The Benito Juárez National Park is in the
Valles Centrales Region of
Oaxaca
Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...
,
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, and includes parts of the municipalities of
San Felipe Tejalapam and
San Andres Huayapan.
The southern boundary of the park is about five kilometers north of the City of
Oaxaca
Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...
.
The park was established in 1937 during the presidency of General
Lazaro Cardenas del Rio, and is named after President
Benito Juárez
Benito Pablo Juárez García (; 21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) was a Mexican politician, military commander, and lawyer who served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872. A Zapotec peoples, Zapotec, he w ...
, who was a native of Oaxaca.
Description
The park ranges from 1,650 to 3,050 meters above sea level. The climate is Coastal sub-humid and Temperate sub-humid.
The main rivers that cross the park are the Huayapan and San Felipe rivers.
Most of their water is piped to supply the city of Oaxaca.
The park covers 2,737 hectares, including the 3,111 meter high Cerro San Felipe, part of the
Sierra Madre de Oaxaca
The Sierra Madre de Oaxaca is a mountain range in southeastern Mexico. It is primarily in the state of Oaxaca, and extends north into the states of Puebla and Veracruz.
Geography
The mountain range begins at Pico de Orizaba, and extends in a sout ...
.
[
There are pine and oak forests in the upper reaches of the mountain. Lower down there are scrub oaks, and tropical deciduous forest in the canyons.
]
Concerns
The park is the main home of the dwarf jay (''Cyanolyca nana''), considered a vulnerable species.
The boundaries of the park are not well delimited.
The park is threatened by livestock encroachment, illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase, or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission, or from a p ...
, forest fires and hunting.
The pine-oak forests are being attacked by mistletoe, especially in the area adjacent to San Andrés Huayapan.[
The sport of downhill cycling is popular within the park.]
Gallery of flora
File:Rhynchostele cervantesii ssp. membranacea.JPG, ''Rhynchostele cervantesii ssp. membranacea'' an endemic orchid in Oaxaca
File:Dahlia coccinea.jpg, Dalia, national flower of Mexico
Image:Govenia.jpg, Orquídea de Tierra (''Govenia lilacea'')
Image:Pericon.JPG, Pericón ('' Tagetes lucida'')
Image:Cerro 020.jpg, ''Pinguicula stolonifera'', carnivorous plant
Image:Cerro 013.jpg, Another species of Pinguicula (''Pinguicula moranensis'')
Image:Reforetacion2_008.jpg, Passiflora (''Passiflora holosericea'')
Image:Rhynchostele galeottiana, Cerro San Felipe.jpg, ''Rhynchostele galeottiana'' a species of orchid in danger of extinction
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benito Juarez National Park
National parks of Mexico
Natural history of Oaxaca
Protected areas established in 1937
Protected areas of Oaxaca
Sierra Madre de Oaxaca