Ecological and Cultural Change Following Deforestation in Michoacán, Mexico

Deforestation in the species rich, mixed-pine forests of Michoacán, Mexico poses a serious threat to the biological and cultural diversity of Meseta Purepecha. This research seeks to establish the rates of deforestation and quantify changes in forest structure in response to increasing local and regional demand for wood products in furniture- and lumber-based Purepechan community forests. Our long-term goals include monitoring post-harvest forest recovery patterns, identifying successional pathways related to different harvest practices, and developing a regional climate history from colonial building materials. This research is a collaborative project by Dr. Martha Works (PSU Geography Department), Keith Hadley and geography graduate students John Chase and Kevin Martin.