Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve - Federal Director
http://www.sierragorda.net

Mexico (Querétaro)

Martha "Pati" Ruiz Corzo is Federal Director of the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas, Mexico, the largest natural protected area with community-based management in the world.  Known locally as Maestra Pati, her career began as a musician and music teacher with a successful modern lifestyle when she and her husband decided to leave the urban world for a sustainable, nature-based way of life to raise their children in a rural ranch community in the Sierra Gorda mountains in the north of the state. In the face of regionwide environmental destruction, they founded a civil organization, Grupo Ecologico Sierra Gorda, involving the local population and agencies in five counties in a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development in 1987 whose programs continue: environmental education, community development, productive diversification, outreach, forestry management, land management and strict conservation and inter-institutional mainstreaming for regional sustainable development.  Ten years later, in response to the success and unprecedented community-based consensus for protection of the environment, the Environmental Ministry declared the region a Biosphere Reserve and then-President Zedillo designated Pati Ruiz Corzo as the Federal Director in 1997.  In 2001, the Global Environment Facility approved a seven year, 6.7 million USD leverage fund administered by the UNDP to the Grupo Ecologico and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas, with Pati Ruiz Corzo as the Regional Coordinator to date.  Co-financing from governmental and non-governmental sources have surpassed USD million, demonstrating the effective model of co-management between the local civil organization and the federal management of the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve.Recognition on national and international levels include: Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, the Rolex Prize for Enterprise, the Mexico National Ecology Award, membership in IUCN and MAB-UNESCO, and the Energy Globe Award.  She is a board member of Forest Trends and The Katoomba Group.    www.sierragorda.net