employment, 2012). However, the expanse of marked forest lands has been gradually decreasing due to the rampant tree felling and activities of illegal loggers across the nation. For example, the Federal Department of Forestry (2010) estimated that Nigeria's forests are depleting at an annual rate of 3.5%. The country previously had around 20% of its area covered by natural forests, but this has dwindled to about 10%. The loss of approximately 60% of natural forests occurred due to encroachments for agriculture, extensive logging, and urbanization from

10403-472: Was an important figure in the conservation of the butterfly. Gonzalez-Duarte points out that a disappearance creates fear and terror amongst the community by preventing mourning. Media coverage of this event followed the narrative that loggers were to blame for the disappearance of the environmentalist. Gonzlez-Duarte challenges this narrative and attributes the disappearance to growing violence and an increased presence of organized crime. The reserve extends from

10506-613: Was held in Yaoundé , Cameroon, in October 2003. The meeting drew together ministers and stakeholders from Africa, Europe, and North America to consider how partnerships between producers, consumers, donors, civil society and the private sector could address illegal forest exploitation and associated trade in Africa. The AFLEG conference, the second regional forest law enforcement and governance meeting after East Asia, resulted in endorsement of

10609-454: Was last seen alive on 13 January 2020 attending a meeting in the village of El Soldado  [ Wikidata ] . His brother stated he was last seen on 13 January at a fair with Ocampo mayor, Roberto Arriaga Colín and other municipal officials. His family reported him missing the next day. They received phone calls from individuals claiming to have kidnapped him, asking for ransom payments, which human rights activist Mayte Cardona said

#358641