Current and previous projects and consultancies of Geobicom:

This study has been developed for Mexico City’s Environmental Attorney (PAOT), comprising a biologic and abiotic description of three gullies: Temixco located in Milpa Alta municipality, Mixcoac in A. Obregón and Cuajimalpa municipalities, and Buenaventura in Tlalpan municipality. The project’s objective is generating socio-environmental information about these gullies in order to determine their disturbance level. This consultancy involve a geomorphologic study, abiotic (climate, geology, soils, etc.), and biological characterisation (flora and fauna), analysis of water quality, as well as the establishment of a socio-environmental analysis model to interpret the site dynamic and disturbance level.

Through the development of two initiatives supported by National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), Geobicom has started this project aimed at natural resource conservation, which will be developed in a rural community called Zapoapan, Veracruz. A feasibility study for an Environmental Education and Ecotourism Centre will be developed and also, an Environmental Education and Ecotourism Course will be taught to the inhabitants of this community in order to they have all the necessary tools to execute the project. Additionally, a preliminary survey of the local biodiversity will be developed, not only to reinforce the importance of the zone, but also to provide information to the Environmental Education Programme developed at the site.

This is the main project of Geobicom, which has been supported by Rufford Small Grants Foundation and PACMYC-CONACULTA (Government of Mexico). In this project we are developing biodiversity inventories, ethnobiological studies about traditional ecological knowledge, as well as developing a community ecotourism project..

Currently, Geobicom is developing this study as a requirement of the government to be able to declare this area as a Natural Protected Area. This study has been commissioned by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP). The area is trying to join two pre-existent natural protected areas and involve to rural community owners. The next step in this consultancy will be the Management Programme of the area.

These biodiversity studies have been developed in different indigenous communities in Tehuantepec’s Isthmus and High Mixtec regions. These studies are part of a Community-Based Land Use Planning and Natural Resources Conservation Programme.

Read more about this consultancy…

Two rapid ecological assessments of the biodiversity in these indigenous communities were carried out. In these studies were included advice and remarks regarding biodiversity conservation and management. In the future, we hope to keep working with these communities in order to create a biological corridor together to San Juan Teponaxtla.

Since 1992, Geobicom has participated in different studies of this kind, for public and private sectors, in different parts of Mexico.

Geobicom has participated in the construction of two botanical collections and their preliminaries works. The collections were: Appealing plants for butterflies and Fire retardant plants.

Geobicom has taught and organised different training courses regarding our specialities, in universities and government offices, such as CONANP, Mexico City Government and University of Veracruz.

As a component of our environmental education strategy, Geobicom has organised three Christmas bird counts, two of them in Cordoba, Veracruz and another in Mexico City. These Christmas bird counts represent very good opportunities to encourage children, youth and adults to be closer to nature, because they are designed as a competition, where teams are asked to observe as many birds as they can in a single day, from sunrise until sunset, within a specific circular area, previously determined. In addition, the day before the count, the participants have the chance to learn about birds, in an ornithology and bird identification course. In this way, as well as developing a scientific survey, we are making people aware about conservation and the importance of birds and biodiversity in general. The bird counts, though carried out by the general public, are very reliable because each team is led by an experienced ornithologist.

Our next bird count will take place in Cordoba, Veracruz, in December 2010. If you would like to participate, please email us.