Protected Areas...

There are a few protected areas within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, such as, Biosphere Reserve in Jalisco, Monterrey National Park,  and Majacla National Park; all of which are protected because of the diversity in the pine trees, with about 33 different species.

Although there are a variety of the different protected areas I am more interested in is the Hotspot of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacan which has been protected since 1986. These Monarch Butterflies are only the few species that migrate form North to South. Usually the butterflies only migrate south during the winter and back up into the North for the Summer. During the winter most migrate to Michoacan in the belt where the spend most times in the forests and on the branches and trunks of the Pine, Oak, and Firs of the forests. They also take that time in their annual migration to mate and reproduce. Therefore the reason for the protected area in Michoacan is to ensure the continued existence of the Monarch Butterfly.


Of course with any species there always seems to be some problem, in this case there are human impacts that are affecting the forests of Michoacan that directly affect the butterfly because without their natural habitat they would not survive. Presently the forests around the Monarch Biosphere Reserve is critical because of the illegal logging that goes on in these forests, which directly puts the butterfly in harms way, but in no way is the Reserve in any harm because of authorities protecting the areas. Besides authoritative protection, many people are doing there job in protecting the region by replanting trees, plants, and restoring the natural habitat as it was normally.

Citizens doing their part in the Reforestation of the  Reserve of the Monarch Butterfly and the areas around it.

Reference Link:
http://www.americanforests.org/magazine/article/reforesting-michoacan/
http://www.vivanatura.org/Monarca.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_Butterfly_Biosphere_Reserve