I. Identification
I. IdentificationThe effects of logging (both within the wintering grounds and surrounding areas, or buffer zones) and agriculture encroachment were identified as the initial threats. Later, as public awareness began to grow, tourism was added as an overall threat to the butterflies. The results of these combined impacts made the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources designate the annual migration of the Monarch a "threatened phenomenon," the first time it ever made such a determination.
In Mexico, interest in protecting the Monarch butterfly developed quickly. In the late 1970s, a group of individuals formed the preservation group Monarca, A.C. This group, along with international conservationists, approached sympathetic government officials, and in 1980, the Mexican government issued an edict that affirmed in general terms the importance of preserving the Monarchs. The edict "represented progress, but offered few solutions to the real problems in the wintering sites."
Although the Mexican government had recognized the problem, the early 1980s saw little change in the activity affecting the wintering grounds of the Monarch, or the surrounding areas. In fact, a commercial sawmill continued to operate in one of the butterfly's most densely populated colonies. Also, with the increased public awareness in the location of the Monarch's wintering habitat, tourists became another problem. Often the trees are so full of butterflies that many of them fall to the ground where unwary tourists step on them.
Conservationists pressured the local government to do something to protect the butterflies. The initial response was to place armed guards around major clusters of butterflies, mainly to prevent illegal tree-cutting and heavy tourist activity in these areas. The guards were effective, but gun carrying guards presented a public relations problem, and local tensions did not subside.
Local tensions increased dramatically as protection for the butterfly's habitat grew. For the local community, the issue was one of livelihood, the logging industry provided much of local industry employment. Logging provided additional lands for agricultural use which added to the local communities ability to improve their standard of living. Therefore, the benefits of increased habitat protection were not realized by the local community because the costs of protection were being borne by the community, while the rest of North America reaped the benefits of saving the Monarch.
Finally, in order to find effective environmental protection, the Mexican government realized that it would have to seek out new ways of changing behavior. However, the government issued a new presidential decree that proved unworkable in several ways. The restrictions on logging were so strict that even federal agencies had a difficult time fighting an infestation of moths that threatens the trees. In addition, the government simply bought the commercial sawmill and dismantled it. Permits allowing guards to carry guns were revoked and the guards were to be called "guides".
The Mexican government developed a new approach to change local community behavior. Changing behavior in the local community has not come easily, and it still remains to be seen just how effective the policies will be in the future. To change behavior, the government attempted to restructure the local economy from a logging industry to a tourist industry. The presidential decree in 1986 banned logging in 10,000 to 11,000 acres of mountaintop sanctuary. It also "limited the spread of agriculture in another 28,000 acres that function as a buffer zone around each of the protected sites." These sanctuaries are administered by SEDUE, Mexico's environmental protection agency, and the Monarca Foundation, with financing coming from the World Wildlife Fund and the Canadian government. At the same time, Mexico set up small areas as tourist parks which charge admission to visitors (of five monarch sanctuaries, only one is open to the public). The collected fees are then channeled back into the community. Although official estimates of 50,000 tourists per year is considered far too high by the local Mexicans, the officials are "encouraged by an apparent recent increase in the tourist trade".
One solution is a proposed development project to set up tree farm in the area around the U.S.-Canada border, that would include preserves for butterflies at the other end of their journey. However, with a 30 to 40 year growth period, and 100 years until full maturity, this is not a feasible short-term solution. Alternatively, there is the problem of setting up a series of buffer zones around the ecological reserves. Otherwise, there are temperature fluctuation in the reserves and also reduces the white mulberry, wild quince, and myrtle, which the Monarchs need to fuel their northward flight.
In the 1995-6 winter, unusually cold weather brought snows to the Monarch's nesting grounds near El Rosario, Mexico. These grounds around roughly 100 miles north of Mexico City, in mountains 11,000 feet high. Deaths are put at 20 million or about 10-15 of the Monarch population. Birds may eat about 40 percent of population during their stay. The population was just recovering from a similar catastrophe in 1992.
Shortly after the disaster in 1995-96, Canada and Mexico reached agreement on protecting the Monarch. The two governments promised to work to protect the Monarch's bi-seasonal homes. In Mexico, the problem is deforestation and in Canada it is the loss of milkweed. The fir trees (oyamel) in which the Monarch's roost in Mexico is being deforested. Milkweed is a major food source for the Monarch but regarded as a noxious weed in Canada.
II. Legal
Clusters III. Geographic
Clustersa. Geographic Domain: NAMER
b. Geographic Site: SNAMER
c. Geographic Impact: MEXICO
IV. Trade
Clustersa. Directly Related to Product: NO
b. Indirectly Related to Product:YES TOURism
c. Not Related to Product: NO
d. Related to Process: YES Species Loss Air [SPLA]
V. Environment
ClustersName: Monarch Butterfly
Type: Animal/Mandible/Insect
Diversity: NA The Mexican government has set aside Monarch wintering sites as ecological reserves; as a result logging has been made illegal in these areas. In addition, the government has set up small areas of the reserves as tourist parks. By charging admission, providing jobs in the parks for local residents, and allowing tourist businesses to crop up around the parks, the Mexican government has attempted to restructure the local economy to lessen the reliance on logging. p>
VI. Other
Factors
Frederick Post, "Canada and Mexico Agree to Wrok to Save Monarch
Butterfiles," January 18, 1996, B-2.
Ross, John. "Dangers in Paradise." Sierra (July/August 1992).
Sullivan, Sharon. "Guarding the Monarch's Kingdom."
International Wildlife (Nov/Dec 1987).
Washington Post, "Fall of the Monarch: Mexican Snowstorm Kills
Millions of Butterflies," January 7, 1996, A21.