Community Innovations in a Landscape Context, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Mexico
Case Study C0188
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| Date | October 2004 |
| Agency | GEF COMPACT Initiative |
| Donor/support agency | U’Yo’olche Vigia Chico fishing cooperative Various local NGOs, cooperatives and community based organisations |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Protected area |
| Geographic coverage | Mexico |
| Locality | Municipalities of Solidaridad and Felipe Carrillo Puerto, State of Quintana Roo |
| Biodiversity focus | Ecosystem/landscape |
| Development focus | Local communities |
| Conservation goals | Preserve the biodiversity of Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve |
| Poverty reduction goals | Provide local residents with alternative sustainable livelihoods opportunities |
Summary
The Sian Ka’an protected area was first recognized as a Biosphere Reserve in 1986 and inscribed on the World Heritage List the following year. Approximately 80% of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (528,000 ha) is terrestrial, whilst a further 20% is marine, and a vast number of plants, algal species, mammals and birds have been recorded within its boundaries. The reserve hosts a total population of 800 inhabitants, predominantly of Mayan origin. Most inhabitants depend on fishing, livestock and agriculture for their living, but remain among the poorest people in Mexico. In addition, their economic activites (e.g. collection of wild plants and hunting for subsistence, lobster poaching and illegal fishing, agricultural clearings) are threatening the biodiversity of the Reserve.
In response to this situation, COMPACT* strategy in Mexico is to provide local residents with sustainable livelihoods opportunities, while resisting the negative effects for the environment. Between 2000 and 2004 COMPACT approved 45 projects that fall into four main categories: (i) ecotourism; (ii) the management of wildlife conservation and use zones; (iii) traditional medicine; and (iv) cultural restoration. Sustainable livelihood options that integrate biodiversity conservation objectives with communities’ needs and aspirations form the largest group of projects.
* In 1999, the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (SGP) joined efforts with the United Nations Foundation (UNF) to launch a partnership initiative entitled ‘Community Management of Protected Areas for Conservation’ (COMPACT). The goal of COMPACT is to demonstrate how community-based initiatives can significantly increase the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation in the co-management of globally significant protected areas by working to improve the livelihoods of local populations. COMPACT began in March 2000 and has been implemented at natural World Heritage sites in Belize (C0187), Dominica (C0189), Kenya (C0190), Mexico (C0188), Philippines (C0192) and Tanzania (C0191). (For more information on COMPACT see initiative n°36.)
Conservation impact
The following are some of the impacts of the project to date:
- Many income generating projects have included environmental education activities, which have helped to raise awarness on the importance of conserving natural resources
- 60,000 ha of community lands have been brought into the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve’s sphere of influence
- Thanks to COMPACT support towards capacity-building for improved forest management, a community-based commercial enterprise (NohBec) has managed to put 25,000 ha of forests under sustainable management
Poverty reduction impact
The following are some of the impacts of the project to date:
- Of the grantees, approximately 50% are recently-formed organizations that are predominantly Mayan. This reflects a strong organizational effort by the COMPACT team and partners to enable first of all the generally poor, rural Mayan communities to have access to funding from the programme
- By improving the management of lobsters, a 50% increase in harvest was achieved between July 2002 and February 2003 and the community implementing the project was able to repay completely the initial fund it had received
- A certification process was launched with Naturland, a German organic certification agency, that resulted in considerably higher prices for organic honey, as well as improved environmental protection
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Enabling local participation in policy-/decision- making processes
Provision of alternative livelihoods
Revival of traditional practices
Reference 1
http://www.undp.org/sgp/download/publications/Partnerships%20for%20conservation%20-%20web.pdf
More information
Julio Moure Cortes
Tel/Fax: (52) 983 8340763
E-mail: jmoure@prodigy.net.mx
Related records above this one:
- COMPACT (Community Management of Protected Areas for Conservation) (Initiative I0036)
- Global Environment Facility (GEF) (Organisation O0026)