In September 2023, a group of friends in Hermosillo, Sonora, decided to get together to see the sky. With binoculars in hand, bird guides and a lot of curiosity, Pajareras del Desierto was born, a collective formed only by women that found in bird sighting a form of convenience and defense in the environment.
“We were summoned by Mariana Martinez and Ivana Tautimez, and since this time we cannot stop going out to look birds”, remembers Daniela Castro, part of the collective. The first experience occurred in the Bachoco hill, but after came urban park rounds, lakes, wetlands and even Bahía de Kino.
The collective not only do bird sighting, but it also registers data in scientific platforms such as eBird and Merlin, that let make global maps of species distribution. This information is valuable for researchers, because it helps to detect biodiversity ecosystem changes.
On one of their recent sight birds, in collaboration with Pronatura Noroeste, they visit the oxidation lagoons in Hermosillo, a place that, at first glance, appears to be a landfill, but for the birds, it works as an oasis. They managed to identify around 30 species, among them, herons, Mexican and beachy ducks, difficult to distinguish even for experts.
Juan Roberto Báez Montoya, collaborator in Pronatura Noroeste, explains that these artificial wetlands have been turn into a key refuge for migratory birds that cross the Sonoran Desert.
“In spite of their origin, they accomplish an important ecological function. It is a space that shows environmental health and could be recognized for their value in the ecosystem”, he claims.
The oxidation lagoons, part of Corredor Verde Río Sonora-Hermosillo
The wetlands created in the oxidation lagoons are part of the Corredor Verde Río Sonora-Hermosillo project, supported by different civil organizations -among them, Pronatura Noroeste- and with Hermosillo Cómo Vamos.
The idea is not just to plant trees or clean parks, is about building a green corridor connecting all of Sonora River with the city and the countryside. The project consists in transforming the waterflow of the Sonora River in an environmental, social and economic axis. With the green corridor, solutions based in conservation are
proposed, such as:
- Reforesting arid zones Capture rainwater Dry land rehabilitation
- Connect existing spaces like La Sauceda, The Cerro de la Cementera, Las Lagunas de Santa Gabriela or El Cárcamo.
Pajareras del Desirto members have been documenting environmental problems during their observations, like muddy water, garbage, auditive contamination due to motorcycles and real estate pressures in the surroundings. Additionally, the members face security challenges when walking remote zones, where the presence of feral dogs or unknown people generate worries.
“Even so, we keep on going out, because our biggest motivation is the pleasure of being in contact with nature and sharing among women”, Daniela explains.
Pajareras del Desierto, a diverse collective.
The group of Pajareras del Desierto are formed for diverse profiles, there are biologists, students, sociologists, journalists, mothers, and workers of different areas. All of them have in common the passion for learning and caring for the environment.
Their labor shows how science is not exclusive for laboratories: also, can be made from citizens with observation, registry and collaboration. At the same time, put on the table the need for articulate effort between civil society and government for conserve the short green spaces in Hermosillo.
“That we need add are: cleaning journeys, improve the water quality, avoid garbage and noise that scare the birds “, said Daniela.
This collective has been able to identify high-impact issues such as pollution, deforestation, and excessive growth of real estate projects that cause increasingly severe heat islands.
“There are a lot of work to make, as such as cleaning journeys until see quality improve in the places, especially the water, that regularly are muddy and affect the birds”, said Daniela.
Part of the collective work is the citizen promotion and environment conservation, make children viewer communities, just like adults who became agents of cleaning and reforestation on the outskirts of the city. Pajareras del Desierto actually there are a reference in Hermosillo City. Their work shows the importance of birds as environmental health indicators and bridge between recreation and conservation.
Translated, reviewed and edited by: Dalhy Wong & Belinda Carpio
