Mexican Desert with Volcanoes and Dunes Recognized as World Heritage Site

In late June, About.com’s page for Mexico shared the news that El Pinacate y Gran Desierto del Altar Biosphere Reserve in the northern Mexican state of Sonora has been recognized as a World Heritage Site.  Here’s part of the description of the site:

 

 

To the east, a volcanic system which includes the large, dormant volcano El Pinacate, has 400 cinder cones and black and red lava flows and desert pavements, as well as ten enormous craters. To the west, the Gran Desierto del Altar (Great Altar Desert) is North America’s largest area of active sand dunes, some of them reaching over 650 feet in height. The area is home to over 1000 plant and animal species, and is considered the desert region with the most biodiversity in the world.

 

 

Just for your pleasure, I’ve dug up some pictures of  El Pinacate y Gran Desierto del Altar Biosphere Reserve:

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

 

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