Current Status and Future Goals
Currently, 38% of Querétaro’s territory is designated as a Natural Protected Area (ANP). The state government aims to increase this to 40% by the end of the current administration in 2027, according to Marco Antonio Del Prete Tercero, the Secretary of Sustainable Development (Sedesu).
New Decree for La Beata Natural Protected Area
In line with this goal, the state government has declared La Beata, located in Amealco de Bonfil, as an ANP under the category of Zona Natural Privada o Comunitaria. This category applies to properties whose owners voluntarily enroll their land in a conservation program.
- The recent decree, published on May 5 in the state’s official newspaper, covers an area of 100 hectares in Amealco de Bonfil, bordering Huimilpan municipality and Michoacán. The land is owned by the Caja Gonzalo Vega (CGV).
- This makes 18 the total number of protected natural areas under various existing mechanisms.
La Beata’s Significance and Challenges
La Beata is situated in a mountainous region, home to pine and oak forests. A technical justification study has been conducted on this area, which provides various environmental services such as water capture and filtration, climate change mitigation, oxygen generation, soil retention, flora and fauna protection, ecotourism opportunities, and urban sprawl mitigation.
Verónica Pueblito Arreola Olvera, President of CGV’s Administration Board, explained that they have been working on this park natural project for 15 years. The decree process took over a year, so the recent fire on March 31 this year did not influence it.
Fire Impact and Restoration Strategies
The fire affected 80% of La Beata. Therefore, a study of the area is underway, and restoration strategies will be developed in collaboration with Semarnat. This year’s focus includes removing combustible materials like dry leaves and fallen wood, waiting for the rainy season, and establishing strategies to restore the affected areas.
Additional Protected Areas and Future Projects
Further actions are planned for recovering El Madroño and El Tángano, areas that experienced fires this year. A project is also underway to declare El Carrizal as an ANP.
Importance of Natural Protected Areas
Del Prete Tercero emphasized that 100% of Querétaro’s territory is ecologically ordered, with various environmental management units established based on the land’s environmental value.
The territorial ecological ordering program in Querétaro states that 70% of the territory has protective, conservation, or restoration land use, which are suitable for protection due to their high environmental value.
Additionally, 20% of the territory is designated for sustainable exploitation, allowing for urban development or intensive land-use activities. The remaining 10% is classified as urban use.
