Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda heads a region-wide civil society alliance for participatory conservation in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in Queretaro State, the largest protected area in the world under social management, with 1 million acres and 100,000 resident landowners. Social and economic opportunities are generated for the 638 communities by integrating ecological tourism, agriculture and holistic management best practices, handicraft products, voluntary carbon offsets, and a teaching and learning centre – the Earth Center.