Support for Social Participation in Action for the Conservation and Restoration of Ecosystems

Background Information

The Federal District is one of the most populated areas in the world, where 94.1 percent of its population lives in areas totally urbanized, however, it has an area called Soil Conservation (58 percent of the total area of the Federal District) which is of great importance to record biodiversity of flora and fauna, economic activities that take place there and to the environmental services they provide to the city.

Goals of the Initiative

The Soil Conservation area of Mexico City has been under heavy pressure for decades to alter its natural condition and its ability to provide environmental services. Several challenges it had face for preservation included local residents’ economic dependence on the extraction of forest soil and non-timber products, livestock farming, and forest fires. Hence the importance of supporting the holders and beneficial owners and financing working groups was highlighted who conserve, restore and protect natural resources.

Parties and Partners to the Initiative and Resources Used for Implementation

The working groups composed of the beneficial owners and holders of the Soil Conservation area, carried out various activities to help conserve natural resources, which were financed by the Mexico City government. As a result, the government facilitated residents’ sense of belonging to their residence and instilled the culture awareness of their environment, and got them to become active promoters in the conservation of natural resources.

The resources used for implementing the initiative include:

Resources for the project of Support for Social Participation in Action for the Conservation and Restoration of Ecosystems came from Environmental Public Fund from the Federal District, implemented by the Directorate General of Natural Resources Commission. Subvention or subsides from some chapters help subsidize the conservation and/or restoration of natural resources.

Innovation for the Initiative

The program is in line with the strategies of public policies implemented by the Government of the Federal District, was also taken into consideration in the development program of the Federal District.

Government’s priority is to rescue of Soil Conservation area, as a key space of the ecological balance of the city, promoting proper management of natural resources, and thus providing environmental goods and services to its residents.

Obstacles and Solutions for Innovation

The Soil Conservation Federal District has made a big step in the awareness of caring for their environment, and currently lead the working groups construction as well as play a good role in various activities that facilitate a good management of natural resources in the region. 

Outcomes and Assessments

Outcomes achieved are as follows:

The project has developed an acceptance among the beneficial owners, who take a part in improving, protecting and restoring the natural resources, however the increasing demand of participation each year also resulted in raising their awareness of improving their local environment.

This program has been audited and assessed by both governmental and academic institutions of repute.

By financing working groups interested in the good management of natural resources in the region, it has helped to develop a series of conservation-in-mind land holders, and helps them to present their work initiatives in other instances financing. 

Assessments are as follows:

The indicators that have been used are preserved surface, beneficiaries, supported and working groups finalized.

Benefits to Other Cities

It is important to emphasize that the relevance of the Soil Conservation in Mexico City, is of great importance to maintain environmental sustainability not only in Mexico City but also throughout the Valley of Mexico. The value of these services is invaluable on which the survival of many living things depend, including human beings and their quality of life. Moreover, despite its relative small size, the Soil Conservation area’s biodiversity is higher than seven states of Mexico and represents 11 percent of the national total.

Mexico's economic growth has been characterized by high concentration of population in major urban centers, which has involved the transformation of large areas of agricultural land and surrounding ecosystems to residential land use, industrial, commercial and service, bringing with it the natural habitat fragmentation and alteration of water catchment systems and carbon dioxide (for conversion to oxygen) and the supply of vital fluid, which is necessary for the sustainability of Mexico City.