SchoolsEstela RomeroJanuary 23, 2022

MONARCHS ALWAYS OCCUPY THE SAME SPOTS IN THE FOREST

SchoolsEstela RomeroJanuary 23, 2022

THE VISIT

“EL PATITO FEO” KINDERGARTEN

“EMILIANO ZAPATA” ELEMENTARY

“PANCHO MAYA” COMMUNITY

State of México

“SIERRA CHINCUA” SANCTUARY

COORDINATES: 19.6844475 -100.2353361

After the last fascinating visits to two of the schools at “La Mesa” Sanctuary, the Symbolic Migration drove back towards “Sierra Chincua” Sanctuary, going into the very core and most dense areas of our Oyamel forests.

There, one of the most beautiful villages located in such a fascinating natural surrounding, resembling the opening of a fairy tale, and its fantastic landscape is the“Pancho Maya” community.

We wonder once again about this enigmatic aspect of monarchs’ overwintering in certain forests spots and not in others.

“As long as our families have lived here, we have never seen monarchs moving into this dense Oyamel nucleus to hibernate. Actually, the forest spots at which monarchs overwinter every season have been diminished in density over the last two decades, for different reasons, either climate calamities or plague control.”

“Why do they always occupy the same forest spots to spend the whole winter there? This is one of the mysteries that surround monarchs. They seem to like being closer to cliffs, somewhat exposed to air currents, with considerable sunshine upon them!”

…locals in the area commented.

Experts should have the answer to these questions.

Students at “El Patito Feo” Kindergarten and “Emiliano Zapata” Elementary reinforced their knowledge on how our Oyamels, Encinos (oaks), Cedros (Mexican cedars), Tepozanes (Buddleja cordata), Madroños (Texas madrones), and Ailes (alders) all work like giant sponges retaining the water and humidity which basically supports the life of our whole local ecosystem.

One goal of the Symbolic Migration is to make students aware of the richness and uniqueness of their impressive forest extensions. This place is where they were born and will most likely spend most of their lives.

There the typical countryside school still utilizes traditionally wood-built classrooms!.