Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley: originary habitat of Mesoamerica

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Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley: A Biodiverse Originary Habitat of Mesoamerica

The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018, stands out as a significant center of biodiversity in North America. This vast region, spanning over 490,186 hectares across 21 municipalities in the states of Puebla and Oaxaca, Mexico, is renowned for its rich flora, particularly its columnar cacti forests, which form some of the densest concentrations globally.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, part of the Mesoamerican region, is the arid or semi-arid zone with the richest biodiversity in all of North America. Consisting of three components, Zapotitlán-Cuicatlán, San Juan Raya and Purrón, it is one of the main centres of diversification for the cacti family, which is critically endangered worldwide. The valley harbours the densest forests of columnar cacti in the world, shaping a unique landscape that also includes agaves, yuccas and oaks. Archaeological remains demonstrate technological developments and the early domestication of crops. The valley presents an exceptional water management system of canals, wells, aqueducts and dams, the oldest in the continent, which has allowed for the emergence of agricultural settlements.

Encyclopedia Record: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve

The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán biosphere reserve is a protected natural area located in southeastern Mexico. Its name derives from its two main locations: Cuicatlán and Tehuacán, in the latter are their administrative offices, covers 490,186 hectares distributed among 21 municipalities in the state of Puebla and Oaxaca.

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