Rewilding Success: Bison Return to El Carmen Reserve Boosts Biodiversity

A 130,000-hectare nature reserve between Mexico and the United States, El Carmen, is celebrating 25 years of conservation efforts. Cemex, in collaboration with environmental organizations, has successfully reintroduced the American bison, with 117 now residing in the reserve. The first native bison calves were born in 2023, marking the completion of the species' first breeding cycle after a century of absence. El Carmen also hosts over 1,500 plant species, 289 bird species, 81 reptile and amphibian species, and 80 mammal species. Rewilding initiatives have boosted biodiversity and enhanced the ecosystem's CO2 removal capacity by increasing biomass stocks. Other species, including desert bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and desert mule deer, have also been successfully reintroduced.