PROYECTO SIERRA MAZATECA, INC
.contact us for more information:
info@proyectosierramazateca.org
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PROYECTO SIERRA MAZATECA
We are dedicated to the exploration and conservation of the karst ecosystem in the Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca, Mexico. In addition to discovering and exploring caves, our group is focused on preserving the highland cloud forests, precious water resources, and Mazatec cultural pride. We develop conservation programs to educate the students. We also help generate markets for the organic foods produced in the Sierra Mazateca region, such as coffee, sugar, and honey. Future goals include the preservation and restoration of Cafetal Carlota. We look forward to adding more photos, trip reports, maps, and videos.
Estamos dedicados a la exploración y la conservación de los ecosistemas kársticos en la Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca, México. Además de descubrir y explorar cuevas, nuestro grupo se centra en preservar los bosques de niebla, preciosos recursos hídricos, y mazateca orgullo cultural. Desarrollamos programas de conservación para educar a los estudiantes. También nos ayudará a generar los mercados para los alimentos orgánicos producidos en la región Sierra Mazateca, tales como el café, el azúcar y la miel. Metas para el futuro incluyen la conservación y restauración de Cafetal Carlota. Esperamos con interés a la adición de más fotos, los informes de viajes, mapas y vídeos.
Proyecto Sierra Mazateca: December 2013 - January 2014
WOW! Another Mexican journey that went by too fast. We visited a variety of places in the Sierra Mazateca, and leave many leads waiting for us to return. We had a lot of help throughout our time, from local friends and officials, and a group of great cavers. Thank you - Ron Adams, Andy Armstrong, Mike Frazier, Donna Frazier, Paul Mozal, Rolland Moore, and Coeli Velki - for participating and helping us find and map caves - per Tony, Marion, & Simon Akers.
One of our project goals was a reforestation project in the Rio Santiago area - per a promotion held by Carlota Gardens in March of 2013. The area has noticed its natural spring's water flow decreased over the years, and a small collective in the town is helping by planting trees up and along the spring's boundaries. This project is ongoing and in process.
Several donations were made for education outreach for the region of Huautla de Jimenez. The Central Indiana Grotto had donated $500 for the elementary school in Rio Santiago. A digital projector was purchased and presented to the director of the school. We were able to see a program the whole school was working on, the natural plant medicines in the Sierra. The Southern Colorado Grotto also donated $600 to the elementary school of Agua de la Rosa, and those funds will help build a proper school for its 100 elementary children. Go to
EDUCATION
to see photos and more....
We continued cave exploration in the region of Huautla de Jimenez, in Agua de la Rosa and in an area south of Rio Santiago, a valley called "Rancho Arco Iris". There we established a base and began exploring the valley's karst. We learned a great deal the two weeks that we were there. Go to
CAVE EXPLORATION
to learn more!
Our reforestation project has begun!! From a promotion held by Carlota Gardens, about $600 was given to Rio Santiago, to begin reforestation efforts. We met a young man in Rio Santiago in January of 2013 who was part of a collective, calling themselves “Juvenil Collectivo Rio Santiago". Their purpose is to help their community develop responsibly, by protecting their people and their environment. Being of like mind, we discussed our goals with the leader of the group, Miguel Morales. He had noticed that the spring, which provides clean water for the people in Rio Santiago, was flowing less than it had in previous generations and attributed it to deforestation on the hillsides above the spring. We know that deforestation, causes rapid downflow of rainfall, rather than slower seepage into the spring-fed aquifers, and can see the effects in other large springs in the region. We also realize that total protection of the forests may not realistic, but promotion of reforestation could be a feasible option for communities throughout the Sierra. We were back in December, 2013, with our contribution and our willingness to begin this aspect of our project. We discussed our options – what kind of trees, where to plant, what are the landowner concerns – and decided to begin with cedar trees. Although they are slow-growing, they are indigenous and protected by federal law. Over 400 trees were acquired from a town close to us, and transported to Rio Santiago. Landowners and local officials were consulted for their approval. Through combined efforts from the collective and from the primary school, in February, 2014, volunteers and 6th graders were enlisted to help begin the planting. Although this is a long-term project, and more trees will be planted in 2014, this beginning was awesome! Not only did we get trees replanted, schoolchildren contributed their energy and were taught how important reforestation is for the future of the Sierra Mazateca and their families. More trees are planned for planting in the coming months. And Carlota Gardens is doing that promotion again at the Philadelphia Flower Show for 2014. Thank you, Flower Show customers!!! Check out the photos below to see some results......
