Laguna de Aves project is a success thanks to the cooperation of Convercación México A.C. & PRONATURA A.C.

The migratory pathways converge in the Valley of Texas creating not only a high quantity of birds but also a high diversity. Some of the top birding destinations in North America are found along the Texas Gulf Coast and the Mexican border.
The Texas Gulf Coast alone has more birds than most other states, with more than 400 species documented throughout the year.
Within 200 miles of the U.S. – Mexican border, the biodiversity starts to be influenced by the tropical regions further south.
This creates areas in Mexico of varying habitat different from the Southern U.S. There are mangrove wetlands, grasslands with ebony trees and cacti, and dry thorn forest jungle. The region contains migratory birds that continue from the north as well as resident species that aren’t found across the border. Together this creates a rich area of endemic birds, waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds and raptors.

Location

The project area is located close to the end of the Soto La Marina River, approximately 150 miles south of the U.S.-Mexican border in the state of Tamaulipas (Northeast Mexico), where the Laguna Madre and Laguna Morales end.

Importance

The Soto La Marina River ends in the Gulf of Mexico, close to the Tropic of Cancer, where the Nearctic and Neotropic Ecozone join. This mixture of tropical and template ecosystems results in a high diversity of wild life.

History

Long time ago, the rivers: Purificación, San Carlos, Corona and Pilón, provided a great quantity of water to the Soto La Marina River. During rain time, the Soto La Marina River over flooded keeping the lagoons with enough water throughout the year.
During the 1970’s, two dams were built (Vicente Guerrero/Las Adjuntas & Las Alazanas/La Patria es Primero) upstream of the wetlands in Soto La Marina, causing a dramatic decrease in the water flow down stream.
These two dams stopped the periodic flooding from the Soto La Marina River to the lagoons. In addition, a great amount of land from the region had been deforested, which lead to higher temperature, loss of rain and lower retention of water in the land. Without the water supply from the flooding and rains, the lagoons dried out and turn into barren-salty plains that could not longer keep plants or animals alive. Many of the flora and fauna around the region disappeared. Due to the above issues, Laguna de Aves project began with the objective of restoring the habitats for the wildlife.

OBJECTIVES

Laguna de Aves consists of a lagoon system of approximately 8,000 acres located in cattle ranch territories.
In order to reestablish the water supply to the lagoons, two phases were taken in consideration.
Phase I: The four lagoons were re-established through the installation of a water pumping system, a distribution channel of 5.5 miles, an infrastructure of roads and bridges and a fencing system to exclude the cattle from the lagoons.
Phase II: In this phase the hydraulic system was changed and improved, as well as the infrastructure. Two additional lagoons were incorporated to the lagoon system, (Tulosa & Santa Rita).

TEAM WORK

Conservacion Mexico A.C. is behind Laguna de Aves proyect and is also an environmental organization with no lucrative purposes with the objective of conserve, improve and create a habitat for different species of flora and fauna, qualifications and to inform local residents of the importance of the conservation and sustainable development, to promote the preservation of wetlands and to establish refugee to guarantee rest areas to migratory birds.

Requirement fulfillment to receive external funds

Conservación México is legally constituted under the Mexican federal laws, both of the registered in the public registry and are private non-lucrative institutions independent from any government agency.
Other people and organizations that had contributed with financial, species or technical support are:

• Ing. Virgilio Garza Flores, Lic. Virgilio Garza Treviño and Lic. Virgilio Garza Treviño (owners)
• Mr. Andy Mangan & Mr. David Groberg. (Director, Business Council for the sustainable development)
• Conservation Council of North American wetlands./ NAWCC
• Dr. Ted Eubanks, Mr. Seth Davidson & Mr. Bob Behrstock (ecotourism experts). President, Fermata, Inc. and World Nature Trails.
• Dr. Jim Lester (Aquaculture expert): Director, Environmental Institute of Houston
• Dr. Felipe Ramírez. Director, Wild life. INE / SEMARNAT
• Dr. Oliver Probst (Eolic energy expert) President, Department of Physics. ITESM
• Dr. Ernesto Enkerlin, Ing. Miguel Angel Cruz. Pronatura Noreste / Director of the protected natural areas in Mexico.
• Water National Commission of Mexico. Tamaulipas
• Secretaria del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT).