Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en México

The document details the transition of Rancho La Inmaculada de los Aguirre from a fully cleared cattle ranch to a holistic management model that integrates regenerative livestock farming, silviculture, and wildlife conservation. It highlights the ecological recovery of the soil and vegetation, the financial sustainability of the diversified production model, and the challenges posed by government inefficiency and regional insecurity. The study suggests that involving family in governance and seeking international recognition through the OECM framework could ensure the long-term continuity of these conservation efforts.

• The implementation of a holistic management scheme has led to significant soil and vegetation recovery. In 1977, 77% of the soil was bare and 23% had soil crust; by 2018, bare soil decreased to 25%, soil crust to 1%, and perennial grasses increased by 11%.
• The ranch's financial sustainability is based on a diversified production model. Regenerative livestock farming provides 53% of annual income, mesquite silviculture for charcoal production provides 40%, bura deer hunting (aprovechamiento cinegético) provides 6%, and educational tourism provides 1%.
• The property is registered as a Wildlife Management Unit (UMA) since 1989 with SEMARNAT, specifically for the management of the bura deer (Odocoileus hemionus).
• Efforts to secure government funding for soil regeneration through CONAFOR failed due to corruption, opacity, and excessive bureaucracy. The owner alleges that funds were preferentially given to those performing machinery-based works through arrangements with rental companies.
• The ranch utilizes a rigorous annual monitoring system consisting of 100 stations to measure soil regeneration, plant growth, and water supply, supplemented by drone data from the Universidad Estatal de Sonora (UES) and satellite monitoring from the firm Cultivo.
• While the owner was previously unaware of the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) OECM framework, he believes OECM recognition could increase national and international visibility and attract investors for voluntary carbon credit schemes.
• Regional insecurity caused by organized crime is present, but the owner's residence on the property has fostered a relationship of respect that prevents it from being a major threat to conservation efforts.

APA

Hesselbach, H., & de la Maza, R. (2025). Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en México. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1823/Mexico_CS_Rancho_La_Inmaculada_de_Los_Aguirre.pdf

Chicago

Hesselbach, Hilda, and Roberto de la Maza. Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en México. WWF International, 2025. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1823/Mexico_CS_Rancho_La_Inmaculada_de_Los_Aguirre.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hesselbach |first1=Hilda |last2=de la Maza |first2=Roberto |title=Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en México |publisher=WWF International |date=December 2025 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1823/Mexico_CS_Rancho_La_Inmaculada_de_Los_Aguirre.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hesselbach2025del, author = {Hesselbach, Hilda and de la Maza, Roberto}, title = {{Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en México}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1823/Mexico_CS_Rancho_La_Inmaculada_de_Los_Aguirre.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }