Repositorio
Institucional

Lazos-Chavero, Elena

Meli, Paula

Bonfil, Consuelo

Vulnerabilities and Threats to Natural Forest Regrowth: Land Tenure Reform, Land Markets, Pasturelands, Plantations, and Urbanization in Indigenous Communities in Mexico

MDPI

LAND

en

Despite the economic and social costs of national and international efforts to restore millions of hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes, results have not met expectations due to land tenure conflicts, land-use transformation, and top-down decision-making policies. Privatization of land, expansion of cattle raising, plantations, and urbanization have created an increasingly competitive land market, dispossessing local communities and threatening forest conservation and regeneration. In contrast to significant investments in reforestation, natural regrowth, which could contribute to landscape regeneration, has not been sufficiently promoted by national governments. This study analyzes socio-ecological and economic vulnerabilities of indigenous and other peasant communities in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Chiapas, and Morelos related to the inclusion of natural regeneration in their forest cycles. While these communities are located within protected areas (Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, El Tepozteco National Park, and Chichinautzin Biological Corridor), various threats and vulnerabilities impede natural regeneration. Although landscape restoration involves complex political, economic, and social relationships and decisions by a variety of stakeholders, we focus on communities' vulnerable land rights and the impacts of privatization on changes in land use and forest conservation. We conclude that the social, economic, political, and environmental vulnerabilities of the study communities threaten natural regeneration, and we explore necessary changes for incorporating this process in landscape restoration.

artículo original

"The research made in Veracruz was funded by the PAPIIT program (""Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos de Investigacion e Innovacion Tecnologica"") of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico for the project titled 'Threats and vulnerabilities in Mexican agriculture: loss of agrobiodiversity and control of seeds, youth migration, and climate change' (PAPIIT IN304519), coordinated by Elena Lazos Chavero. The research made in Chiapas was funded by Fondecyt (Project 11191021).

La investigación realizada en Veracruz fue financiada por el programa PAPIIT (""Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica"") de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México para el proyecto titulado 'Amenazas y vulnerabilidades en la agricultura mexicana: pérdida de agrobiodiversidad y control de Semillas, migración juvenil y cambio climático' (PAPIIT IN304519), coordinado por Elena Lazos Chavero. La investigación realizada en Chiapas fue financiada por Fondecyt (Proyecto 11191021)."

10.3390/land10121340

PDF

socio-environmental vulnerabilities

land tenure

land market

cattle raising

plantations

natural regeneration

urbanization

USE/LAND-COVER CHANGE

TROPICAL DEFORESTATION

REDD PLUS

RESTORATION

GOVERNANCE

LANDSCAPES

AREAS

Estudios ambientales

vulnerabilidades socioambientales

tenencia de la tierra

mercado de tierras

ganadería

plantaciones

regeneración natural

urbanización

USO/CAMBIO DE COBERTURA DEL TERRENO

DEFORESTACIÓN TROPICAL

REDD PLUS

RESTAURACIÓN

GOBERNANZA

PAISAJES

ÁREAS

Silvicultura

Conservación de la Biodiversidad

Geografía Cultural y Económica

Vulnerabilities and Threats to Natural Forest Regrowth: Land Tenure Reform, Land Markets, Pasturelands, Plantations, and Urbanization in Indigenous Communities in Mexico

artículo original

version publicada

CC BY 4.0

CC BY 4.0

acceso abierto

acceso abierto

WOS:000738663300001

UNAM PAPIIT IN304519

ANID FONDECYT 11191021