Calakmul Conservation Fund

Protecting the biodiversity of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve

Allies

The Calakmul Conservation Fund aims to ensure the maintenance, protection, and enrichment of biodiversity in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (RBC, acronym in Spanish) and its area of influence through payment for ecosystem services (PES) to two communities (ejidos) in the region, thus maintaining the connectivity of the jaguar habitat.

Context

The RBC is a Protected Area located in the state of Campeche. It protects more than 80% of the plant species of the entire Yucatan Peninsula, 350 species of birds, and around 300 species of mammals. Its importance increases daily since it shelters one of Mexico’s most emblematic endangered species: the jaguar (Panthera onca). This feline, which the Mayans revered in its time, has a population of 4,800 individuals in the wild today. About 5% inhabit Calakmul; however, they continue to be threatened by poaching and habitat loss.

Since 2015, together with Conservation International Mexico and Amigos de Calakmul, Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN) has joined efforts to reverse this critical situation. With the support of academic institutions, organizations, and ejidos in the region, concrete measures have been implemented to maintain forest cover, raise awareness among the local population about the jaguar’s current situation, and propose actions to protect both the species’ populations and its habitat.

The line of work that guides the actions of the Calakmul Conservation Fund:

Support the people who own the forests that form biological corridors and that are part of the jaguars’ habitat.

The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (RBC) is a protected area in Campeche that protects one of Mexico’s most emblematic species: the jaguar.

Achievements

As part of the project “Payment for environmental services in ejidos of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve,” with concurrent funds from the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR acronym in Spanish), since 2017, annual payments have been made to two ejidos (Pustunich and Yohaltún) for conservation of its forest expansions located in the buffer zone of the reserve.

At the same time, the Amigos de Calakmul association has maintained continuous monitoring of the forest cover in these ejidos, and according to the findings of the 2023 report, the vegetation areas have not suffered significant alterations. However, small clearings and the presence of people in restricted areas have been identified, which has motivated an increase in surveillance rounds and forest protection actions to ensure the integrity of the ecosystem.

During the second half of 2024, Amigos de Calakmul continued to provide technical support to both ejidos, as well as monitoring of forest cover.