Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2006, in Mexico. The Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve lies in eastern Hidalgo, at the junction between the Sierra Madre Oriental, a mountain range which runs along eastern Mexico, and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (Neovolcanic Axis), which crosses the country west to east. Cut by tributaries of the Pánuco River, the landscape spans 900–2,600 m above sea level and forms a distinctive canyon system recognised as a national conservation priority. The reserve’s priorities include conserving xerophilous scrub and its emblematic cacti by addressing overgrazing and illegal extraction. It also seeks to guide local production towards sustainable practice, improving agricultural standards in the Metztitlán Valley and developing ecotourism rooted in the area’s landscapes and cultural heritage.