Zacatecan semi desert

Sustainable development

From 2012 to date

At ENDESU we developed a model for the conservation of golden eagle nesting and hunting territories, allowing for greater golden eagle reproductive success and promoting the conservation of large areas of grasslands and their biodiversity. We have successfully applied this model in the Zacatecas semi-desert.

Currently our efforts have been expanded at the ecosystem level, focusing our efforts on the areas where colonies of Mexican prairie dogs have recovered, since their presence allows the restart of the modeling of the landscape, promoting the recovery of the grassland -which in recent years has suffered strong and prolonged droughts- including the planting of native grasses that allow the recovery of this ecosystem in shorter periods of time, Therefore, we are planting using the micro-watershed technique and mixing seeds of native annual and perennial grasses in such a way that each micro-watershed can be used as a unit. In this way we are putting into practice the recovery of the pasture with nature-based solutions.

In parallel, we have designed a training and awareness program that allows participating communities to better face the challenges associated with climate change, as well as address issues of inequality, lack of opportunity and environmental conservation.

The formation of community biodiversity surveillance and monitoring brigades is of great importance, as it lays the groundwork for the training of community monitors who, once empowered, will respond to the needs of natural resource management in their communities. In this way, three initiatives have been developed aimed at different groups within the same communities, but which together generate great cohesion among their members:

• Educating from home. Training for mothers to monitor flora and fauna in order to identify possibilities for the sustainable management and use of their natural resources and to share this knowledge with their families.
• Young people conserving. Training young people on the benefits of good ecosystem management that allows for sustainable diversification of productive activities that make them more resilient to climate change, through the operation of Wildlife Management Units (UMA) and Areas Voluntarily Designated for Conservation (ADVC).
• Improving your community. Training and temporary employment for adults in rehabilitation, conservation, prevention, restoration and management for the recovery of the grassland ecosystem.