XiCO2e: Durango Forest Project

XiCO2e: The Durango Forest Project, which covers almost 181,000 hectares, aims to maintain and increase carbon storages in local forests. The project area in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the northwest of Durango State is considered a species-rich ecosystem, covering a wide range of temperate forest flora and fauna. Most of Durango‘s forest land belongs to rural communities known as Ejidos, who rely on it for their livelihoods. Currently, there is a need to prevent illegal logging and continuous forest degradation as well as loss of forest due to natural disturbances.

Sustainable forest and ecosystem management promise to benefit the region in economic, social, and environmental aspects. The project aims at the creation of protected areas and the restoration of native vegetation, and providing shelter for new animals and plants. This highly ambitious long-term project is designed to enhance the living conditions of local communities by generating new stable income opportunities.