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The forest ecosystems of Mexico experience soil degradation mainly due to water erosion, which causes low vegetation regeneration. One of the strategies to diminish soil loss is through the construction of stone bunds (SB)—hand-made structures to trap sediment and store water for longer periods. However, little is known about their effects on pine establishment. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of SB on the survival and growth of individual P. engelmannii Carr. specimens with respect to the distance of their planted. The study additionally sought to analyse how SB would affect changes in the production of aerial phytomass, herbaceous vegetation cover and soil characteristics in a reforested area of Durango State in north-central Mexico. Three treatments were evaluated by planting pine trees at three distances with respect to the SB: 80 cm upslope bund (UB), 80 cm downslope bund (DB) and between upper and lower bunds (BB). The variables analysed were the following: The survival and growth of reforestation, aerial coverage and the production of herbaceous plants, and the physicochemical characteristics of the soil. Survival showed significant differences (p < 0.05) among treatments, UB (80%), DB (27%) and BB (30%). The production of aerial phytomass did not show significant differences between treatments UB (1651 kg ha−1) and DB (1058 kg ha−1), although these two were different (p < 0.05) to BB (600 kg ha−1). On the other hand, the vegetation cover and soil characteristics did not show statistical differences. These results highlight the importance of the effect of SB on the survival of P. engelmannii Carr. and the growth of herbaceous vegetation.

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For this study, conducted in a semiarid (318 mm) rangeland setting in the Chihuahuan Desert region in northern Mexico, we evaluated the seasonal and interannual variability of precipitation, vegetation, and groundwater relations. Between 2012 and 2014, a series of soil and water conservation practices (e.g., land imprinting, contour furrows, and planting of native shrub species) were conducted in several areas within the 2500 ha study site. Since 2014, the site has been gradually instrumented to monitor several hydrologic variables, including rainfall, soil water content, and groundwater. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Infrared Index (NDII) vegetation indices were used to evaluate vegetation conditions between 2007 and 2021, before and after the treatment. Soil water content and groundwater began to be monitored in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Study results show that NDVI and NDII values were higher in the years following the treatment. A negative trend in NDVI values was observed in the years before restoration and reversed in the post-treatment years. The relatively low levels of soil water content obtained every year followed a seasonal response to precipitation inputs characterized by a quick rise and decline at the 0.2 m depth and a more gradual rise and decline for sensors at 0.5 m and 0.8 m depths. A positive trend in groundwater levels has been observed since the onset of monitoring in 2016, with seasonal groundwater levels rising between 0.7 m and 1.3 m for most years, except for 2020, when levels dropped 1 m. The yearly recharge of the aquifer ranged between 102 mm and 197 mm. The conservation practices employed have positively affected the state of the rangeland ecosystem. The upward trends in NDVI, NDII, and groundwater levels observed in the post-treatment years were partly attributed to improved land conditions. The findings of this study contribute to the improved understanding of land use and environmental relations in summer precipitation-dominated rangeland ecosystems.