Mexico establishes twenty new protected areas to protect biodiversity

Mexico announced the creation of 20 new areas protected which involve 13 states, as well as the Gulf of Mexico and California, and include national parks, sanctuaries and areas protection of flora and fauna.The measure was made official despite the fact that, from 2016 to today, Mexican environmental agencies have suffered significant cuts in funding.This is an absolutely relevant area, large in every way 2.3 million hectares, an area practically equivalent to the entire territory of the Lombardy region.The new areas will preserve ecologically important habitats and marine areas for several species, including whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), Mexican prairie dogs (Cynomys mexicanus) and jaguars (Panthera onca).They will also help safeguard coral reefs and areas of cultural significance to indigenous communities.

The national park Bajos del Norte, in the Gulf of Mexico, will be the largest of the new protected areas.It will have a surface area of ​​1,304,114 hectares, almost nine times the size of Mexico City.Of note, the area is particularly important for the over 3,000 families that belong to the fishing communities of the Yucatán coast, as well as being one of the main breeding sites for grouper (Epinephelinae) and at least a couple of marine species at risk, such as rock star coral (Orbicella annularis) and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).Always in order of size, there are then Sierra Tecuani, a 348,140 hectare biosphere reserve threatened by illegal logging, forest fires and changes in land use, and the Flora and Fauna Protection Area of Semidesert Zacatecas, whose primary objective will be to promote the conservation of the Mexican prairie dog.

An overall praiseworthy initiative which however has some aspects to clarify.President Obrador's administration, so far, has protected more areas than any other but, at the same time, has been responsible for a sharp reduction in funding in favor of the Department for the Environment and Natural Resources which deals with the protection of nature.Suffice it to say that the new budget cut funding for the environmental department by 11.4%, or rather, by 9 million pesos, approximately 520,000 dollars.Over the last six years, Obrador has thus allocated 35% less to the environment than his predecessor.The risk therefore is that the new protected areas will be neglected.He fears – he said by Juan Bezaury-Creel, director of the Fundación BioDiversidad Mexicana organization – «enormous pressure on existing staff who will have to deal with a larger surface area with fewer resources».Not to mention the Federal Department of Environmental Protection, the responsible body inspection and monitoring compliance with environmental protection laws, has been hit hard by budget cuts over the past six years.The budget for environmental surveillance increased by 8% in 2024, but still it was 30% fewer resources than in 2016.

Despite these critical issues, the decision to create new protected areas represents a strong signal for a country notoriously difficult when it comes to nature conservation.Mexico, for example, is considered one of the riskiest nations to carry out environmental research activities.Alarming was the case of the murder of the young Gabriel Trujillo, an American biologist shot dead while collecting plant samples for his doctoral research in the north-eastern state of Sonora.In recent years, this is the third murder committed against researchers studying the environment in different parts of Mexico.Although it is not yet clear why there is this growing violence against environmental scientists in the state, some sources say that the aim of the crime is to intimidate them and distract them from their goal of starting conservation projects that should contrary to their interests.«There are many places where we cannot work well or where we avoid doing so – he declared a colleague of the murdered researcher - and then there are many areas that are completely impenetrable, it is risky because everywhere there are routes for the trafficking of drugs, weapons and human beings."

[by Simone Valeri]