SKY ISLANDS: Maderas de El Carmen, MEXICO !!!

[homerboy2u]

After all that we had from our trip there was still, our main goal to reach: The Sky Islands, no comments on this part of the trip, no sightings of the mountain that housed such a concept of this, so called Sky Islands. Absoultely no idea of what they were......then: SORPRESA !!!

  Behold , the Sky Islands od Maderas de El Carmen...


AMAZING  :!:  :!:  :!:

 We found a guide , who would take us to the edge, but strongly said we could NOT get up there, until we got permission from CEMEX to venture in the so called Islands..what parodity, what contrast...Islands in the desert. No idea what we were hearing what so ever.

 Aureliano Uсate, from the near Jabonicillos village was the man who showed us in detail, all the area. Thank God for UHF/VHF and CB radios, for there were 13 venicles to repeat the same thing to everybody and keep them on the inside track...BTW. Aureliano is the one with the hat, the guy in front is my friend Mundo, he is the one with the grey Bronco.

[homerboy2u]

....and I'm waiting with baited breath  =P~

 Now, don't go desperate on me , Chief. Of all that tune in here, i think you are the one is more prepare to venture in to Mexico's mountain ranges. Just give some time to prep everything for ya.

 Thanks Bdann, on with our presentation...fellas.

[homerboy2u]

So we couldn't get up to the islands, we couldn't check this new vegetation and ecosystem and surely we couldn't put our flag of ; Been there, done that'.

 What else could we do :?: . Well not being a guy who likes to keep my arms crossed, adn hoping for some one some day to cross paths and take there. I wrote CEMEX, then i went to Monterrey to visit them and i got a informative magazine in the mail. But i knew there were more to this, than meetes the eye. There had to be:

 I translated, the whole magazine , for you to read and enjoy:


CEMEX IN THE CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY

 There were more photos on the internet, that i picked up , but NO cigar, I still couldn't get up there.

[homerboy2u]

 CEMEX is a very big industrial group, worldwide and has many plants all over the world. So funding of this project is no trouble when ot comes to disshing  out  DINERO.

  They are headed by Billy Pat Mckinney and his wife Bonnie Reynolds Mickinney, who use to work with the Texas Park and Wildlife Agency.

 They staff 25 employees on a continuos basis, they have an on going long term conservation program and it involves many agencies and government departments as well as Universities Departments who directly get involved in the progress of this endeavour.

[homerboy2u]

Page 01.-

     CEMEX in The Conservation of Biodiversity     EL CARMEN : A challenge, a commitment.

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Page 02.-

   CEMEX is a company that was founded in 1906, today is one of three biggest cement companies in the world, with an annual production capacity of more than 77 million metric tons, besides of being the biggest manufacturer of white cement and the biggest ready mix maker and clinker in the world.

   Thru its subsidiaries located in four continents, it is focused in the manufacturing, distribution, commercialization, and sale of cement, ready mix, aggregates and clinker.

   CEMEX promotes diverse strategies in the search of sustainable development, like using the latest technology in the operating process, to assure energy saving and the optimum use of raw materials, promote the environmental culture, industrial security and health inside the company and the community, in accordance with the principle “ You take care of what you know “, and employ the equipment and systems more efficient to the protection of its employees, the communities, the environment and installations.

[homerboy2u]

Page 03. -

   Carmen mountain white tail deer.

[homerboy2u]

Page 04.-

  Today, in face of the third millennium, the great wilderness regions acquire a renovated importance, due to the richness of their resources, the environmental services they offer and the places of recreation and relaxation. It’s lost or conservation is in our generation to determine; we will be responsible for the wide-open natural spaces that still enrich our planet.

   In CEMEX we have committed in the search of options for the conservation of the biodiversity of Earth. Our first steps are towards an environmental culture in the society, a task in which we count with the consulting and vision of Agrupacion Sierra Madre, which eight years a go, resented us the idea of a conservation project to guarantee the future of a great ecoregion to the North of Coahuila.

   The El Carmen project signifies a great step.  It starts with the acquisition of 55 thousand hectares, of which 60% forms part of The Protected Area of Flora and Fauna Maderas de El Carmen, and it is presented as an alternative con preserve one of the last natural refuges in North America.

   The legendary history of the Sierra El Carmen is so colorful and old as its imponents picachos, it’s chronicles remote back to 1747, when an expedition sent by then Governor of Coahuila, Pedro de Rabago, crosses the sierra. During part of the XIX century it was a land dominated by Comanche Indians and later became a hide away for lawbreakers and bandidos, in that era it was also discovered its mineral potential and forestry richness, that continue to be exploited until the middle of the XX century.

  El Carmen, still, maintains its scenic beauty and a great part of its wilderness essence, due principally to its solitude and its scarce human presence. It forms part of an extensive ecoregion that knows no frontiers, in which governments, individuals and organizations from Mexico and the United States, have searched for alternatives of conservation.

  The project represents the opportunity to create a model the guarantees the permanence of this wilderness region, thru the identification of natural richness to a level of species, ecosystems and biological corridors that will be the base of conservation and management actions, always in collaboration with the local communities in the vicinities and with organizations and investigation institutions from both sides of the border. Adviser Council formed by important personalities and organizations that will back us up in the decision-making matters backs up these actions.

