The Guardian who defends the lungs of Mexico

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Connecting with Mother Nature is what makes Martha “Pati” Ruiz Corzo happy, an activist who deeply loves the Sierra Gorda de Querétaro, one of Mexico’s lungs, that love led her to join ties with the inhabitants to create awareness about the deterioration that the Sierra Gorda was suffering, so it created the Sierra Gorda Ecological Group (GESG).

“I have found my spiritual path here, it is something that I was looking for, that I woke me up on my heart, and that it was as real as to love nature,” says Pati.

Sierra Gorda Ecological Group, was founded in 1987 by Pati and a group of Queretans concerned with the environmental deterioration of the region, the GESG began its work focusing on environmental education. “Our goal is the conservation of natural resources, but we do it from a participatory model, with love and patience, forging solutions,” he explains, in an interview with Forbes, Martha Pati Ruiz Corzo, founder and general director of the GESG, who is known as the Guardian of the Sierra Gorda.

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The Sierra Gorda, in 2003, was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, this region covers 383,567 hectares, which represents 32.02% of the state of Querétaro. However, 70% of the territory is private property, 27% ejido and 3% are federal.

Photo: © Edgar Olivares/Forbes Mexico.

Pati is a member of the Board of Directors of Forest Trends, in the United States, and Leaders Pour La Paix, in France. In addition, it has the following awards: 2001 Schwab Foundation; Ashoka Foundation in 1996 as an exceptional entrepreneur; 2002 Rolex to entrepreneurship; 2012 National Geographic- Buffet Award for Leadership in Conservation in Latin America, also by National Geographic the World Legacy Award 2017; 2018 The United Nations World Tourism Organization, for the innovative inclusive vision of local communities, the 2013 Land Champion Award for UNEP, and another 37 national and international awards.

However, this ecosystem is not only a “lung” of oxygen for Querétaro, it also houses 100,000 inhabitants distributed in 683 communities of five municipalities, who have been allies and witnesses of the conservation of the participatory model of the Sierra Gorda ecological group. “Seeing how farmers, teachers and housewives come together around conservation, fills me with hope,” says Pati, as is known.

Regenerate the Sierra Gorda

The GESG approach has been to transform these communities into active conservation agents, generating jobs and improving the quality of life. More than 80% of the group’s projects are managed directly by local inhabitants, who receive training in sustainable practices.

Since its inception, the GESG has implemented educational programs in rural schools, training more than 15,000 students and teachers. “It is not just about teaching about the environment, but about promoting an emotional connection with nature,” explains Pati.

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The GESG has five pillars that give life and hope to the Sierra Gorda de Querétaro, which are carried out by hundreds of ejidatarios, who have learned to preserve nature with special care. As well as government and private companies that have joined the initiative to put a grain of sand so that the Sierra Gorda regenerates and its species live longer.

“These mountains are my home and my responsibility, my mission in life is to serve, help others and take care of our Mother Earth. That is why since the eighties we are with projects, which help both the inhabitants and nature, ”emphasizes“ Pati ”.

View from the Mirador Ensalmo in the Ecotourism Center of the Tejamanil ejido, members of the community offer guided tours for visitors, sensitizing and making known part of the diversity and importance of environmental care. Photo: © Edgar Olivares/Forbes Mexico.
View from the Mirador Ensalmo in the Ecotourism Center of the Tejamanil ejido, members of the community offer guided tours for visitors, sensitizing and making known part of the diversity and importance of environmental care. Photo: © Edgar Olivares/Forbes Mexico.

The projects that form the GESG are: formation of a sustainable culture, where environmental education actions, solid waste management and communication with the inhabitants are carried out. Wild life protection, fire brigades are carried out. Regenerative economy, the inhabitants are taught to take advantage of timber and non -timber resources. Training to create a micronegocio, currently in the Sierra Gorda there are 75 local microentrepreneurs, who sell natural products, crafts, food, tours and lodging. However, the main pillar of the GESG is the carbon footprint.

“Since yesterday, today and tomorrow, our goal is the conservation of natural resources, and our vision is a very participatory model, because it is our treasure, the Sierra Gorda,” says Pati.

More forest, less pollution

One of the flagship projects of the Sierra Gorda Ecological Group is Biodiverse Carbon, launched in 2011, which has been consolidated as a replicable model of emission compensation. The initiative directly benefits forest owners, who receive payments for protecting their land.

