Conservation of the Axolotl and Restoration of the Xochimilco Wetland.

Description

This project focuses on the ecological restoration of a 3-hectare lagoon in the Xochimilco wetland, a Ramsar site in Mexico City. Its main goal is to protect the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), a critically endangered and endemic species, by creating the largest natural sanctuary for this species within the wetland system. Led by the Mexican environmental NGO MOJA, the initiative combines scientific restoration, environmental education, and community engagement. High-impact activities include water quality monitoring (temperature, pH, oxygen, salinity, nutrients), reintroducing native aquatic plants, and improving hydrological connectivity by cleaning access canals. Floating enclosures are installed to protect axolotls from invasive species such as tilapia and carp. Sustainable infrastructure—rainwater harvesting systems, composting toilets, and a future visitor center—is being built to support monitoring, education, and volunteer coordination. The project also includes the legal establishment of a Wildlife Management Unit (UMA). Over 160 volunteers and 200 students have participated in restoration, awareness campaigns, and workshops. More than 1,000 native plants have been reintroduced, and baseline data from environmental monitoring have been collected. The project contributes to biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation (via carbon storage), aquifer recharge, and the preservation of traditional chinampa agriculture in urban environments.