Playa del Carmen’s Protected Areas at Risk

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MX — The urban growth of the municipality must be planned responsibly because its territory contains four federally protected natural areas, warned Fernando Orozco, director of the Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Otoch Ma’ax Yetel Kooh Flora and Fauna Protection Areas, both managed by the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (Conanp).

"The city must be very careful with this growth because of the environmental or ecological treasure it holds. The growth is not only in Playa del Carmen," he stated in an interview.

The official pointed to the urgent need for municipal authorities to respect urban development plans and protect the ecological environment that supports a large part of the state's economy.

"All of Quintana Roo is practically a protected natural area. That is why it is so important that public policy instruments, such as Ecological Planning Plans and Urban Development Plans, are aligned with conservation objectives," he emphasized.

Fernando Orozco explained that the locality of Playa del Carmen has four federally protected natural areas; three of them were decreed by the presidency of the Republic and one more was voluntarily designated for conservation by a community.

He said the locality has protected natural areas in its territory such as Otoch Ma’ax Yetel Kooh, which covers approximately 5,300 hectares, 80 percent of which is located within the municipality, bordering Lázaro Cárdenas.

The Mexican Caribbean Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest in the country, with more than 5 million hectares in total, including a significant portion of the reef littoral of Playa del Carmen.

As well as the Tzukan Uxuxubi Indigenous Community, a small area of approximately 2 hectares, managed by the community itself under a voluntary conservation model.

And the Felipe Carrillo Puerto Flora and Fauna Protection Area, with 53,232 hectares of low, medium, and high jungle, subterranean rivers, and cenotes.

In this sense, more than 58,000 hectares of protected territory in the municipality could be at risk if urban growth in Playa del Carmen is not properly regulated.

The protected natural areas are not just ecological reserves, he explained, they are also an economic engine for the state.

"Biodiversity is the main fixed asset of Quintana Roo. It supports tourism and fisheries, which are the two main sources of income in the state," stated the official.

In the case of the Uxuxubi area, he detailed that the entire community works as a cooperative, developing low-impact environmental activities, such as nature tourism and honey production. Conanp, he indicated, works in a coordinated manner with them to ensure the viability of their productive practices.

Regarding the Felipe Carrillo Puerto Flora and Fauna Protection Area, he mentioned that there is currently federal funding through subsidy programs and studies are being conducted to define sustainable productive activities.

"We are working with several community groups on ecological routes and environmental guides that allow for the responsible use of the territory," he explained.

Finally, he insisted on the importance of citizen and environmental organization participation in development planning.

"Everyone has a place, everyone is heard. It is vital that society participates to ensure orderly and sustainable growth," he concluded.