forests & Wetlands
Challenges
-
To increase the surface area of conservation and to strengthen the protected natural areas in the Peninsula of Yucatan.
-
Strengthening scheme of the network of private and social reserves of the Peninsula of Yucatan.
-
To strengthen productive alternatives of communities present in the PNA and their areas of influence.
-
To consolidate Pez Maya as a regional, environmental, educational and climate change research center.
Actions
-
Public consultation, workshops, training and regional dissemination for the importance, value and opportunities for development through the creation of new Protected Areas in the State of Quintana Roo.
-
Monitoring of species of ecological importance in our reserves to strengthen the network of private reserves and social.
-
Training in social, economic and environmental issues of Maya Ka'an communities.
-
The remodeling of the research facilities of 'Pez Maya".
-
The installation of a weather station in the research facilities.
-
The monitoring of the Mesoamerican Reef.
General
To create 7,413 acres of private reserves of forests and wetlands, ensuring the conservation of the biodiversity through the payment of environmental services.
To promote the establishment of 61,776 acres of new public protected areas, to conserve the forests that supply water to the main tourism destination in Latin America: Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
payment for environmental services
Amigos de Sian Ka'an in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the National Forest Commission (CONAFOR) formalized the first local fund to pay for environmental services. With donations from guests of the hotel chains such as Royal Resorts, AmResorts, Dreams, and Secrets, along with TNC and CONAFOR, we paid for two lots (one private and the other communal owned) for the hydrological services that they offer society in the more than 988 acres that conform their land.
This area will be expanded to 6,177 acres this year through a financially sustainable program that will help to preserve the jungle, its biodiversity, the services of recharging the aquifers and the carbon sequestration.
New reserves
One of the most significant and recent achievements of Amigos de Sian Ka'an was our collaboration with the government of Quintana Roo leading to the decree for three state protected areas totaling 74,131 acres: Forests and Wetlands of Cozumel State Park, the Lagoon System of Chichankanab State Park and the Laguna Bacalar Ecological Reserve.
These decrees were published in April 2011 in the Official Gazette of the State of Quintana Roo are the result of years of effort, studies and negotiations. These decrees present a unique opportunity to conserve species of Quintana Roo, the services of recharging the aquifers, they allow the development of projects based on ecotourism, and they guarantee the sustainability of rural communities and urban surroundings.
Wetland and jungle conservation
Amigos de Sian Ka'an is working to preserve the forests and wetlands of Quintana Roo with the participation of local communities and landowners. We have an ambitious program to pay the owners of forests for conservation and management practices and services such as water uptake, carbon sequestration, biological richness and beauty.
The program will also seek to fund the establishment of private reserves to supplement those protected by the state and federal governments.
accomplishments
Conservation of more than 1 million hectares of forests, wetlands, and marine environments, after achieving the establishment of 15 protected areas proposed by ASK.
We performed, for the sixth consecutive year, the national monitoring program of Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletti), a species with the status of "in conservation" in Mexico.
For 25 years we have collaborated with 37 Mayan communities and fishermen implementing services and sustainable products that promote their local economy.
We positioned Sian Ka'an as a renowned national attraction around the world, and with the local communities we created the most important ecotouristic project in the Peninsula of Yucatan (100 thousand visitors yearly from more than 40 countries).
