We used to have many bird captures. People from different places from ours [were] coming to catch our birds to sell them in the market. And I said to the kids, "Next time that this man comes, please call me to my office."

They called and they say, "Maestra, the man is here! He has been here for three days, and we know where he is." Then I ran to the community and I met a group of very angry and concerned children in the main plaza of the community. And they told me, "He is in that house!" And I went and knocked on the door, and a very mad lady – it's my friend, but she was frightened you know, because she had the man inside.

God, it was so sad to feel the vibration of those birds that were just caught, yeah, in the cages. God, you could feel it! But this man had a permission, from – official permission. They have the permission, but it didn't say what kind of permission, how long, how many. Not a word. Then I took the number and the name and I said, "I'm going to check your permission."

Finally, when I got a federal inspector to come check it, the man went in that morning with all the birds. He took all the birds away, and I was so frustrated, no? And the children, too. But I couldn't do anything else, because I cannot take the birds away by myself.

Three days later, the chief of the community came to the office with a letter – like with 100 signatures telling that they forbid, from then on, anyone to come to the community to capture birds, even if they have permission. And we had 150 meetings in different communities, and got 150 letters with signatures.

And I went to Queretaro City the day that they gave the permissions, and I say, "Even if you get the permission . . ." – because there were all these men, the capturers, no – and I said "Even if you have the permission, please don't come to Sierra, because we have eyes and ears everywhere, and we as private landowners – we don't want to see you around Sierra, no."

But it was so easy to organize the people like this. Everybody is concerned about the birds. Yeah, and since then, now, five years ago, we have not seen one more of them going to Sierra.

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