Desierto de los Leones (Desert of the Lions) National Park is located entirely within the limits of Mexico City; it stretches between Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs.

[1] It is located in the Sierra de las Cruces mountain range west of the city center with an area of 1,867 hectares,[2] representing fifteen percent of the entire Valley of Mexico.

[3] The term Desierto (‘desert’) is used in this context in the archaic sense of “wild, sparsely populated area” rather than in reference to an arid environment.

[4] The park's altitude varies between 2,600 and 3,700 meters above sea level,[1] giving the area a relatively cold and damp climate.

It was originally declared a forest reserve in 1876 by President Lerdo de Tejada with the intent of conserving its fresh water springs to supply Mexico City.

The second version is attributed to the last name of a family that helped the religious order acquire legal possession of the property.

With the growth of the city to the western valley of Mexico and the need for natural spaces, the Mexican government has sought for the expansion and preservation of this important place.

Finally, on April 16, 1999, the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) signed the coordination agreement where the Federal Government transferred the full administration of the "Desierto de los Leones" National Park to the local government, which was formalized with the Delivery and Reception Act on November 24, 2000.

The Carmelita is crucified on a cross, with a padlock in his mouth, silicon in his eyes and where a baby Jesus is resting within his visible broken heart inside his chest.

In any case, the decoration was based in “al fresco” paintings of religious themes, all of them were huge and in large quantities.

With the purpose of avoiding confusion of said vows, the Carmelitas developed a system of signs and signals to allow effective communication.

As a result of the custom of their time, women weren't allowed to access the convent, thanks to a decree of Pope Clemente VIII, which said that any woman who trespasses the wall would be banned from the Catholic Church.

Some penances were ordinary, such as walking barefoot at night with a heavy cross and with a crown made of thorns, like Jesus in the Passion, or the flagellation on Holy Friday.

In ordinary days, they would attend mass, read, have silent meditation and spend time soul-searching, focusing more on the spiritual life than in the necessities of the human body.

The last article authorizes the Ministry of Public Works to exploit resources within the park, such as dead, diseased, defective or outdated trees, and those which can alter the development of the forest.

The Secretariat is not authorized to contract or grant permissions to individuals for the exploitation of these resources, neither is for hunting and livestock grazing.

[15] The park is located in the Federal District of Mexico City distributed between the boroughs of Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón.

[2] It is one of the most important natural areas of the Federal District, protecting much of the Sierra de las Cruces mountain range[2] and represents about 15% of the Valley of Mexico.

Nowadays, with the expansion of urban areas and the need to find fresh water deposits by the Mexican population, some of the rivers and springs in the park are recklessly exploited.

Starting from the watercourses which are fed from the springs that flow into the Desierto de los Leones, two of the most important rivers of the Valley of Mexico originate in the park, the Mixcoac River and Rio Hondo, which are fed by the water of other streams that form the Agua de Leones Stream.

The rich, natural resources of the Desierto de los Leones is undeniable and its available deposits of fresh water is the greatest virtues of the park.

A previous example is the Taza Vieja spring is located in middle of the park and composed by thirteen outcrops; Piletas, San Miguel, Zorrillas, Lagunillas, Lobos, Ruedas, Palmas, Llorona, La Portería, Monarcas, Otales, Arce y Capulines.

One of the main problems the park faces, is the appearance of the bark beetle, a 3 mm insect that attacks pines.

[22][23] Inside the National Park, different recreational and environmental activities are offered to the visitors, including: camping, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding and trekking.

[24] To protect the endemic flora and fauna, diverse programs had been created to conserve vegetal and animal species.

[25] Parque Nacional Desierto de Los Leones is encompassed by the boroughs Cuajimalpa and Alvaro Obregon within Mexico City.

From the announcement of the National Development Plan carried out by the government of the Mexican president Miguel de la Madrid, the protection over the natural areas in Mexico City was notoriously increased.

[citation needed] Desierto de los Leones is divided in two areas, the first one corresponds to the public space, equivalent to 19% of the total surface which covers the ex-convent, the path to the desert and the white cross.

A proper forest management is required in order to maintain the fauna and wild life due to a degree of deterioration showed nowadays and mainly caused by the pollution that comes from the urban area.

The wildlife inhabiting in the Desierto de los Leones is mainly composed of stray dogs and they feed themselves on wild animals, which can cause disease transmission.