Description
Cuenca Los Ojos was founded in the 1990s with the mission of preserving and restoring the monumental habitat of the Madrean Archipelago and protecting the vast number of species it supports.
Land conservation
Through collaboration between environmental groups and governmental agencies, more than a million acres have been protected in the ecoregion. At the center of this conservation area are the lands of CLOs, with over 130,000 acres in Mexico alone. They form the liaison between the USA and Mexico and secure a vital piece of the greater continental migratory route that extends along the western spine of the North and South American Continents.
Habitat protection
The restoration of key habitats has been achieved through the construction of thousands of small rock dams, berms, and gabions in eroded areas. CLO also worked to remove exotic species, aerate soils, apply seeding and manage grasslands through controlled burns and fallowing. Up to date, more than 5,000 acres of grasslands have been aerated and reseeded, at least 15% of a historic wetland has been restored and 6 miles of rivers are now flowing year round. Restoring habitat has been key to bring back native wildlife populations such as Coues deers, Black bears and Gould’s turkeys.
Research
Successful land preservation, habitat restoration, and wildlife conservation begin with sound science. CLO recognizes this and works with scientists from both the U.S. and Mexico to monitor its work. CLO welcomes researchers whose work dovetails with our mission and whose studies’ will potentially help us realize our goals. The list of researchers and organization that have participated with CLO is extensive and includes ichthyologists, geologists, and wildlife biologists from institutions and organizations from around the globe.
