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San Jerónimo PilitasMiddle and High schools Its is extremely important, both for the preservation of the Monarchs’ habitat, as well as for the preservation of the own region’s ecosystem, to make these children and families aware of the conservation of the treasure they have on their forests’ resources. These might be one of the forest areas around the two Sanctuaries, Rosario and Sierra Chincua, where the most dense concentration of Oyamel trees can be seen. Tourists cannot see this when they visit the overwintering áreas at Sierra Chincua, since this Woods are a little far from the walking paths to approach the Monarch’s colonies. Around 25 families live in this community. Although they do some agriculture growing corn and potatoes (no other thing can grow here at this altitudes at more than three thousand meters hight), men are the only ones working for the support of their families. A family earns,if lucky to get hired in a local activity, a mínimum salary of around 80 pesos per day at the most (about four dollars), so some practices of illegal logging can happen when trying to make a living is difficult. Our government has made good efforts though, assigning these families, for years now, with funds so that they can have the basic needs for food, and so that they do not do illegal logging practices. Over the past few years some of the younger genearations that have in the past left to find work are now coming back to their homelands to start farming activities. Many are getting training through local government programs. They learn how much they can do from their own local resources, such as processing their own fruits into marmelades, their own local plants into ointments and beverages for selling and family consumption, collecting and selling their mushrooms during the raining season, creating crafts, or getting started with cattle, sheep or back-yard animals raising getting even some animal samples for free from the state itself in order to get started. The country side, agriculture on corn and potatos and raising cattle and back-yard animals. These are some of the ways they can farm in the cold weather here, at more than 3,000 meters altitude. Analysis on Monarchs’ life-cycle line along with a few printed photos of local sites showing some samples of local wildlife, on which Estela and the students reflect about the vast richness which surrounds the Monarch’s overwintering sites. A good discussion about the very promising future that their own homeland is promising if properly protected, preserved, and if sustainable projects should be started based on conservation of the local ecosystem.
Older students of this level enjoy writing their letters reflecting and describing their local flora and fauna surrounding the Monarchs at their sites. They are very well aware on many animal and even plant species being endangered over the last years, and show their concern and will to do something to preserve them by all means, aware of the importance of this for the conservation and natural diversity of their beautiful forests. Donations: “Chicas Audaces” book. Butterflies Received Pleasant Grove Elementary, Stockbridge, GA
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