Changes in the Socio-Ecological System of a Protected Area in the Yucatan Peninsula: A Case Study on Land-Use, Vegetation Cover, and Household Management Strategies

Martha Bonilla-Moheno, Coral E. Rangel Rivera, Eduardo García-Frapolli, Fernanda L. Ríos Beltrán, Celene Espadas-Manrique, Filippo Aureli, Bárbara Ayala-Orozco and Gabriel Ramos-Fernández
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Martha Bonilla-Moheno: Red de Ambiente y Sustentabilidad, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91073, Mexico
Coral E. Rangel Rivera: Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR) Unidad Oaxaca, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Calle Hornos Núm. 1003, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán 71230, Mexico
Eduardo García-Frapolli: Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Col. Ex-Hacienda San José de la Huerta, Morelia 58190, Mexico
Fernanda L. Ríos Beltrán: Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Col. Ex-Hacienda San José de la Huerta, Morelia 58190, Mexico
Celene Espadas-Manrique: Unidad de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Mérida 97000, Mexico
Filippo Aureli: Instituto de Neuroetologia, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa 91000, Mexico
Bárbara Ayala-Orozco: Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Col. Ex-Hacienda San José de la Huerta, Morelia 58190, Mexico
Gabriel Ramos-Fernández: ConMonoMaya A.C., Chemax, Yucatán 97770, Mexico

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: Protected areas (PA) are effective means for protecting biodiversity, but less is known about their effect on the social-ecological system (SES). Using a semi-experimental approach and a descriptive case study based evaluation, we analyzed the effect of a PA in the Yucatan Peninsula on land-cover and household resource management strategies in time and space (before and after the PA establishment; inside and outside its limits). To assess the changes of land-use practices in the areas surrounding the communities inside and outside the PA, and their change over time (from 2003 to 2015), we used remote sensing analysis and semi-structured interviews. Our results show that after the PA was established, the forest increased and agricultural plots decreased inside and to a lesser extent outside the PA. However, fires reduced the area of old-growth forest and increased young secondary forest, highlighting the system’s vulnerability to uncommon events. Resource management strategies were also affected: while inside the PA households tended toward specializing on tourism, outside the PA household strategies implied a diversification of productive activities. Overall, the establishment of the PA proved to be an effective tool to promote forest recovery and prevent deforestation in the regions surrounding the communities both inside and outside the PA.

Keywords: land cover; milpa agriculture; productive activities; remote sensing; descriptive case study-based evaluation; Yucatan Peninsula (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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