Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 1988, in Mexico. Considered one of the most important protected areas in western Mexico for its rich natural resources, extent and environmental role in the region, Sierra de Manantlán is highly biodiverse and provides a secure water source. It has 13 vegetation types, which provide refuge for 64 per cent of all species in the state of Jalisco and 25 per cent of Mexico’s mammal species. A major goal of the reserve is to promote alternative productive diversification for agrarian communities in ecotourism, sustainable forest management, agriculture and handicrafts.