  The challenge is very big, it is written chapter in a long ongoing history of this region. Our mission will be evaluated by the future generations in the way we don not leave more tracks than the conservation of the pristine beauty of El Carmen.

Armando J. Garcia
Development Director
CEMEX

[homerboy2u]

Page 05.-

AN ISLAND IN THE SKY: ELCARMEN, THE LAST REFUGE

   Diverse territory and privilege, this region is a scenario that are very few on Earth. It is an open and pristine space, where the view gets lost in extensive prairies where rivers and arroyos crosses, and they are marked by imponent forest mountains of pine and cedars.

  The rich desert, where it prospers a great variety of Cactus pollinated by insects and humming birds, it covers the road of prairies and grasslands until it transforms in dense forests to the foot of the edge of the mountains canyons, where the peregrin falcon nestles.

  More than a thousand plant species make it their home, much of them exclusive to the region, constitutes the sustenance of more than 400 bird species. The gobbling of the northern wild turkeys contrasts with the arrogant flight of the eagles.

  Novel ground that provides lodging and refuge to the Carmen mountain white tail deer, exclusive to the region, as well as the pecari (javelina), the Carmen mountain mule deer and other 70 mammal and 50 reptile and amphibious species.

  One if its more distinguished habitants, the Black Bear, has found in this region one its last refuges in a place very suitable for its reproduction, which has permitted this population to extend to the United States.

[homerboy2u]

Page 06.-

   A beautiful mountain scene not very far from the BiBe area.

[homerboy2u]

Pages 07 & 08.-

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROTECTED AREAS IN NORTH AMERICA

   CEMEX got interested in the area because it forms part of an extensive ecoregion that has managed to preserve its natural richness and its wild essence beyond frontiers and time, where man has tried more than one model for its conservation.

  In the United States. 70 years ago a National Park was founded, Big Bend, which is a space of recreation: in 1948 it developed an area for wild life management called Black Gap Wildlife Management Area and, later, a State Park, The Big Bend Ranch.

  In Mexico exists conservation models that are being developed, in the region, the Ranchers from The Serranias del Burro, since 40 years ago, thru a new management vision of the prairies; this has permitted the return of its biodiversity of its lands.

  More recently in 1994, Maderas del Carmen and the Santa Elena Canyon were declared inside of the category of Protected Flora and Fauna Area.

  National and International environmental organizations have recognized the importance of preserving this region. Some examples are the World Wildlife Fund, which has included the Chihuahuan desert as one of 200 ecoregions if it’s the Living Planet Campaign.

   For the Organization Birdlife, the region is considered as an important endemism region. It is also part of the conservation strategy of the Nature Conservancy, of which it acquired an area, between Black Gap and the Big Bend, denominated Brushy Canyon.

  On the other hand, the North American for the Environmental Cooperation Commission (NAECC) defined the area as one of the 14 Mayor Ecological Regions threatened in North America.

   As far as Mexico goes, The Sierra of Maderas de El Carmen and the Santa Elena Canyon are part of The Conservation Priority Regions established by the National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity, Profauna Pronatura, World Wildlife Fund, The Mexican Fund for Natural Conservation, United States Agency for International Development, The Nature Conservancy and the National Institute of Ecology.

   In this region there developing projects headed by Profauna,  constitutes one the great wilderness regions where Unidos para La Conservacion (united for conservation) and Agrupacion Sierra Madre  develop diverse projects.

  All these together convert the region in one of the biggest areas in North America that enjoy protection in one of the last refuges in the natural world.

[homerboy2u]

Pages 09 & 10.-

   THE LAST REFUGE

[homerboy2u]

Page 11.-

  Scientific activities at El Carmen project

[homerboy2u]

Page 12.-

EL CARMEN PROJECT

   The acquisition of this area is just the first part of long term conservation project that contemplates diverse actions to assure the conservation of the region.

ECOREGION VISON
 The strategy of CEMEX in the region is guaranteed by an Advisory Counsel formed by important conservation organisms, outstanding men of science and local ranchers that ease assertively the plan of action.

CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION ACTIONS
 Identification of natural richness to a level of species, ecosystems and biological corridors, as well as historical and cultural historical factors of the area, that permits to take the necessary measures to assure sustainment.





RESTAURATION ACTIONS
 Impulse the recovery of the affected areas of past human activities, and the population of native Flora and Fauna that have disappeared or are vulnerable or threaten.

SOCIAL ACTIONS
 Search a better quality of life to community and individuals close to the project, with the purpose to minimize their impact over the natural resources.

TO PROMOTE THE INVESTIGATION
 To count with a mayor knowledge and comprehension of the biotic resources and ecological cycles, that conduct to a better planning on the decision making process to benefit the region.

TO DEVELOP RELAXATION ACTIVITIES
 The promotion of an ecotourism of nature observation, as well as a sustainable advantage of the Fauna thru cinegetic activities, always with the purpose of conservation.

TO FOMENT A CONSERVATION CULTURE
 Local and regional diffusion about the importance of the biodiversity and its history, making emphasis on the privilege concept of the region as one of the last wild refuge, which pristine essence acquires a great importance.

[homerboy2u]

Page 13.-

  Carmen mountain black bear.