claimed to come from Aztec words meaning "land of the maguey", and use of the maguey (otherwise known as the century plant) was widespread in pre-Columbian Mexico. An alternative proposed derivation is from Mixtec words meaning "place of obsidian", and the town uses a logo that depicts an object made of obsidian. Economy Ixtlán is now a centre for eco-tourism. Its location, surrounded by cloud forest and pine and oak woodlands (which are forested sustainably) gives it great natural landscape beauty, and the forests of the Sierra Juárez mountains are claimed to be home to around 500 bird species and 6000 plant species. Tours are operated from the village, and accommodation is available. Hiking trails link it to neighbouring towns and villages in the Sierra Norte. It is accessible by the bus service that connects Oaxaca and Veracruz along Federal Highway 175. The land is held in common, but for a time in the late 20th century, a Mexican national paper manufacturer held a concession to harvest its forests. However, when the concession expired, the local communities denied the company any extensions and the forests are now managed communally in order to ensure that they are sustainable. Principal agricultural crops in the municipality of Ixtlán are maize and coffee, with a small amount of land given over to sugarcane and other crops. Fair trade marketing has made a substantial difference to the coffee growers in this area. Higher education As a rural mountainous region, higher education had previously not been readily available to the populace. In April 2005 the government of the state of Oaxaca established the Universidad de la Sierra Juárez to help further the development and education of citizens in the Sierra Norte region. Currently the university offers degrees in the fields of natural sciences, sociology and humanities. UNSIJ also encourages four core academic activities among its students, including: teaching, research, cultural enrichment, and promotion of regional development. Notable buildings Templo de St Tomás Apóstol (Church of St Thomas the Apostle), a baroque building constructed 1640–1734, replacing an earlier adobe structure. Clock tower on the Plaza Presidencia municipal Museo de la Biodiversidad (Biodiversity Museum) References External links Entry for Ixtlán de Juárez in the Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México (in Spanish) Municipalities of Oaxaca Sierra Madre de Oaxaca