"Deforestation Threatens Avocado Farms: Hectares at Risk in Green Gold Rush"

Deforestation is jeopardizing avocado farms in Michoacán, with thousands of hectares at risk, threatening biodiversity and vital habitats like those of the Monarch butterfly.

• In Michoacán, the exponential growth of avocado farming has led to significant deforestation, with over 10,000 hectares of forest being cleared for market gardens.
• The loss of forest cover poses a direct threat to the Monarch butterfly, which relies on these ecosystems for migration and breeding, as many protected areas are being encroached upon.
• Local authorities are struggling to balance the lucrative avocado market against environmental concerns, as illegal logging for wood further exacerbates the deforestation crisis within biosphere reserves.