Petition Drive Seeks to Protect Puerto Morelos Wetlands and Jungle

Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo — The civil organization Toma las Aguas has launched a petition drive to support a citizen statement calling for a comprehensive review of Puerto Morelos’s Urban Development Program and measures to protect wetlands, cenotes, jungle areas, and water recharge zones.

The initiative, titled the “Citizen Statement for Sustainable Development, Protection of Natural Heritage and Environmental Justice in Puerto Morelos,” also urges that urban growth be accompanied by sufficient infrastructure to guarantee water and sanitation services for residents.

The group’s demands include implementing citizen requests submitted on Feb. 18, 2025, as well as greater transparency and investigations into recent fires and the loss of forest land in the municipality. Toma las Aguas said it was concerned about smoke reported in Puerto Morelos and the damage to wooded areas.

The organization also calls for broader public access to information about land-use decisions and for permanent mechanisms for citizen participation, oversight, and auditing.

Toma las Aguas said its proposal is not intended to block urban development but to promote a model in which the municipality’s growth accounts for infrastructure capacity and the protection of natural resources.

Signature collection points have been set up across the urban area and at various local businesses, including Residencial El Faro, Residencial Alborada, Cerveza Manglares, Tlacoyo Azul, Bodega Verde, Alma Libre, El Pirata, OM Delfín, and Laylas. Some venues will accept signatures Thursday through Sunday, while Laylas will be available on Fridays.

The signatures will back the statement’s requests on urban planning, service availability, environmental protection, fire prevention, and citizen involvement in decisions affecting the territory.