La Alberca de los Espinos. 02/02/09; Michoacán; 33 ha; 19°54´N 101°46´W. The area is characterized by a cineritic cone with a water body in the centre. This Ramsar Site is an importantattraction to both local and international tourists. Inside the crater, there is a tropical deciduous forest and a gallery forest around the lake. The site is home to various species protected by the Mexican legislation including: Cedrela dugesii, Albizia plurijuga and Erythrina coralloides. The most common flora species are Salix bonplandiana, Fraxinus uhdei and Lasiacis sp. The volcanic structure working as a catchment area for the lake, the permanence of healthy forests in the crater contributing to the retention of the sediments removed by erosion are considered as the main hydrological values of the site. In 2003, the site was declared a Natural Protected Area, and is now documented as a Zone of Ecological Preservation. Ramsar Site n°1922. Most recent RIS information: 2009.