The Tepepolco hill has its guardian angel. Motivated by the protection and conservation of the environment, as well as by the history of his native Iztapalapa and the reconstruction of the social fabric in his community, Ángel Villagrán has become a “guardian of his territory”, specifically of Tepepolco (“large hill “, in nahuatl), an inspiring case that is worth making visible within the framework of International Mother Earth Day (April 22) and the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).
Ángel’s story as an “ecoguardian” began with a walk taken a few years ago on Tepepolco Hill, also known as Cerro del Peñón Viejoan inactive volcano 2370 meters high located east of Mexico City that keeps a large historical and sacred value since the pre-Hispanic era of the Mexican and is key to the area’s water supplybut whose soils, flora and fauna have been severely affected due to mining activity and accelerated urban growth.
Inspired by the work of other young people like him, Ángel understood the value of the hill on that hike and now dedicates himself to protect and preserve it voluntarily through various community actions driven by the Paradise and Peace Socio-Environmental Network, self-managed local collective in which he participates.
“It is a very dry and very wounded hill, we only have 30% of what it was left. We try to rescue it as much as we can,” says Ángel, who is a philosopher by profession. “We perform tequios (work or tribute, in Nahuatl) each 15 days. In this dry season we remove weeds, plant maguey trees and reforest native trees. Also cultural activities, such as walks with different themes: day of the dead, papaloteadas, birdwatching, bird watching, camping and historical walks,” he adds.
We can weave networks together to achieve not only environmental but socio-environmental change, to generate peace and a good life.
Currently, Ángel and his group are close to achieving the Declaration of Tepepolco as a Environmental Value Area (AVA) in the urban forest category. This is a federal protection that will help them provide better maintenance to the hill and avoid problems of irregular settlements, landslides, garbage dumps, insecurity, burning of green areas, vandalism, erosion and deforestation.
In Mexico, CONANP currently administers 226 Protected Natural Areas (ANP) federal in naturewhich add up to a total of 93,807,804 hectares under the conservation regime. In addition, it supports the management of 579 Areas Voluntarily Destined for Conservation (ADVC), covering an area of 1,265,745 hectares. Some areas have been declared thanks to the collaboration and support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Mexico (FAO).
Youth: the big bet
Ángel promotes the Declaration of Tepepolco as an Area of Environmental Value (AVA), thanks to the knowledge acquired in the program “Guardians and Guardians of Territories”, developed in the Environmental and Cultural Education Center “Muros de Agua-José Revueltas” in collaboration with the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP). The program is also supported by the FAOwithin the framework of the VIDA Project, following up on the young graduates.
Through collective work, organization and coordination with various actorsthe program promotes environmental care from a sociocultural and human rights approach in which youth assume a central role as agents of change in their communities.
“What is sought is for youth to recognize themselves as political subjects capable of influencing and transforming their social realities.”from identifying the problems that exist around the environment,” says Yazuli Pérez, a young anthropologist who is part of the “Muros de Agua-José Revueltas” Environmental and Cultural Education Center, located in the Islas Marías Biosphere Reserve. , in the state of Nayarit.
The territory is defended because it is known and by knowing it, it is loved. It is very important to know our territories, to know what we are walking on.
The project, explains Yazuli, has three moments: the announcementa 15-day training process in Islas Marías and finally a one-year technical support in the territories. In the course in Nayarit, the Guardians are trained by high-level specialists, who share key knowledge and tools for the implementation of socio-environmental activities. Subsequently, for a year they are accompanied in linking with other networks and government agencies, they are helped with some procedures and they are even accompanied on their territorial journeys. No Guardian charges for their work; Everyone does it out of the conviction of a more livable and sustainable world.
“The bet is on the youth. Seeing everything they do every day, (seeing) the work (they do) even though they study (and seeing) the conviction they have to transform something in their life, is impressive,” highlights Yazuli. “It is encouraging and hopeful (…) We must take the spaces to defend the territory and life,” concludes.
