Illegal Logging of 10 Hectares of Forest in the Sierra Chincua Monarch Butterfly Overwintering Area in Mexico

A significant illegal logging operation was uncovered in the Sierra Chincua overwintering area of Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, affecting 10 hectares of forest. The discovery, initially reported by a local environmentalist in May 2015 and later confirmed through satellite imagery, highlighted severe deforestation within the core zone of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Government authorities arrested 35 loggers and confiscated 147 cubic meters of wood between March and May 2015, though the exact location remained undisclosed until January 2016. The study relied on satellite imagery, media reports, and communications with local stakeholders to document the incursion, emphasizing its potential negative impact on the monarch butterfly's spring remigration.

Brower, L. P., Slayback, D. A., Jaramillo-López, P., Ramirez, I., Oberhauser, K. S., Williams, E. H., & Fink, L. S. (2016). Illegal Logging of 10 Hectares of Forest in the Sierra Chincua Monarch Butterfly Overwintering Area in Mexico. American Entomologist, 62(2), 92–97. https://doi.org/10.1093/ae/tmw040