Desertification is considered one of the most serious threats to arid, semiarid, and sub-humid environments. In this study, several remote sensing techniques were integrated for monitoring desertification in a semiarid region of the central Mexican plateau (state of Querétaro). Landsat TM images were used to compute the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Bare-Soil Index (BSI), and albedo (α). A change vector analysis (CVA) examined changes in the direction and magnitude of indicators during the 1993–2011 period in order to detect degradations or improvements in land conditions over a period of time. In addition, a desertification degree index (DDI) was applied based on the NDVI–α relationship. The results indicated that in the semiarid zone of the state of Querétaro, 48.3% of land use corresponds with agricultural areas; 2.7% of the area does not present any degree of desertification, while 49% presents the following degrees of desertification: 5.5% extreme, 10.9% severe, 18.9% moderate, and 13.7% low. The DDI applied in this approach for evaluating this phenomenon at the regional and municipal level is an effective tool for identifying areas at risk of desertification, in addition to monitoring changes in the degree or direction of desertification.

Water is one of the primary resources for humans; however, clean water available for consumption is a constant problem worldwide. Nonetheless, environmental education is fundamental to promote social consciousness and orientate people to improve water management, and children are the main target as they are prone to adopt long-lasting habits. Therefore, this study aimed to implement an environmental education program on water conservation in 10-year-old students from two rural communities within the Nenetzingo River catchment in Mexico. The study was a three-step methodology that included diagnostics, education, and evaluation. It was found that the students that participated in the educational program enriched their knowledge, attitudes, and perception towards water. Therefore, implementing environmental education programs in young students can improve water use and conservation in Mexico. Additionally, the design used in this research allows identifying the target groups for immediate intervention.