Benito Juárez National Park
Encyclopedia
The Benito Juárez National Park is in the Valles Centrales Region
of Oaxaca
, Mexico
, and includes parts of the municipalities of San Felipe Tejalapam
and San Andres Huayapan.
The southern boundary of the park is about 5 kilometers north of the City of Oaxaca
.
The park was established in 1937 during the presidency of General Lazaro Cardenas del Rio, and is named after President Benito Juárez
, who was a native of Oaxaca.
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 de San Felipe" (San Felipe Mountain), part of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca
.
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.
Most of the forest is secondary growth, having been previously forested.
(Cyanolyca nana), considered a vulnerable species.
The boundaries of the park are not well delimited.
The park is threatened by livestock encroachment, illegal logging, 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.
Valles Centrales de Oaxaca
The Valles Centrales is a region in the heart of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.It includes the districts of Etla, Centro, Zaachila, Zimatlán, Ocotlán, Tlacolula and Ejutla...
of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and includes parts of the municipalities of San Felipe Tejalapam
San Felipe Tejalapam
San Felipe Tejalapam is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 76.55 km².It is part of the Etla District in the Valles Centrales region.As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 6221....
and San Andres Huayapan.
The southern boundary of the park is about 5 kilometers north of the City of Oaxaca
Oaxaca, Oaxaca
The city and municipality of Oaxaca de Juárez, or simply Oaxaca, is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of the same name . It is located in the Centro District in the Central Valleys region of the state, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre at the base of the Cerro del Fortín...
.
The park was established in 1937 during the presidency of General Lazaro Cardenas del Rio, and is named after President Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
, 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 de San Felipe" (San Felipe Mountain), part of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca
Sierra Madre de Oaxaca
The Sierra Madre de Oaxaca is a mountain range in southern Mexico. It begins at Pico de Orizaba and extends in a southeasterly direction for 300 km until reaching the Isthmus of Tehuantepec...
.
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.
Most of the forest is secondary growth, having been previously forested.
Concerns
The park is the main home of the Dwarf JayDwarf Jay
The Dwarf Jay is a species of bird in the Corvidae family.It is endemic to Mexico.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
(Cyanolyca nana), considered a vulnerable species.
The boundaries of the park are not well delimited.
The park is threatened by livestock encroachment, illegal logging, 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
Downhill cycling
Downhill biking is a gravity-assisted time trial mountain biking event. Riders race against the clock, usually starting at intervals of 30 seconds , on courses which typically take two to five minutes to complete. Riders come from all around the world. Riders are timed with equipment similar to...
is popular within the park.