175
Historic and Current Conservation and Development
Challenges
The single most important condition for the ranchers’ acceptance of the Reserve
was land-tenure security, followed by an economic gain (Kaus 1992, p. 393). Early
on, people like Nigh (1989) questioned local participation in the RBM since they
were not part of the decision-making processes. As defined by Kaus (1992, p. 129)
the problem was that the local residents had no visible demonstration of the relative
benefits of alternative forms of land use or non-use or the meaning of conservation
during the establishment of the core area in the RBM. In addition, neither researchers nor the decision makers knew about the necessary natural resources, their economic and cultural value, the social systems in place to manage or control access to
these resources, and the incentives to use the land in a sustainable manner.
CONANP has employed several participatory methodologies to collaborate with
local inhabitants, mainly inviting participation where only the people that want to
collaborate work with them. In addition to the already mentioned informal and
semi-structured interviews, nine semi-structured interviews to elders from five different ejidos were implemented to better understand the current challenges faced by
the management of the RBM. Different reasons from the interviewed inhabitants for
collaboration with CONANP were identified that mainly have to do with interests, age and lack of infrastructure that limits the possibility for change to a rotational grazing system, and social conflict whether they were facing land tenure
and organization problems that prohibited a successful implementation of a project
proposed from the outside.
The main projects implemented by CONANP consist in faunal monitoring, soil
restauration, and RBM vigilance. In addition, PRONATURA has mainly implemented restauration works in the area giving to the local inhabitants “payments
for environmental services” that seek to promote local participation. The case of
the ejido La Flor can be considered a conservation and development success story
where ecotourism was established as an alternative way of life to ranching by
promoting the establishment of a family business and giving a role to women in
the socio-economic activity of the household. As we mentioned before there is a
strong out-migration due to lack of access to education inside the RBM. An elder
explained that in most of the small ranches inside the RBM, women are abandoning the ranch and young people do not want this type of life either. A complete
socio-ecological evaluation of the ecotourism enterprise is needed but it can be
said that the main perceived challenge was its limitation for growth and selfmanagement. Members from other ejidos want to also implement ecotourism
projects in their land but need the support of the different stakeholders participating
in the RBM.
All the interviewed people are aware of the changing climate conditions and
thus their need to lower their animal loads. It is worth mentioning that some
changes are related with more fences in the RBM that limit the potential for cattle
movement thereby limiting large herds of livestock moving extensively and freely
10 Conservation and Development in the Biosphere Reserve of Mapimí…
Historic and Current Conservation and Development
Challenges
The single most important condition for the ranchers’ acceptance of the Reserve
was land-tenure security, followed by an economic gain (Kaus 1992, p. 393). Early
on, people like Nigh (1989) questioned local participation in the RBM since they
were not part of the decision-making processes. As defined by Kaus (1992, p. 129)
the problem was that the local residents had no visible demonstration of the relative
benefits of alternative forms of land use or non-use or the meaning of conservation
during the establishment of the core area in the RBM. In addition, neither researchers nor the decision makers knew about the necessary natural resources, their economic and cultural value, the social systems in place to manage or control access to
these resources, and the incentives to use the land in a sustainable manner.
CONANP has employed several participatory methodologies to collaborate with
local inhabitants, mainly inviting participation where only the people that want to
collaborate work with them. In addition to the already mentioned informal and
semi-structured interviews, nine semi-structured interviews to elders from five different ejidos were implemented to better understand the current challenges faced by
the management of the RBM. Different reasons from the interviewed inhabitants for
collaboration with CONANP were identified that mainly have to do with interests, age and lack of infrastructure that limits the possibility for change to a rotational grazing system, and social conflict whether they were facing land tenure
and organization problems that prohibited a successful implementation of a project
proposed from the outside.
The main projects implemented by CONANP consist in faunal monitoring, soil
restauration, and RBM vigilance. In addition, PRONATURA has mainly implemented restauration works in the area giving to the local inhabitants “payments
for environmental services” that seek to promote local participation. The case of
the ejido La Flor can be considered a conservation and development success story
where ecotourism was established as an alternative way of life to ranching by
promoting the establishment of a family business and giving a role to women in
the socio-economic activity of the household. As we mentioned before there is a
strong out-migration due to lack of access to education inside the RBM. An elder
explained that in most of the small ranches inside the RBM, women are abandoning the ranch and young people do not want this type of life either. A complete
socio-ecological evaluation of the ecotourism enterprise is needed but it can be
said that the main perceived challenge was its limitation for growth and selfmanagement. Members from other ejidos want to also implement ecotourism
projects in their land but need the support of the different stakeholders participating
in the RBM.
All the interviewed people are aware of the changing climate conditions and
thus their need to lower their animal loads. It is worth mentioning that some
changes are related with more fences in the RBM that limit the potential for cattle
movement thereby limiting large herds of livestock moving extensively and freely
10 Conservation and Development in the Biosphere Reserve of Mapimí…