Mexico Establishes Committee to Protect Maya Forest With Mesoamerican Biomes Project

Mérida, Yucatán — Mexico’s National Forestry Commission (Conafor) has established a state technical committee to coordinate efforts among government agencies, academic institutions, civil society organizations and local communities to protect the Maya Forest.

The committee was formed during a workshop for the project “Critical Forest Biomes of Mesoamerica: Securing Benefits for the Well-Being of Local Communities and Ecosystems of the Maya Forest of Mexico.” Participants outlined a work plan focused on conservation, restoration and sustainable management of the region, with emphasis on priority biodiversity areas, primary forests and communities that depend on these ecosystems.

The event brought together government officials, NGOs, academics and local specialists, led by Neyra Concepción Silva Rosado, head of the state’s Sustainable Development Secretariat (SDS).

Through dialogue, participants conducted territorial mapping exercises, analyzed financing mechanisms and identified collaboration opportunities in priority intervention zones.

Silva Rosado said the project reinforces the coordinated work already underway between the state government and partner institutions to maintain the health of Yucatán’s forest ecosystems.

“This project is very important for us because it reinforces the joint work being done not only from the SDS but from the entire government and hand in hand with many institutions. It will allow us to maintain the forest ecosystems in good condition and, above all, the best-preserved part of the jungle that we have,” she said.

Strategic areas include the Puuc Biocultural State Reserve and the forest-milpa zone, where the Maya milpa system is recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) for its environmental, productive and cultural value.

The project is part of the Mesoamerican Critical Forest Biomes Regional Program, which covers biological corridors in countries such as Guatemala, Belize and Panama. It will enable knowledge sharing, technical tools and experiences to strengthen climate resilience in the region.

The initiative is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and co-executed by Pronatura Península de Yucatán (PPY) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

The Yucatán State Technical Committee was formally installed during the workshop and will serve as a coordination and monitoring body to ensure that actions on the ground meet criteria of transparency, social justice and sustainability.