Executive Summary
Rancho Encinalito is a jewel in the heart of the Sierra La Laguna, in Baja California Sur, Mexico. With almost 20 years of conservation management included the exclusion of cattle and restoration activities, the ecosystem is lush and dense and home to a wide variety of native species. Adjacent areas, including in this study, which are still actively ranching, such as Rancho Mariposas and Rancho Los Aguajitos showcase the differences in the management impacts, and pro- vide a rich heterogenous landscape that is more than worthy of long-term protection. The larger region is consistently threatened by mining and the coalition forming in this region offers a new opportunity to protect a conservation corridor from the Sierra La Laguna biosphere reserve into the largest water-capture areas of the region. Through the findings of this report we connect the conservation challenges of aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, with recommendations for the long-term conservation of the region. Among these recommendations is the formation of Áreas Destinadas Voluntariamente Para la Conservación (ADVC’s) (Areas Voluntarily Designated for Conservation), not just for Rancho Encinalito, but ideally for adjacent and connecting properties.
