Linking biological conservation to healthy rural communities: A case history of the Janos Casas Grandes Biosphere Reserve

Background/Question/Methods During the late 1930’s, Aldo Leopold witnessed a striking contrast along the narrow boundary between the United States and Mexico. He later described Mexican ecosystems as a “lovely picture of ecological health” and those same ecosystems north of the U.S. - Mexico border as “so badly damaged that only tourists and those ecologically blind, can look upon them without a feeling of sadness, and regret.”  On this the hundredth centennial of Leopold’s arrival in the Southwest, the difference has waned but has not completely vanished.  Within Mexico’s Janos – Casas Grande region lies the largest black-tailed prairie dog complex within North America, reminiscent of past ecosystems just north of the border. Now a Biosphere Reserve, collaborative efforts between Mexican and U. S. scientists are reconstructing the area’s ecological history and identifying key ecosystem properties maintaining grasslands and essential ecosystem services. 

Results/Conclusions Comparing private and communal ejidal lands, we learned that aggressive efforts to eradicate prairie dogs by private landowners resulted in a rapid yet transient increase in forage production, followed by increases in mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), and precipitous declines in forage that threatens future livestock production.  In adjacent communal lands overgrazing has removed most perennial grasses yet persistent prairie dog populations have prevented, or delayed mesquite expansion.  Other experiments demonstrate that prairie dogs benefit from livestock grazing and that their interactive effects are synergistic, greatly altering flora and faunal dynamics in ways that increase landscape heterogeneity and biodiversity.   Likewise, cattle show a seasonal preference for the margins of prairie dog colonies where diet quality is enhanced.  Current work is attempting understand how to modulate interactive effects of livestock grazing, fire, and prairie dogs to control mesquite, and increase grassland resilience, while providing habitat for threatened grassland birds and forages for local communities.  Because local communities are dependant on ecosystem management rather than simple forage and livestock management, efforts to include local youth and their families in research and remediation practices are underway and being formalized with formation of youth conservation corps that subsidizes their formal education. Others are working with local entrepreneurs reviving regional alcoholic drinks by planting native species used in their manufacture to stabilize soils and promote grass reestablishment.  These and similar approaches to remediate grassland degradation while providing short- and long-term community benefits are being employed by researchers and community leaders.  In the long-term, ecological literacy and development of a “land ethic” will likely be the most lasting outcomes.