by Montserrat Márquez
The president of the Querétaro Citizen Observatory for Environmental Protection, Enrique Uribarren Castro, has reported illegal logging primarily in San Juan del Río and Amealco for charcoal production.
“There is a lot of illegal logging for two purposes, one for charcoal production and another in San Juan del Río along the border with the State of Mexico, where oak and mesquite trees are cut down for charcoal production,” he explained.
This product is marketed in the Juárez market in San Juan del Río, in other states, and also in Amealco.
Uribarren Castro acknowledged that he does not know the number of hectares lost due to this illegal activity, as this falls under the responsibility of Profepa.
He noted that engaging in this illegal activity damages the ecosystem by removing trees that would otherwise intercept rainfall and facilitate filtration into the aquifer. Additionally, these areas cease to be habitats for hundreds of species.
The possibility of capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and purifying the air is also lost when we lose this vegetation mass, he explained.
The environmentalist emphasized the need for federal authorities to strengthen operations and sanctions to prevent or, if necessary, punish individuals engaging in this illegal activity outside the framework of the law.
“In recent years, to my knowledge, no sanctions have been issued for this offense in Querétaro, but the Profepa delegate, Gabriel Sanata, should have this information,” detailed Uribarren Castro.
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