An Analysis of Non-State and State Approaches for Forest Certification in Mexico

The first author expresses thanks to CONACYT for her doctoral-awarded scholarship (Grant 362184)Mexico has had a non-state forest certification system under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) since it was initiated in 1993, and developed a new state-sponsored Mexican Forest Certification System (MFCS) that began in 2008. Several analyses have been made of FSC forest certification in Mexico, but none have summarized the new MFCS system or compared its standards with FSC. We compare the implementation of the non-state FSC market forest certification with the state-sponsored MFCS system in Mexico, and review literature on forest certification, focusing on all studies in Mexico. MFCS has had substantial enrollment of more than 902,802 ha by 2016, compared to 900,388 ha for the more-established FSC program. MFCS can be acceptable for stand-alone forest certification, and might be viewed as a stepwise path to FSC certification. The merits of both systems are analyzed in terms of standard content, likely sustainable forestry practices, access to markets, and community forestry enterprises.S

Impacts of Forest Roads on Soil in a Timber Harvesting Area in Northwestern Mexico (a Case Study)

The impacts of forest roads on soil were studied in a timber harvesting area of 92 ha in the municipality of San Dimas, state of Durango, Mexico. The area included 3127 m of main roads, 2907 m of secondary roads and 2979 m of tertiary roads. The timber was harvested at the beginning of 2012. After logging, soil loss by run-off during the rainy season was assessed along the truck ruts. This variable was correlated with the width and the longitudinal and transverse slopes of the road. The overall average road density (98 m/ha) indicated an average external yarding distance of 102 m. This is a short distance considering that timber was drawn with a jammer, which can pull logs over a distance of 300 m or more. Run-off in the rainy season decreased the ground level by between 38 and 58 mm along the truck ruts, and the soil loss was different in each type of road. The findings have led us to propose the elimination of some tertiary roads, to reduce the total road density to 78 m/ha. This is more than sufficient for logging, especially if the jammer capacity is improved, e.g., by applying the highlead system or the aerial yarding system with jammer. We estimate that soil loss would be reduced by 20% with the proposed changes to the road network. Additionally, the new road network would enable almost 20% of the area now occupied by roads to be reforested

Temporal patterns of active fire density and its relationship with a satellite fuel greenness index by vegetation type and region in Mexico during 2003-2014

Background: Understanding the temporal patterns of fire occurrence and their relationships with fuel dryness is key to sound fire management, especially under increasing global warming. At present, no system for prediction of fire occurrence risk based on fuel dryness conditions is available in Mexico. As part of an ongoing national-scale project, we developed an operational fire risk mapping tool based on satellite and weather information. Results: We demonstrated how differing monthly temporal trends in a fuel greenness index, dead ratio (DR), and fire density (FDI) can be clearly differentiated by vegetation type and region for the whole country, using MODIS satellite observations for the period 2003 to 2014. We tested linear and non-linear models, including temporal autocorrelation terms, for prediction of FDI from DR for a total of 28 combinations of vegetation types and regions. In addition, we developed seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models for forecasting DR values based on the last observed values. Most ARIMA models showed values of the adjusted coefficient of determination (R2 adj) above 0.7 to 0.8, suggesting potential to forecast fuel dryness and fire occurrence risk conditions. The best fitted models explained more than 70% of the observed FDI variation in the relation between monthly DR and fire density. Conclusion: These results suggest that there is potential for the DR index to be incorporated in future fire risk operational tools. However, some vegetation types and regions show lower correlations between DR and observed fire density, suggesting that other variables, such as distance and timing of agricultural burn, deserve attention in future studiesAntecedentes: Una adecuada planificación del manejo del fuego requiere de la comprensión de los patrones temporales de humedad del combustible y su influencia en el riesgo de incendio, particularmente bajo un escenario de calentamiento global. En la actualidad en México no existe ningún sistema operacional para la predicción del riesgo de incendio en base al grado de estrés hídrico de los combustibles. Un proyecto de investigación nacional actualmente en funcionamiento, tiene como objetivo el desarrollo de un sistema operacional de riesgo y peligro de incendio en base a información meteorológica y de satélite para México. Este estudio pertenece al citado proyecto Resultados: Se observaron en el país distintas tendencias temporales en un índice de estrés hídrico de los combustibles basado en imágenes MODIS, el índice “dead ratio” (DR), y en las tendencias temporales de un ìndice de densidad de incendios (FDI), en distintos tipos de vegetación y regiones del país. Se evaluaron varios modelos lineales y potenciales, incluyendo términos para la consideración de la autocorrelación temporal, para la predicción de la densidad de incendios a partir del índice DR para un total de 28 tipos de vegetación y regiones. Se desarrollaron además modelos estacionales autoregresivos de media móvil (ARIMA en inglés) para el pronóstico del índice DR a partir de los últimos valores observados. La mayoría de los modelos ARIMA desarrollados mostraron valores del coeficiente de determinación ajustado (R2 adj) por encima de 0.7 to 0.8, sugiriendo potencial para ser empleados para un pronóstico del estrés hídrico de los combustibles y las condiciones de riesgo de ocurrencia de incendio. Con respecto a los modelos que relacionan los valores mensuales de DR con FDI, la mayoría de ellos explicaron más del 70% de la variabilidad observada en FDI. Conclusiones: Los resultados sugirieron potencial del índice DR para ser incluido en futuras herramientas operacionales para determinar el riesgo de incendio. En algunos tipos de vegetación y regiones se obtuvieron correlaciones más reducidas entre el índice DR y los valores observados de densidad de incendios, sugiriendo que el papel de otras variables tales como la distancia y el patrón temporal de quemas agrícolas debería ser explorado en futuros estudiosFunding for this work was provided by CONAFOR-CONACYT Project 252620 “Development of a Fire Danger System for Mexico.” This work was also cofinanced by the Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria and European Social Fund (Dr. E. Jiménez grant)S

