Boomitra’s Grassland Restoration in Northern Mexico project covers nearly 4 million acres across the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts. We work with 131 privately owned ranches and eight ejidos, community-owned ranches modeled after traditional Amerindian models of land ownership. By including more than just the private land ownership model, we’re striving to make carbon markets inclusive and equitable.   

For this insight, Octavio Andrés, our Northern Mexico Project Lead, spoke with Heriberto Franco Jordán, Presidente del Comisariado Ejidal (President of the ejidal commission) for Ejido Acebuches, an ejido ranch enrolled in the first monitoring period of our Northern Mexico Grassland project. Heriberto’s story reflects the positive change that comes from collaborating with Boomitra. 

A legacy of hard work and shared wisdom 

Growing up, Heriberto watched his parents work the ranch, caring for cattle and the grasses they ate. This was hard work, and the kids learned from it. “Our parents dedicated themselves to this work and instilled it in us.” 

Now, as an adult and the President of the Ejidal Commission, Heriberto reflects on what being part of an ejido means for his community.

“It means a great opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge, as well as a great responsibility.” 

Caring for the land 

Previously, the ejido’s land management relied on large pastures and lacked water and soil conservation practices. However, since 2018, Ejido Acebuches has been working to implement sustainable ranching through practices like soil conservation, genetic improvement of livestock, and detailed record-keeping. Now, Heriberto and his community are leveraging natural rainfall cycles to improve soil moisture, watching insect behavior to predict weather patterns, and looking out for migratory birds as an indicator of the land’s health.  

Boomitra and our partner bring important support  

Adopting improved agricultural practices requires new skills and information, which Boomitra and our partner SEDEFAC provide. We supplied Heriberto and the other ranchers of Ejido Acebuches with water drinkers, water pumping systems, and water storage tanks. As a community, they were given holistic management training and a sustainable natural resource management course. The result? A better understanding of livestock carrying capacity, pasture rotation, and water conservation.  

Thanks to this support, Heriberto notes, “we will have capital to acquire more infrastructure that will allow us to manage the ranch better, such as electric fencing, feeders, and improved corrals. We will also be able to maintain social infrastructure, such as the church, schools, and sports facilities.” 

Co-benefits abound

Since enrolling in Boomitra’s Northern Mexico Grassland Project in 2021, Heriberto has witnessed an increased in wildlife and a regeneration of crucial grasslands and shrublands. Now, he hopes that these practices can be adopted by more ranchers: “It is time to manage natural resources in a rational and sustainable way. It is extremely important to take care of water, especially in the deserts where we live.”  

Project registration by Verra means that ranchers like Heriberto now have a seal of approval that their stewardship results in carbon drawdown and generates verified carbon credits (VCUs). Looking forward, Boomitra can keep expanding our projects, opening doors for more growers to participate in carbon markets and reap the benefits of regenerative agriculture. “Sustainable management practices have helped improve soil and grass quality,” said Heriberto. “It is necessary to spread these practices so that everyone in the community and neighboring ranches can implement them.” 

Explore how you can join us in reaching gigaton-scale climate action through localized solutions by scheduling a call with us. 

Octavio Andrés Prieto Wisbrun

Northern Mexico Project Lead