This paper presents a collaborative research project conducted with Indigenous communities in the highly biodiverse region of the Sierra Norte de Puebla, Mexico. The central hypothesis is that high levels of linguistic-cultural vitality, together with strong community-level cohesion, are associated with greater social and ecological resilience, as reflected in sustained and successful struggles for environmental justice. The study examines Indigenous responses to specific external environmental threats (including intrusions by extractive companies), as well as to adverse climatic, social, and economic pressures affecting access to vital resources such as water or forest. Particular attention is paid to community efforts to secure water access and quality, preserve forest biodiversity, and continue sustainable management practices of natural resources. The research also explores local strategies for recovery from environmental crises and addresses potential relationships between biodiversity and linguistic diversity from community perspectives, with a focus on long-term practices embedded in the production, transmission, and use of emic environmental knowledge.