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“It is a project that has a socio -environmental spill, the owners of the ejidos instead of selling their lands, we pay them to take care of them and thus the forest flourish more. We also explain that having cattle hurts the lands, having no domestic cattle is given a break to vegetation and that allows young trees to grow, ”says Roberto Pedraza, head of the GESG Tierras Silvestres program, in an interview .

Likewise, the resources received by the inhabitants to take care of their lands come from companies and natural persons who seek to mitigate their carbon footprint voluntarily. Until the closing of this report, more than 4,000 hectares of forest have regenerated, with the help of 25 million pesos, from the companies that have compensated their carbon footprint with the GESG as: Uber Mexico, Lyncott, Egla, Fandeli Group, World Land Trust, Paruno, Adventure Travel Mexico and Dreams Jade Resort & Spa. “For companies to mitigate their carbon footprint, the GESG has a web page, where people or industries can be registered,” says Roberto Pedraza.

While the GESG only receives 15% of the resource obtained, a percentage that is destined to pay salaries of the group, which is made up of 65 people, and continue to strengthen the movement created by Pati.

“Here we make conservation and not conversation, we are in the trench,” Pedraza emphasizes.

Roberto Pedraza, head of the Silvestres Lands Program for Conservation, dedicates his time to photographically documenting the biodiversity of the Sierra Gorda and has discovered new species for science. Photo: © Edgar Olivares/Forbes Mexico.
Roberto Pedraza, head of the Silvestres Lands Program for Conservation, dedicates his time to photographically documenting the biodiversity of the Sierra Gorda and has discovered new species for science. Photo: © Edgar Olivares/Forbes Mexico.

The impact of the Biodiverse Carbon program is evident, says Ismael Lagos García, community leader of the Tejamanil ejido, located inside the Sierra Gorda de Querétaro. “Before, our resources did not reach, but now we can take care of our forests and also improve the quality of life of our families.”

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Carbon Tax: Climate Action Instrument

The success of biodiverse carbon was such that in 2021 he inspired the government of the state of Querétaro to implement the state seal of low carbon emissions. This program establishes a tax for queretanas companies that emit greenhouse gases, allowing them to compensate for their emissions investing in conservation projects such as those managed by the GESG.

“This tax establishes that companies that generate direct emissions from C02 to the atmosphere must pay 637 pesos per ton issued,” says Ricardo Javier Torres Hernández, Undersecretary of the Environment in the Ministry of Sustainable Development of the State of Querétaro.

He also explains that, “companies in Querétaro report their broadcasting inventories since 2008, over these 16 years we have trained companies to measure, calculate and estimate annual emissions and do not present them through the operating card annual. However, in 2021 the state seal of low broadcasts entered into force. ”

In 2023, the program generated more than 40 million pesos, which were channeled to projects in the Sierra Gorda. Companies such as manufacturing industries and real estate developers have compensated more than 63,000 tons of equivalent carbon, a record figure for the State.

“Companies have to present their inventory, the total amount of emissions that generated, and from this, estimate their tax,” emphasizes the Undersecretary of the Environment.

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Since it is a non -collection tax, it can be covered with payments to directly regenerate the OA forests through project reduction projects. “For each certified ton that is paid, that resource goes directly to the owners of the forests, who ensure that they are not talled or burned,” says Torres Hernández.

A call to serve and preserve

Ruiz Corzo’s connection with the Sierra Gorda goes beyond his work; It is a spiritual and emotional commitment. “These mountains are my home and my responsibility. My mission in life is to serve, help others and take care of our Mother Earth. ”

The GESG legacy, with projects such as biodiverse carbon and the state seal of low carbon emissions, show that conservation is possible when communities are empowered and alliances between civil society, government and companies are generated.

The Sierra Gorda de Querétaro is not only an example of environmental resilience, but also of how love for nature can transform lives and give hope into a world faced with climate change. So Ruiz Corzo expresses his desire that this model replies in other states. “Our hope is to regenerate natural capital and recover the capacities of ecosystems. Hopefully other similar projects arise in Mexico, because the time to act is now. ”

In addition, it highlights the importance of educating the new generations, “teach their children to love the planet, to embrace the trees and listen to the birds. Do not educate them in a mall. Connecting with nature is essential. ”


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