Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The federal government has given the green light to move forward with the creation of the Great Underground Rivers Reserve of Quintana Roo, a proposed protected area of roughly three million hectares stretching from the Sian Ka’an region northward across much of the state, said Roberto Rojo, who spearheaded the Cenotes Urbanos project.
Rojo said the proposal was presented about a year ago, and that the perimeter now under consideration by federal authorities is even larger than initially planned. He added that technical and administrative procedures still must be completed before the reserve can be formally established.
Among the 12 outstanding steps are preparing a preliminary justification study and holding a public consultation. Rojo said work is already underway with the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) to advance the process.
If established as set out in the proposal, the reserve would be the first protected natural area in Mexico created specifically to safeguard underground rivers and cenotes, protecting a vast web of freshwater systems in Quintana Roo.
Rojo acknowledged the process will be complex, as it requires the participation of various sectors and coordination with municipal land-use and environmental planning instruments, including urban development programs and local ecological management plans.
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