MEXICO: Mexican President Felipe Calderon oversees opening of Monarch butterfly reserve in Michoacan

Mexico's president Felipe Calderon oversaw the opening of a butterfly sanctuary in the central Mexican state of Michoacan on Sunday (November 25), where thousands of monarch butterflies migrate every year. In charge of opening the reserve to tourists, Calderon said he was pleased to have this colourful spectacle in Mexican forests. "I feel very glad to say that this heritage site year by year hosts millions of butterflies that come to spend the winter after travelling more than 4 thousand kilometres from Canada to Mexico," he said. The president and his family were the first to enjoy the sight of hundreds of trees crowded with butterflies. Beginning in October, millions of Monarch butterflies flee the cold winters of Canada and Northern United States and travel thousands of miles to hibernate and reproduce in the temperate woods of central Mexico. The sanctuaries had been damaged by illegal logging in recent years, endangering the Monarchs and forcing the Mexican army to protect the reserve. Peasant communities surrounding the forest have been included in the reserve projects as gamekeepers and guide tourists. Many of them like Francisco Ambrosio Martínez now understand how important is to preserve these woods that help to feed their families. "Sanctuary means respected and we are respecting the forest and trying to take better care of it. It's most important to have more forest for the butterflies," said Martinez, a local peasant who now works as a guide inside the reserve. In recent years, local villagers have donated several hectares to enlarge the reserve and are available to work during the tourist season from November to March. For most of them, the income earned during this month is fundamental for covering the needs of their families. This year local authorities expect to increase the 230,000 annual visitors. But they know it's important to preserve the habitat of these amazing insects. Measures implemented recently are working and the population of Monarchs seems to be recovering. Reserve director Concepcion Miguel Martinez is an optimist and expects to re-establish the level of butterflies in the reserve for coming years. "For this season, we're expecting to have more territory occupied by the Monarch butterflies than last year. Last year, 6.8 hectares were covered with Monarchs. The tendency since years 2000 to 2004 shows a recovery in Monarch populations and we hope to reach an average of 8.8 hectares covered with butterflies. That was the amount seen in past years," said Martínez. In recent years, climate change has affected Monarchs too. Frosts and uncommon winds and rains have killed many of them and affected the reproduction periods of the butterflies. The Mexican government proclaimed 660 thousand hectares as part of Monarchs' reserve and expects to increase it to 3 million hectares in coming years. Authorities want to preserve not only the forest of Central Mexico where the butterflies hibernate, but other points along Monarchs' migration path across Mexico as well as retaining areas surrounding the sanctuaries.

ITN Source | December 3, 2007

Tags:. .crowded. .respecting. .respected. .periods. .measures