La producción de mezcal en el municipio de Durango, México

En el municipio de Durango existen seis empresas que elaboran mezcal, cuatro de estas están certificadas. La materia prima se extrae de plantaciones silvestres, el 72% proviene de los campos del Ejido Nicolás Romero. La posibilidad de producción de mezcal es de 528,092 litros al año, esta cantidad rebasa en 5 veces la capacidad de producción máxima proyectada, de acuerdo a la infraestructura instalada. Las empresas certificadas tienen mayores costos de producción pero también mayores utilidades que las vinatas. El costo en el mercado de una botella de mezcal de 750 ml es de $138.00 más IVA, mientras que el precio de una botella de la misma capacidad, elaborado en las empresas rústicas oscila entre$30.00 y $70.00. Las empresas certificadas producen el mezcal siguiendo los criterios de producción y envasado de la a NOM-070-SCFI1994. Las empresas rústicas no siguen esta norma, almacenando y vendiendo el producto en cualquier tipo de botellas, tanto de vidrio como de plástico. Se concluye que la producción de mezcal puede ser rentable si los productores se asocian y certifican su producto, especialmente en la producción de maguey y el proceso de envasado. Esto por un lado, contribuiría a conservar la biodiversidad en los sitios de donde se extrae la planta actualmente y por otro, disminuiría la intervención de los intermediarios contribuyendo a la obtención de mayores ingresos económicos para los productores de mezcal

Comparison of carbon content between plantation and natural regeneration seedlings in Durango, Mexico

Forest plantations and natural forests perform a relevant role in capturing CO2 and reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. The objective of this study was to compare the diameter increment, biomass and carbon accumulation in a plantation of Pinus durangensis and a naturally regenerated stand. The data were collected from 32 circular plots of 100 m2 (16 plots in the planted site and 16 in naturally regenerated area). At each plot, the diameter at the base (cm) and height (m) of all seedlings were measured using a Vernier and tape measure, and a seedling was destructively sampled collecting one cross-section at the base of the stump. The annual ring-width increment of each sampled seedling was recorded to obtain its diameter at the base and estimate annual aboveground biomass and carbon accumulation through allometric equations. The response variables were evaluated using mixed-effects ANOVA models. Results indicated that there were significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) on annual tree-ring width growth, biomass and carbon accumulation. The plantation seedlings showed significantly higher growth rates, biomass and carbon accumulation at most evaluated years. After 7 years of growth the lines of current annual increment (CAI) and mean annual increment (MAI) in basal diameter for both the plantation and the natural regeneration have not yet intersected. Both forest plantations and naturally regenerated stands of the studied tree species may be suitable alternatives to promote CO2 capture and increase timber production

