Defending Playa del Carmen’s Last Green Lung

Playa del Carmen, MX. — The call to protect Chen Zubul will gain momentum this weekend during the Conservation Festival, where members of environmental collectives will warn that this 38-hectare polygon, one of the last remnants of coastal vegetation in the urban area, faces risks due to a lack of legal certainty and real estate pressure.

The festival will take place near this property, at Playa 88, organizers announced today in a press conference held at a café in this city.

According to the organizers, Chen Zubul functions as a natural green lung: it hosts mangroves, coastal dunes, and wetlands, in addition to typical regional fauna. Therefore, its preservation is considered strategic not only for biodiversity but also for coastal protection, as these ecosystems mitigate hurricane impacts, prevent erosion, and regulate water filtration.

During the citizen meeting, activists explained that the property contains species protected by the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), especially mangroves, whose loss would have severe environmental effects. However, they noted that the land remains in a “legal limbo,” as the domain status and exact boundaries of the polygon are still under review.

In that context, the collectives have begun to form a technical and legal front to support the defense of the area.

Beyond its ecological value, Chen Zubul represents one of the last natural spaces without construction within Playa del Carmen, a city subjected to strong urban and tourist pressure.

In recent years, environmental organizations have insisted that it be declared a zero-density zone or a Protected Natural Area, a designation that would provide certainty for its long-term conservation.

For now, the review of the property continues, but the collectives warn that time is critical; any delay opens the door to interventions that could fragment the ecosystem and compromise one of the few green lungs remaining in Playa del Carmen’s coastal strip.

The organizers detailed that this festival will begin at 10 a.m. next Sunday.

Among the activities to be carried out are a composting workshop, a swimming course, dance and magic performances, a human chain, and various concerts. (Agencia SIM)