Community and nature thrive at Rancho El Carrizal

A Collaborative Environmental Adaptation Journey

In the heart of El Carrizal, Queretaro exists a communal land (ejido) in Central Mexico's Colon municipality, where we have been fortunate enough to partner with the Mexican Ministry of Environment (SEMARNAT) and an incredible local community of 350 individuals to work hand in hand to protect the rich biodiversity of flora and fauna that calls this land home.

Through fruitful collaborations with scientists and digital marketing experts from nearby universities and museums, we are fostering sustainable community bonds with a primary focus on ecotourism and conservation as a strategy for environmental adaptation and resilience. As an example, the Rancho El Carrizal recently joined forces with undergraduate student scientists and engineers from the Arkansas State University (ASU) campus in Queretaro (https://www.facebook.com/arkansasstatemx/) to enhance our social media exposure and highlight our ecotourism and environmental conservation engagement opportunities across the 1800 hectares (~4500 acres) of mountain wilderness.

Together, we have crafted a digital marketing strategy centered around our new community website (https://www.ranchoelcarrizal.com/) as a regional hub for tourist information. The website showcases the unique experiences available when visiting the Rancho El Carrizal and neighboring businesses within the El Zamorano mountain range. Whether it's horseback riding, hiking, caving, camping, or deer hunting, the Rancho El Carrizal's distinct ecotourism approach serves to promote environmental awareness, reduce natural resource exploitation, and create job opportunities for local guides, masons, and artisans.

With an unwavering commitment to sustainability at the core of our efforts, we have every confidence that our collaboration with ASU-Queretaro students, wildlife research scientists from the Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro (UAQ), and pinturas rupestres anthropologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) will continue to build a more prosperous and sustainable economic future for the benefit of our El Carrizal community and our expansive wildlife conservation area, currently protected through the SEMARNAT Unidad de Manejo para la Conservacion de la Vida Silvestre (UMA) program.

This is the essence of Peace Corps Mexico, where challenges transform into action to bring about enduring change. If you would like to stay updated on this remarkable journey, please visit the Rancho El Carrizal website at: https://www.ranchoelcarrizal.com/