 The forest stretches over 1,860 hectares, of which 1,591 have been established as a protected area (NPA) under the category of municipal watershed protection area ("Area Municipal de Protección Hidrológica").The areas covered by the forest protection decree cover Nixticuil, the Cerro del Diente and the community of San Esteban, which form part of the Río Blanco watershed.The forest's wildlife include coyote, fox, skunk, rabbit, opossum, various species of rodents and birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects.