Las Cañadas
Mexico, Veracruz
Ecosystem: Cloud Forest
Start Date: Year 1995
Aims and Goals:
The land trust of Las Cañadas has been designed with the goal of modelling and sharing alternative methods of food production, responsible travel and sustainable living practices.
The trust aims to:
- Conserve and restore at least 900 acres of cloud forest.
- Support the stability and viability of rural communities through sustainable practices.
- Live in such a way that succeeding generations may live as well or better.
- Assist in the shift away from the current Western consumer model to one which does not deplete the earth’s resources.
- Include and engage the local community (farmers, schools, neighbours, etc.) in the conservation of their foundational resources (the forest, the watershed, fertile soil and local culture).
Background and Work for Ecological Restoration:
Before 1995, the land belonging to the trust of Las Cañadas was used for intensive cattle grazing for beef production. The impact of the grazing soon became clear with problems such as soil erosion, which is a problem that can be found throughout Mexico. In 1995, the trust therefore sold all of the cattle and reforested 150 acres with 50,000 native trees (sweetgums, oaks, walnuts and sycamores). In the remaining pastures nothing was done and they simply allowed nature to take its course. Every season since then the trust has observed significant improvement to “the heart of Las Cañadas” which is a swath of approximately 100 acres of virgin cloud forest.
Current needs:
Volunteers.
For more information on their volunteering programme and how you can support their work, please contact them through the following form below:
