Uploaded on 2015-11-13 by carlosarch

Mexico City is divided into 16 delegations, the delegation "Milpa Alta" is distinguished by its agricultural activity and within this, in the production of **Nopal**, distinctive culture of Mexico in the world and also named "Green Gold" Before the nopal, corn and maguey Milpa Alta is located south of the capital and is the second largest expanse of Mexico City. North borders the Tláhuac delegation; northwest with Xochimilco; to the west with Tlalpan; south with Tlalnepantla and the State of Morelos Tepoztlan municipalities and the east with the State of Mexico municipalities Juchitepec, Tenango del Aire and Chalco. The delegation is comprised of twelve indigenous peoples: San Antonio Tecómitl, San Juan Tepenahuac, San Francisco Tecoxpa, Jerome Miacatlán, St. Augustine Ohtenco, Santa Ana Tlacotenco, San Lorenzo Tlacoyucan, San Pedro Atocpan, San Bartolome Xicomulco, San Pablo Oztotepec, San Cuauhtenco Salvador and Villa Milpa Alta, as delegacional head. Currently, the delegation identified by its agricultural activity, but even more for food sold in their territory as the mole and cactus. Before the large-scale production of these two foods, planting corn and pulque obtaining used to be the activities that were the great cultural and economic between the inhabitants of the region links, but by circumstances described below the food system that constituted the maguey and corn has weakened. ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][1] Until the decade of the sixties, the population lived milpaltense the consumption of its products harvested cornfield corn, beans, chili, pumpkin, quelites, beans, vegetables and other vegetables, as well as the products offered them the maguey, mainly mead and pulque. The nopal instead was only planted in the house solares1 and was excluded from the traditional cornfield. It was a decade when conditions changed, especially from Mr. Florentino Flores, a native of the district of St. Augustine, began planting the cactus in his field for in greater quantities and market not only in the market Benito Juarez the delegation, but at other points as the Merced and Xochimilco ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][2] Demand began to grow and, given the success, the outlook for milpaltenses land in the 70s and 80s was different, light green cane and corn is overshadowed with the dark green of the cacti, growing extension of land dedicated to the planting he made Milpa Alta was identified as the land of cactus in the country, but beyond that, made the inhabitants of the region by the nopalera feel the same sense of rootedness and belonging that came to be by classical cornfield. The nopal, her basament Villa Milpa Alta cactus as many planted in the delegation with 66.3% of land cultivada1, while in other towns such as San Pablo Santa Ana Tlacotenco Oztotepec or even corn is planted. Thanks to the success of the nopal and its economic impact, the physiognomy of the town began to change, because while the corn resulted in nopalera, the community center was urbanized with the construction of houses and shops, at this, it can be said that the economic development of that area of ​​demarcation is due in large part to the production of nopal, also known as "green gold". ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][3] In 1997 due to increased production, Javier Rios Jimenez, current administrator of the distribution center, called the organization of neighborhoods of the town to arrange the construction and operation of facilities for the distribution of nopal. It was in 2000 when the Centre collection of vegetables nopal- settled after hundreds of meetings with producers and management of the District authority. This center is accessible to any producer of cactus, as long as it is a native of Milpa Alta. In it there are no local fixed but are accommodated as they arrive. The start of the sale starts usually between 3 and 4 am, when arriving to the customers in the State of Mexico, Puebla and Michoacan, mainly. Therefore, the busiest in the collection center is in the morning until 10 am, because of this many producers can return to continue their work in the field; home to do housework, or have other work activities to supplement their income. The economic organization around the cactus has a division of labor that starts with the producers, medium or large scale; continues with cutters, hired to collect the leaves. Subsequently, the cactus takes the distribution center, there is divided the selling rate in wholesale or retail: the first producers form the "bales", ie piles usually have 200 nopales for sale, and chargers worth of transfers made by the point of sale to the customer means of transport. It is in this area that is to intermediaries from outside the community, checking for quality nopal, from it, negotiate the price of their goods. ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][4] Texto y fotos: Alina Eunice Lozada Rosillo* **2. Regulating services + Habitat or Supporting services + Cultural services** In the delegation "Miguel Hidalgo" Mexico City (center-west), is located the most important urban lung of the city lies commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" (Chapultepec Forest) in Mexico City, is one of the largest city parks in the Western Hemisphere, measuring in total just over 686 hectares (1,695 acres). Centered on a rock formation called Chapultepec Hill, one of the park's main functions is to be an ecological space in the vast megalopolis. It is considered the first and most important of Mexico City's "lungs", with trees that replenish oxygen to the Valley of Mexico. The park area has been inhabited and held as special since the Pre-Columbian era, when it became a retreat for Aztec rulers. In the colonial period, Chapultepec Castle would be built here, eventually becoming the official residence of Mexican heads of state. It would remain such until 1940, when it was moved to another part of the park called Los Pinos. Today, the park is divided into three sections, with the first section being the oldest and most visited. This section contains most of the park's attractions including its zoo, the Museum of Anthropology, the Rufino Tamayo Museum, and more. It receives an estimated 15 million visitors per year. This prompted the need for major rehabilitation efforts which began in 2005 and ended in 2010. ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][5] ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][6] This forest is important because it acts as a **MULTI ecosystem server** for the city: **REGULATING SERVICES** **Local climate and air quality:** Trees provide shade whilst forests influence rainfall and water availability both locally and regionally. Trees or other plants also play an important role in regulating air quality by removing pollutants from the atmosphere. **Carbon sequestration and storage:** Ecosystems regulate the global climate by storing and sequestering greenhouse gases. As trees and plants grow, they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and effectively lock it away in their tissues. In this way forest ecosystems are carbon stores. Biodiversity also plays an important role by improving the capacity of ecosystems to adapt to the effects of climate change. ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][7] ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][8] ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][9] **HABITAT OR SUPPORTING SERVICES** **Habitats for species:** Habitats provide everything that an individual plant or animal needs to survive: food; water; and shelter. Each ecosystem provides different habitats that can be essential for a species’ lifecycle. Migratory species including birds, fish, mammals and insects all depend upon different ecosystems during their movements. ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][10] ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][11] **CULTURAL SERVICES** **Recreation and mental and physical health:** Walking and playing sports in green space is not only a good form of physical exercise but also lets people relax. The role that green space plays in maintaining mental and physical health is increasingly being recognized, despite difficulties of measurement. ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][12] ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][13] **Tourism:** Ecosystems and biodiversity play an important role for many kinds of tourism which in turn provides considerable economic benefits and is a vital source of income for many countries. In 2008 global earnings from tourism summed up to US$ 944 billion. Cultural and eco-tourism can also educate people about the importance of biological diversity. CASTILLO DE CHAPULTEPEC ![Castillo de Chapultepec][14] **Aesthetic appreciation and inspiration for culture, art and design:** Language, knowledge and the natural environment have been intimately related throughout human history. Biodiversity, ecosystems and natural landscapes have been the source of inspiration for much of our art, culture and increasingly for science. ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][15] **Spiritual experience and sense of place:** In many parts of the world natural features such as specific forests, caves or mountains are considered sacred or have a religious meaning. Nature is a common element of all major religions and traditional knowledge, and associated customs are important for creating a sense of belonging. ![ingrese la descripción de la imagen aquí][16] [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474544962053517.png [2]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474549204903198.png [3]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474552247730022.png [4]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474554244896887.png [5]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474565661329553.jpg [6]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1447456585111792.jpg [7]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1447457087264154.png [8]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474571097768086.png [9]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474571312117331.png [10]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474575317059406.png [11]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474575504264124.png [12]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474577985287945.png [13]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474578274314607.png [14]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474579148178245.png [15]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474581533242214.png [16]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14474583341979972.png