Located in the Sierra Madre mountain range in Chiapas, La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve is one of the most diverse forest reserves in Mexico and the world. The reserve covers 413,253 acres and protects 10 of the 19 vegetation types in Chiapas, including cloud forest, tropical forest, and pine-oak forest. It is crucial that we understand the impacts of fire and the interactions among the fire regimes in these different habitats in La Sepultura and educate managers, policy-makers and community leaders on ecologically appropriate actions.
Virtually all of Mexico's protected natural areas include a combination of private lands and communal lands held in trust for peasant farmers. There are restrictions on land use and land conversion, but successful conservation lies with the reserve staff's ability to work with local communities to develop compatible uses.
The Nature Conservancy has taken several steps to address fire-related conservation threats in Southern Mexico, including La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve:
Learn more about the Conservancy's work in Mexico.September 26, 2011