Forests for People

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is already a real and successful option for forest ecosystem conser-

vation.

With PES (from 2003 to 2010), more than 2,921,000 hectares have

been incorporated, including the protected area through the mecha-

nism of matching funds. Around 5,565 million pesos have been

invested for the benefit of more than 5,400 ejidos, communities and

small forest landowners. Due to the areas involved and the results,

Mexico’s PES is a leader in Latin America.

Strengthening the community forestry model

Conafor programmes have strengthened the social capital of

communities and ejidos by supporting the planning processes of

the use of forest land through studies of community land guide-

lines covering more than five million hectares and modification

and development of the ejidos’ regulations and community stat-

utes to define the internal arrangements for the use and access of

the natural resources and the diversification processes of forest

management.

The Project for the Conservation and Sustainable Management

of Forest Resources in Mexico (Procymaf), created in 1997 to

promote community forestry, was incorporated into Conafor

in 2002. Between 1997 and 2003, Procymaf

supported around 400 ejidos and communities in six

states, with an investment of 140 million pesos. In

the period 2004-2010, Conafor supported 1,650

ejidos and communities in 12 states for forest devel-

opment projects – which represent 55.1 per cent of

the communities and ejidos in the country engaged in

forest activities – with an investment of 338 million

pesos. In 2011, the coverage of this support was

extended to all 32 states in Mexico.

In addition to direct and indirect economic support,

the momentum of this forestry model has expanded

markets for goods and services produced by the agri-

cultural and forest environment and improved the level

of vertical integration of community companies. As a

result, the value chain of goods and services produced

in the agricultural areas has improved. Moreover it has

contributed to management and organizational devel-

opment (between and within communities) and the

conservation and maintenance of the natural capital

of Mexico.

The Mexican Territory offers visitors a range of ecotourism attractions

Image: CONAFOR