¡Nuestro proyecto de la reforestación ha comenzado!! De una promoción sostenida por Carlota Gardens, dieron aproximadamente 600$a Rio Santiago, para comenzar esfuerzos de la reforestación. Encontramos a un joven en Rio Santiago en el enero de 2013 que era la parte de un colectivo, llamándose "Juvenil Colectivo Rio Snatiago". Su objetivo es ayudar a su comunidad a desarrollarse con responsabilidad, protegiendo a su gente y su ambiente. Siendo de la mente parecida, hablamos de nuestros objetivos con el líder del grupo, Miguel Morales. Había notado que la primavera, que proporciona el agua limpia a la gente en Rio Santiago, fluía menos que tenía en generaciones anteriores y lo atribuyó a la deforestación en las laderas encima de la primavera. Sabemos que la deforestación, causa downflow rápido de la precipitación, más bien que filtración más lenta en los acuíferos alimentados por la primavera, y puede ver los efectos en otras primaveras grandes en la región. También comprendemos que la protección total de los bosques puede no realista, pero la promoción de la reforestación podría ser una opción factible para comunidades en todas partes de la Sierra. Estuvimos de vuelta en el diciembre de 2013, con nuestra contribución y nuestra buena voluntad de comenzar este aspecto de nuestro proyecto. Hablamos de nuestras opciones – que tipo de árboles, donde plantar, lo que es las preocupaciones(intereses) del terrateniente – y decidido para comenzar con cedros. Aunque sean el crecimiento lento, son indígenas y protegidos por la ley federal. Más de 400 árboles se adquirieron de una ciudad cerca de nosotros y se transportaron a Rio Santiago. Consultaron a terratenientes y los funcionarios locales para su aprobación. A través de esfuerzos combinados del colectivo y de la escuela primaria bilingue "Fransisco I Medro", en el febrero de 2014, los voluntarios y los estudiantes sextos se alistaron para ayudar a comenzar la plantación. ¡Aunque esto sea un proyecto a largo plazo, y más árboles se plantarán en 2014, este principio era imponente! No sólo plantamos de nuevo árboles, los alumnos contribuyeron su energía y se enseñaron cómo la reforestación importante es para el futuro de la Sierra Mazateca y sus familias. Más árboles se plantarán en los próximos meses.
A cloud forest, filled with vines, epiphytes, orchids.......
Imagine climbing up through the rainforest, battling hanging vines with your machete, wishing you were wearing gloves, because there are strange nettles and spiny trees, and suddenly you are surrounded by begonias grandes, with huge leaves and flowers in pink and white.......
go to-------------ECOLOGY
With the generous help and support from cavers, friends, grants, our own energy and love, we are able to continue working toward our overall goals. Each year brings adventures, challenges, parties, and life-changing experiences for us all.
Con la generosa ayuda y el apoyo de espeleólogos, amigos, los subsidios, nuestra propia energía y amor, somos capaces de continuar trabajando para lograr nuestros objetivos generales. Cada año trae consigo aventuras, retos, partes, y modificar la vida de experiencias para todos nosotros.
The Proyecto Sierra Mazateca Corporation, now registered in the state of Indiana as a non-profit corporation, was formed as of September 4, 2012. The purposes of the Proyecto Sierra Mazateca Corporation, defined in Article 11 of the Articles of Incorporation, are to protect, explore, and study the karst ecosystem, and to promote water conservation and Mazatec culture preservation within the Sierra Mazateca, in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.
More specifically, we have defined these areas to focus on:
- Science – document and explore caves, conduct biology, ecology, and geology studies
- Conservation –working with local and state authorities to promote conservation of the upper cloud forest regions and water conservation.
- Education – teach local schoolchildren and communities about the karst ecosystem and their future role in its protection
- Preservation – promoting indigenous Mazatec culture, Mazatec language, historical sites, and traditional farming techniques.
La formación del Proyecto Sierra Mazateca Corporation, está registrado en el estado de Indiana como una corporación sin fines de lucro, a partir de 4 de septiembre, 2012. Los propósitos del Proyecto Sierra Mazateca Corporation, que se define en el artículo 11 de los artículos de incorporación, es el de proteger, explorar, y el estudio los ecosistemas kársticos, y para promover la conservación del agua y cultura Mazateca preservación, en la Sierra Mazateca, en el estado de Oaxaca, México.
Más específicamente, hemos definido estas esferas se concentren en:
Más específicamente, hemos definido estas esferas se concentren en:
- Ciencia - documento y explorar cuevas, conducta biología, ecología y geología estudios
- Conservación -trabajando con las autoridades locales y estatales a fin de promover la conservación de los bosques nubosos regiones superior y la conservación de los recursos hídricos.
- Educación - enseñar los niños y niñas de las escuelas y las comunidades sobre la los ecosistemas kársticos y su futuro papel en su protección
- Preservación: la promoción cultura indígena Mazateca, Mazateca idioma, sitios históricos, y las técnicas agrícolas tradicionales.
THANK YOU - NATIONAL SPELEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION FOR YOUR GENEROUS FUNDING FOR THE 2012 - 2013 EXPEDITION. The funding helped make our expedition possible, providing us with equipment to help our education outreach and conservation efforts.
We would like to thank our sponsors for their support to help preserve this important karst ecosystem and culture of the Sierra Mazateca:
National Speleological Foundation
National Speleological Society
Highline Rope, Canada
Karst Conservancy
Southern Colorado Mountain Grotto
CIG grotto of Indiana
We also thank the countless people, friends and cavers alike, who have helped and contributed to the project with their energy, smiles, and sweat. To name a few that have contributed with extra gear, funds, or other equipment:
Patti Cummings
Ron Adams
Mike Frazier
Greg McNamara
Bob Vandeventer
Rolland Moore
all members of previous expeditions - listed on the EXPLORATION page.
We would not be able to do any cave exploration without the trust and kindness of the local Mazatec people. Whether it be a friend or offical, we appreciate their willingness to let us in their worlds, and do our best to respect their spaces and customs. Thank you!
Our extended family in the Sierra Mazateca. Tony, Marion, and Simon Akers, and Rolland Moore in photo with family members of Waldo and Ines and more from the family of Perfecto and Ines
Contact Information:
Proyecto Sierra Mazateca Corporation
711 North Broadway Street
Seymour, IN 47274
email: info@proyectosierramazateca.org
c/o Tony & Marion Akers
Please do feel free to fill out the questionnare below. We want to learn what area of the project you are interested in. This form is not required for a donation, but appreciated.
