include (rtrim($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']) . '/'."jnorth/www/includes/eg_nav_monarch.inc"); ?>
Monarch
Conservation Perspectives
A View from Mexico
By Jordi Honey-Rosés
October,
2003
This
Month's Update Includes:
|
|
Political
Changes: President Fox Changes Environmental Ministers
This September, Mexican President Vicente Fox did a
little shuffle. A cabinet shuffle, that is, removing the Federal Government’s
top Environmental Officials: The Minister of the Environment and Natural
Resources (SEMARNAT), Victor Lichtinger, gone. The head of the Mexican
Environmental Attorney General’s Office (PROPEPA), responsible for
enforcing environmental laws, including illegal logging, José Campillo,
gone. The Fox shuffle even went down the ranks to remove SEMARNAT’s
Subsecretary for Planning, Subsectretary for Management and Protection,
top Legal Council and Director of International Affairs. They all got
the boot, and now the questions are why, and what are the implications?
The Reforma
Newspaper cited SEMARNAT’s internal disputes, leaks to the press,
and the Ministry’s report on contaminated beaches as possible motives
for removing the top environmental officials. (Reforma September 3) But
one can’t help and wonder if the Monarch’s also partially
led to the abrupt changes in SEMARNAT and PROFEPA.
In the case
of the enforcement agency for environmental laws, PROFEPA, the connection
between Monarchs and the cabinet shuffle might be more direct. PROFEPA
has nervously been aware that conservationists are obtaining higher quality
yet embarrassing deforestation data and aerial images in the Monarch Reserve.
And only days before the cabinet changes, top PROFEPA officials invited
conservation organizations and other government programs to a large meeting
meant to share recent progress in the Monarch overwintering area. PROFEPA
sought to announce the results of everyone’s progress in the Monarch
Reserve in an international news conference. Only five days later when
President Fox removed the top PROFEPA official, did it become clear that
PROFEPA was motivated out of fear and desperation to attract words of
praise in press. We will probably never know to what extent illegal logging
in the Monarch Reserve pushed out the top PROFEPA officials, but even
if deforestation in the Monarch region was not the direct cause for the
changes in PROFEPA officials, it is interesting to note that Monarch butterfly
conservation was indeed the PROFEPA’s topic of choice for salvation.
The implications
of these changes for Monarch butterfly conservation are still not clear.
Three weeks into the new administration, word is out that the PROFEPA
representative in the State of Michoacán will be moved to another
position within the PROFEPA. Other than that, no changes in the Monarch
area have yet been made. SEMARNAT’s new Minister, Alberto Cárdenas,
comes from the Forestry Commission (CONAFOR), served as Governor in the
western state of Jalisco, and maintains strong ties to National Action
Party and President Fox. His goal is to make SEMARNAT more efficient and
transparent. Lastly, it is worthwhile noting that the Ernesto Enkerlin,
Head of Mexico’s Protected Areas Commission (CONANP) and Exequiel
Ezcurra, Head of the National Institute for Ecology, (The E²) appear
to be secure in their positions. Not surprisingly both are tremendously
well respected in the conservation field, if not the most well respected
officials in Fox’s Environmental Cabinet.
Monarch
Butterfly Education Manual Delivered to Sanctuary
Region
Four hundred
copies of an education manual on Monarch Butterfly biology called Mariposa
Monarca: Uniendo un Continente (The Monarch Butterfly: Uniting a Continent)
have arrived in Mexico and are currently being distributed to schools
in and around the Reserve. This publication was written by both Mexican
and U.S. biologists, has been translated into both languages and was published
by the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Foundation.
Monarch
Expo
The Monarch Expo, an educational exhibit and fair sponsored by the Monarch
Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) has been announced for November 21st
and 22nd in Donato Guerra, in the State of Mexico, and Saturday 29th and
Sunday 30th in Zitácuaro, State of Michoacan.One of the highlighted
activities includes a bike ride through the rarely visited (one could
even say, never visited) southern slope of the Chivatí-Huacal mountain
range. Cyclists will follow a marked route through some of the few Indigenous
Communities of the Reserve: Curungueo, Carpinteros, and Donanciano Ojeda.
These Indigenous Communities, while part of the Protected Area since 1986,
have never benefited from tourism.
Fire-prevention
Training
During the week of September 29 to October 3, the Mexican National Forest
Commission, (CONAFOR) will be training 60 foresters, community members
and related technicians in forest fire prevention and response. The training
course will be held at the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve’s
research station known as the Llano de las Papas.
Reforestation
Season Comes to Close
The 2003 reforestation season has recently come to a close. The Monarch
Butterfly Biosphere Reserve has coordinated the planting of 877,800 trees
in the Reserve this 2003 season. Trees came from the nurseries of the
Federal Forestry Commission (CONAFOR), Michoacán state Forestry
Commission (COFOM), State of Mexico Forestry Commission (PROBOSQUE), Municipal
nurseries and private businesses, such as Rexcel. Of course, tree survival
rate is key. An evaluation of the 2003 reforestation season in the Monarch
region is being conducted, and soon will be made publicly available. The
Zoological Society of San Diego has supported reforestation this season
working directly with the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. They have
also donated radios to communities suffering from illegal logging.
Possible
"Annual Monarch Regional Forum" Discussed
NGO’s (non-governmental organizations), academic institutions
and government agencies are discussing the possibility of holding an Annual
Monarch Regional Forum so as to coordinate the conservation efforts at
the Mexican overwintering sites. This Forum hopes to follow the successful
example of the 1997 Morelia Conference by bringing together all who actively
work in the area. [More...]
Copyright
2003 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our
feedback form
|