Mennonites Deforest 2,600+ Hectares of Mayan Jungle

Mérida, Yucatán — The Mennonite community has illegally cleared and burned more than 2,600 hectares of Mayan jungle across the three states of the Yucatán Peninsula—Quintana Roo, Campeche, and Yucatán—according to Mexico’s Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa).

The report comes just 13 days after Alicia Isabel Adriana Bárcena Ibarra, head of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), acknowledged in an interview that "the Mennonites in Yucatán pose a severe environmental problem," noting that they have even confronted authorities "with weapons" when attempts were made to halt their ecologically damaging activities.

Illegal Logging Converts Mayan Jungle into Monocultures

Profepa stated in a press release that after conducting "intensive operations in forested areas of Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo" from May 28 to June 14, inspectors shut down seven properties where the Mennonite community had set fires and illegally cleared vegetation. These actions were aimed at converting "forest land into agro-industrial monocultures without authorization."

Extent of Illegal Deforestation

The agency reported that "the clearings affected an area exceeding 2,608.9 hectares."

"All affected properties are located in areas where the expansion of Mennonite population activities has been recorded."
Profepa

Authorities also seized 108.5 cubic meters of round and squared timber, three agricultural towers, one 36-disc harrow implement, one harvester, and three agricultural tractors.

Quintana Roo: 10.68 Hectares Cleared

Inspections in Quintana Roo were carried out in the municipalities of José María Morelos and Othón P. Blanco.

In the ejido (communal land) of Piedras Negras, José María Morelos, Profepa and Mexican Army personnel detected unauthorized land-use changes across 10.68 hectares of native Mayan jungle. A total of 1,057.33 cubic meters of native vegetation was removed, including threatened species such as Thrinax radiata (known as coastal thatch palm), Zumaia loddigesii, and mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), all listed under CITES Appendix II and Mexico’s NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010.

In Othón P. Blanco’s ejido Juan Sarabia, unauthorized land-use changes were found across 437.517 hectares. Among the cleared species were Astronium graveolens (jobillo), Cryosophila argéntea (kum palm), Thrinax radiata (chit palm), and Zamia polymorpha (zamía palm), all protected under NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010.

Campeche: 527 Hectares Destroyed

Despite a 2021 agreement with the Mexican government to halt deforestation, Mennonites in Campeche cleared vast tracts of Mayan jungle in Hopelchén and Calakmul. On June 12, Profepa, supported by the National Guard, military, and state police, identified nine affected areas totaling 527 hectares of illegally converted forest.

Authorities imposed temporary closures and seized three tractors, one harvester, one trailer, 108.5 cubic meters of timber, eight tools, three agricultural towers, and one 36-disc harrow.

Yucatán: 350 Hectares Burned

In Tekax, Yucatán, inspectors and security forces documented illegal logging and burning on June 13.

"Natural vegetation was replaced by leveled land, with cut, felled, and burned adult trees, young trees, and herbaceous plants. Heavy machinery was used, and roots, trunks, and charred branches were found on the ground."
Profepa

The 350-hectare site also featured drainage ditches, a sascab-covered access road, concrete structures, and an irrigation system.

Total Damage Across the Peninsula

Six operations were conducted: two each in Campeche (Calakmul, Hopelchén), Yucatán (Tekax), and Quintana Roo (José María Morelos, Othón P. Blanco). Seven properties were closed, and 2,608.9 hectares were affected:

• Campeche: 702 hectares
• Yucatán: 606.4 hectares
• Quintana Roo: 1,300.5 hectares

This adds to prior violations, including the illegal clearing of 2,200 square meters in the Bala’an K’aax reserve (Yucatán) in May and 11 hectares in the Puuc Biocultural Reserve (Yucatán) in March.

Profepa pledged continued enforcement to halt and reverse environmental damage in the region, ensuring compliance with environmental laws and seeking reparations for affected areas.