FOREST DEGRADATION IN THE CORE ZONE OF THE
MONARCH BUTTERFLY BIOSPHERE RESERVE 2015-2016
Executive Summary
Between February 2015 and May 2016, 72.30 hectares (ha) of forest were degraded in the core zoneof the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve: 11.92 ha were affected by illegal logging, 53.94 ha bywind-fallen trees during the March 9, 2016 storm, and 6.44 ha by drought. Illegal logging decreased
40% compared to the 19.90 ha affected in 2014-2015, with the most affected located in the State
Property in Michoacan (8.74 ha).

The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve protects 56,259 ha and its core area (13,551 ha) includes
the forest habitat of the overwintering colonies of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) inMexico (Fig. 1). These butterflies migrate each fall from Canada and the United States to thebordering area between Michoacan and the state of Mexico. These fir, pine, cedar and oak forests
are also home to 132 species of birds, 56 mammals, 432 vascular plants and 211 mushrooms. Theseforests are also part of the watersheds that supply water - through the Cutzamala system- to 11
delegations in Mexico City and 11 municipalities in the state of Mexico.
This forest monitoring effort in the core area of the Monarch Reserve determines the application ofeconomic incentives from the Fondo Monarca, established by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the
Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN), in coordination with the Secretariat ofEnvironment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the governments of Michoacan and the stateof Mexico. Its benefits are combined with the Payment for Watershed Services from the National
Forestry Commission (CONAFOR).
Additionally, the core zone landholders receive support from the National Commission for Natural
Protected Areas (CONANP) and the WWF Telmex-Telcel Foundation Alliance, Yves Rocher, and thegovernment of the state of Mexico, for productive projects (sustainable forest management,community tree nurseries, reforestation, tourism, souvenir handicrafts, and forest surveillance)that increase their economic benefits and biodiversity conservation.

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KEY
Hibernation Sanctuaries
State borderWestern state of Mexico
Eastern Michoacan
MBBR
Buffer zone
Core Zone

Fig. 1. Monarch Region and Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR)

This analysis of forest cover changes in the natural protected area core zone, in 2015-2016, wasmade comparing aerial photographs for February 2015 and May 2016. Both sets of images wereused to create orthoimage mosaics standardized for comparison. The changes detected wereintegrated to a Geographic Information System, along with the location where they occurred.
Subsequently, the results were validated in the field with the participation of experts from WWF,
the Biology Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the Fondo Monarca, theMonarch Reserve Management, CONAFOR and PROFEPA, accompanied by the authorities of theagricultural areas that showed changes in the forest cover.
2015-2016 Forest Degradation
Between February 2015 and May 2016, 72.30 ha of forest were degraded in the core zone of theMonarch Reserve: 11.92 ha were affected by large scale illegal logging, 53.94 ha by wind-fallentrees, and 6.44 ha by drought. 73.3% of the illegal logging occurred in the State Property inMichoacan; while in San Felipe of Alzatí it decreased from 19.13 ha to 0.70 ha (Table 1, Figs. 2 and3). Also, CONANP used complaint reports to document illegal logging in Jesús de Nazareno and theEjido del Calabozo, which were not detected in the image comparison because the trees harvested
were widely dispersed.
Clandestine logging was detected, by the presence of stumps observed during the field
verification of areas affected by wind-fallen trees, in the indigenous community of Crescencio
Morales in Michoacan and the La Mesa and El Capulín ejidos in the state of Mexico.

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Table 1. Forest Degradation in the Core Zone of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve 2015-2016.
StateState of Mexico

Michoacán

MunicipalityLocation

PP Cañada Seca
E. El Capulín
Donato Guerra
PP Los Saucos
E. Mesas Altas Xoconusco
IC San Juan Xoconusco
PP Catingo I and II
PP Catingo III
PP Catingo IV
San José del Rincón
E. El Depósito
E. La Mesa
PP Rancho Verde
E. Rosa de Palo Amarillo
Temascalcingo
E. Pueblo Nuevo Solís
Litigio 1
Villa de Allende
IC San Pablo Malacatepec
Subtotal State of Mexico
State Property
Angangueo
Federal Property
E. Santa Ana
Contepec
E. Contepec
E. Cerro Prieto
E. El Asoleadero
OcampoE. El Rosario
E. Los Remedios
IC San Cristóbal
E. ChincuaSenguio
E. Senguio
IC Crescencio Morales
IC Donaciano Ojeda
Zitácuaro
IC Francisco Serrato
IC Nicolás Romero
IC San Felipe los Alzatí
Subtotal Michoacán
Total

Wind-Fallen Trees
and Drought
(ha)
1.31
5.76
6.90
0.24
4.38
0.06
0.44
0.22
0.16
2.50
0.07
0.09

E = Ejido (communal land), IC = Indigenous Community, PP = Private Property, *Drought.

32.06
0.23
24.42
1.10
0.13
0.16
* 6.44
3.89
0.28
10.45
4.71

Illegallogging
(ha)

0.44
0.81
1.25
8.74

0.10
0.03
0.11
5.70
0.40
1.12
1.44
35.96
60.38

0.78

0.14
0.21
0.70
10.67
11.92

AffectedArea(ha)
1.31
5.76
6.90
0.24
4.38
0.06
0.44
0.22
0.16
2.50
0.07
0.09
0.44
2.87
0.23
25.67
9.84
0.13
0.16
6.44
3.89
0.28
10.45
4.71
0.10
0.03
0.89
5.70
0.40
1.26
1.65
0.70
46.63
72.30

State border
Wind-fallen trees/drought
Clandestine logging
Buffer zone
Core Zone

Figure 2. Forest Degradation in the Core Zone of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve 2015-2016.

Illegal logging
Natural causes

Degraded Area (ha)FireSanitation
Cause of disturbanceWind-fallen trees anddrought
Clandestine logging
Total

Area (ha)
60.38
11.92
72.30

Cause of disturbance Area (ha)Drought
1.11
Clandestine logging 19.90
Total
21.01

Figure 3. Forest Degradation and Forest Loss in the Core Zone of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve(2001-2016). Data for 2001-2003 and 2003-2005 correspond to a two-year analysis.

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