The project already has 12 generations of “Guardians and Guardians of Territories”, which translates into 348 young people from 24 states of the Mexican Republic trained and with projects in their communities.
Mexican youth in action for socio-environmental protection and restoration
Urgent actions and collective participation
For Lina Pohl, representative of FAO Mexicothe project of “Guardians and Guardians of Territories” is key because it shows how necessary it is community involvement in the preservation and protection of ecosystems and natural areas that oxygenate the planet and provide food and other vital resources.
“It is not a task of the State alone
mind. It is everyone’s task”, he highlights. “We have only one planet and it is a very complicated planet with climate change, very threatened by actions of overexploitation and extraction, and with the lack of awareness of many people,” he indicates.
“We can no longer think of pristine areas, areas with no one. It has already been shown that it is the communities, it is the people who transform if they do it in a good way and protect biodiversity,” adds the Representative, who makes a urgent call in the face of the evident sign of global warming with the current high temperature records in Mexico City, as well as the increase in droughts and cities without water, forest fires and floods not only in Mexico but throughout the world.
“It’s not science fiction. Natural resources are threatened and we all have a role to play,” she warns. “Mother Earth has told us: no more subsidies. She’s done. I’m going to pay the bill if they continue to treat me the way they’re treating me. Enough already! We must become aware. All actions are important! Even if it is the smallest one,” he says.
It’s not science fiction. Natural resources are threatened and we all have a role to play.
For this reason, the FAO Mexico promotes various projects that seek to contribute to the prevention, arrest and reversal of the degradation of ecosystems in the country. Among them, the following stand out: the establishment and restoration of biological corridors between the most important natural areas of Mexico; the promotion of sustainable agriculture and fishing in the presence of oceans full of acidified plastic and with great dangers to health; working with indigenous communities who share their practices on how to use resources sustainably; the protection of seeds through germplasm laboratories, and the creation of digital applications to make efficient use of water and fertilizers in crops, among other projects.
Guardians who inspire by example
More than 340 young people from all over Mexico have been trained within the framework of the “Guardians and Guardians of Territories” project. Learn about other works promoted in Campeche, Quintana Roo and Jalisco.
Raising melipona bees to conserve mangroves in Campeche
Benhur Ortegon, a young Mayan indigenous man committed to sustainable development, social justice and environmental conservation, is a Guardian of the territory who participates in the Training in Sustainable Meliponiculture (breeding of melipona bees) as an ecosystem service in the mangroves of the community of Arena Island, Calkiní, in Campeche. For more than six years, Benhur has led projects that empower small-scale producers, promote agroecological practices and encourage fair trade, through training and workshops for beekeepers, meliponiculturists and planters.
Environmental dissemination and zoology
Noel Álvarez, from Jalisco, leads The crow’s log, an environmental science dissemination project on Instagram in which he talks mainly about zoology and animals. So far, more than 25 infographics have been published on taxonomy, ethology, ecology, distribution, reproduction and conservation status, among others. “What other meaning of life is there if it is not to love, study and value our other brothers who are also alive?” Noel stands out in the profile of his account with almost 7 thousand followers. The young guardian has also participated in conferences and workshops.
Ángel Villagrán and members of the “Guardiões e Guardiãs de Territórios” program are located on Mount Tepepolco.
Training on bees for Mayan girls and boys
Marisol Ka May, beekeeper and beekeeper from Quintana Roo, also works with bees. The graduate of the eleventh generation of “Guardians and Guardians of Territories” teaches workshops in the Mayan language for girls and boys from 7 to 11 years old on the ecosystem importance of honey-producing insects, at the Benito Juárez primary school, in Kpchen, Quintana Roo. The young guardian has experience in managing and raising stingless bees and apis mellifera. He has also participated in research projects.
Text: Eloísa Farrera / Photos and videos: Luis Arroyo / UN Information Center in Mexico.
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