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Browse Projects Overview

All Projects

Map of transvolcanic region with climate analog examples from publication (https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1325264)
2024

Identifying Seed Sources Compatible with Future Climates to Reforest the MBBR's Core Zone

Developing a modeling tool using climate analogs to aid reforestation efforts.

Los Horcones Site, experimental field
2024

Nurse Plants to Improve Survival of Oyamels in Reforestation Programs

With climate change challenges in mind, establishing a "Nurse Plant" shrub canopy to aid Oyamel reforestation efforts is being explored.

Three images of trees with men evaluating their growth
2015 - 2023

Evaluations of Tree Survival Rates in Reforestations

Part of the success of reforestation programs relies on regular monitoring of trees planted at different periods of time.

Researchers checking drone's remote control
2023

Using Drones to Measure Forest Health

Ambiomas' drone flight project at the monarch overwintering sites is helping develop a forest health monitoring and alert system using remote-sensing technology.

Logged tree trunks infested by bark beetles and ready to be taken out of the forest
2023

Improving Community Strategies to Manage Bark Beetles in the MBBR

Interviews with local and government officials were conducted to understand bark beetles control activities within the MBBR, with the aim of developing better management strategies.

Group in tree nursery with seedlings in a common garden experiment
2022

Assisted Migration 2022

Common garden experiments to improve survival of oyamel using shrubs as nurse plants.

Arnulfo García placing seed trap in the forest
2020 - 2021

Monitoring Restoration of Illegally Logged Area in Sierra Chincua

Monitoring of the active and passive restoration process at a site affected by illegal logging in a core area of ​​the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve.

Sign with Cuauhtemoc and his assisted migration team in the background
2021

Assisted migration 2021

Ongoing reciprocal transplant experiments of oyamel at different altitudes.

Oyamel seedlings planted at high elevation (3400m)
2020

Assisted Migration 2020

Ongoing experiments of reciprocal transplants of oyamel at different altitudes

Micro Mote on Penny
2019

Solar-powered Sensors Track Migratory Route Conditions

Dr. André Green and a group of engineers and biologists from the University of Michigan develop a remarkable system for determining the daily flight path of migrating monarchs.

Arborist Carmelo in human horse raingear
2018

Monitoring Forest Health in Cerro Pelón

The Butterflies and Their People, A.C. (B&TP), led by Dr. Ellen Sharp and Joel Moreno, are training indigenous communities to participate in multiple monitoring projects.

Photo of Chestnut sided shrike vireo Virelanius melitophyrus quasi-endemic to
Guatemala and Mexico
2018

Biodiversity Monitoring

Acoustic, ultrasonic and wildlife camera files were collected during 2016 in the MBBR by several NGOs and were organized, reviewed, processed, and analyzed in a data base to improve the information on species dynamics and their populations over time.

Woman in nursery showing snakeroot (Ageratina glabrata) and eupatorium plants
2018

Assisted Migration 2014-2018

Since 2014 MBF has been funding a research project by Dr. Cuauhtémoc Saénz Romero (MBF Advisor) to discover whether there are significant genetic differences among oyamel trees in different altitudes to determine what the best seedling distribution is to optimize reforestation strategies. This project aims to establish human assisted sites for climate change scenarios in 2060 or 2090

View of mountainous monarch area
2018

Evaluation of Ecological Restoration

Evaluation of ecological restoration activities in the monarch butterfly overwintering sites during 2012-2017

Butterfly cluster on branch
2018

Collection of Data During 2017-2018 Overwintering Season

Data of 2017-2018 overwintering season was collected for four conservation projects by Isabel Ramírez, and her team

Map of Land Cover and Vegetation
2018

2018 Map of Vegetation and Land Cover

Long-term monitoring of land cover in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and its surrounding areas is one of the research actions of the North American Monarch Conservation Plan (2008) and MBF is contributing with a vegetation and land cover mapping.

Mira with Curungeo leader walking on his property
2016

Evaluation of Community-based Resource Management

Project to evaluate the success of community based resource management in the indigenous communities using a method called Bayesian Network Analysis that identifies several characteristics that are influential for efficient forest management.

Projects