Calica Lands Protection Plan Finalized by October

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The management plan for the Felipe Carrillo Puerto Flora and Fauna Protection Area, which includes the lands of Calica, is expected to be finalized by October. The plan will establish the legal framework and conservation measures for the newly designated protected natural area spanning approximately 53,000 hectares.

Fernando Orozco, director of the protected area, stated that authorities have one year from the issuance of the decree to publish the management plan. The decree was published in September 2024 during the final days of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration.

“As a protected natural area, any project proposed within the polygon must first obtain a technical opinion from the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp). So far, all opinions issued by Conanp have been negative,” explained Orozco.

The publication of the management plan is crucial as it will clarify the legal status of Calica’s lands, covering roughly 2,200 hectares where stone material has been extracted using explosive methods for years.

Although Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, head of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), had previously stated that the plan would be ready by February of this year, its completion has been delayed. However, Orozco emphasized that the timeline for finalizing the document remains on track.

Calica, a transnational company, has legally challenged the decree through multiple avenues. These challenges follow shutdown orders imposed by the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) since 2022.

Orozco noted that the protected area is under strict surveillance to prevent any environmentally damaging activities. Environmentalists have urged the protection of underground rivers within the zone to prevent future infrastructure projects, such as the Tren Maya, which has caused damage to caves and cenotes in other regions.

The management plan will ultimately define permissible activities within the protected area, which spans parts of Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cozumel.