Improving the Physical, Mechanical and Energetic Characteristics of Pine Sawdust by the Addition of up to 40% <i>Agave durangensis</i> Gentry Pellets

Agave durangensis Gentry biomass, as a residue from the mezcal production process, may be an interesting bioenergy alternative; however, its high ash content limits its application. In this study, pellets were generated with agave fiber mixed with Pinus species sawdust in the following six proportions (%): 100–0 (control), 80–20, 60–40, 40–60, 20–80 and 0–100 (control). The physical, chemical and energetic properties of the pellets were evaluated according to the UNE-EN ISO 17225-6, UNE EN ISO 17827-2, UNE-EN ISO 17828, UNE-EN ISO 18122, UNE-EN ISO 18123, UNE-EN ISO 18125, and UNE-EN ISO 18134-1 standards. The results showed significant statistical differences (p 3 and the impact-strength index was in the range of 69.33 to 126.66. The mechanical hardness and compressive strength were found to be in the ranges of 50.5 to 68.4% and 0.90 to 36.65 N/mm, respectively. Pellets generated with Agave residue mixture ≤ 40% were identified as promising biobased resources for the sustainable production of renewable energy

Crecimiento de Pinus greggii Engelm. bajo diferentes rutinas de fertilización en vivero

Fertilizar la planta en vivero favorece su condición fisiológica y morfológica, lo que contribuye a mejorar su calidad, aspecto fundamental para favorecer la supervivencia y crecimiento inicial después del plantado. En esta investigación se evaluó el efecto de un fertilizante de entrega controlada (Osmocote®), combinado con tres fertilizantes solubles (Triple 19, Poly-feed® y Peters professional®) en dosis fija (200 ppm) y exponencial (100, 200 y 300 ppm) en el crecimiento y los costos de producción de Pinus greggii en vivero. Se aplicaron siete tratamientos bajo un diseño experimental de bloques al azar. A los 134 días (4.5 meses) de inició el ensayo de fertilización la planta tenía 7.5 meses de edad; en ese momento se tomaron la altura, el diámetro, la producción de biomasa de la raíz, de la parte aérea y total, el índice de calidad de Dickson, el estado nutrimental y la asimilación de N-P-K en el follaje de las plantas, así como los costos de fertilización por tratamiento. Los resultados indican que los tratamientos 1, 3 y 7 respondieron mejor a la aplicación de fertilizantes en las variables morfológicas evaluadas; sin embargo, solo los tratamientos 3 y 7 tuvieron mejor respuesta a las variables fisiológicas, y de ellos, el 3 fue el de menor costo debido a la fertilización aplicada

Hierarchical Analysis of Factors Determining the Impact of Forest Certification in Mexico

Forest certification is a private, voluntary and market-driven instrument designed to promote responsible forest management. This paper focused on the FSC and the NOM NMX-AA-143-SCFI-2008 schemes used in Mexico for the certification of sustainable forest management. In this paper we used the analytical hierarchical process (AHP) to study the factors that determine the main impacts of forest certification in México. A panel of 30 experts was selected as decision-makers to find which principles, criteria and indicators are considered as the most relevant while implementing forest certification. For decision-makers, the environmental principle occupied the first place with 40.26% of importance in the implementation of forest certification, followed by the social principle, and the economic principle with 32.15% and 27.59% of importance, respectively. Regarding the criteria, forest management and production, biodiversity, and forest protection were considered to be the most relevant. Regarding the indicators, the results indicated that forest certification in Mexico can have a positive impact on the existence of educational institutions, community services such as water, energy, medical services and drainage, the quality of the forest management plans, investment in forest management, machinery and equipment, environmental services, recreation, tourism, research, development and community education, planning for the conservation of biological diversity, and planning for biodiversity conservation