The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve

Just north of the Mexico-Guatemala border, covering almost 15% of the state of Campeche, lies the 1.8 million-acre Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Slightly larger than the state of Delaware, Calakmul harbors the largest tracts of tropical forest in Mexico. In addition, Calakmul contains several archeological centers, including El Ramonal, Hormiguero, Chicanná, Río Bec, Becán and Calakmul—from which the reserve gets it name (Calakmul in Maya means, "the city of two adjacent pyramids.")

Calakmul shares many of the same species of flora and fauna as the rest of the Selva Maya including everything from large cats and crocodiles to duck-billed tree frogs and anteaters. Over 230 bird species have been recorded within Calakmul.

Why the Conservancy works here

Much of the reserve is composed of ejidal (communal) lands and more than 20,000 people live in and around Calakmul. Within recent years, additional settlement pressure has resulted in greater extraction of commercial timber such as mahogany and cedar and the rapid conversion of tropical forest for agriculture and ranching. As the natural systems become increasingly degraded, so too does the quality of life they provide for local residents.Unsustainable ranching, road construction, illegal hunting and poorly planned tourism development are also overwhelming the reserve and the diversity of life it supports.

What the Conservancy is Doing Here

The Nature Conservancy and Pronatura Peninsula Yucatán aim to halt deforestation on private lands in and around Calakmul by working with local ejido landowners to implement sustainable farming and ranching practices, develop sustainable ecotourism activities, create a forest fire management plan for the reserve, establish conservation easements and/or acquire critically threatened private lands. In 2002, the Conservancy initiated the purchase and long-term protection of 600,000 acres of communally-owned, uninhabited lands in and around the reserve. In November 2004, 370,000 acres of threatened tropical forest in Calakmul were permanently protected under a historic land deal between the Mexican federal and state government, Pronatura Peninsula Yucatán, four local communities and the Conservancy. The transfer occurred after a complex two-year process that continues with efforts to negotiate and fundraise for the transfer of an additional 230,000 acres in BalamKu, a neighboring state reserve. Once secured, these 600,000 acres of key habitat will be included in a management plan currently being developed to guide long-term protection within the reserve, including forest fire prevention, ecological monitoring, and community outreach.
In addition to acquiring land and incorporating priorities identified through the recent Maya Forest ecoregional plan, the Conservancy continues to engage local ejidos neighboring the reserves. The Conservancy has begun working with two of these communities – Conhuas and 20 de Noviembre – to promote livelihoods that support forest health and biodiversity conservation. The types of economically sound alternatives being promoted include sustainable forestry and cultural and nature-based tourism featuring archeological ruins, bird watching, a bat cave with at least a million resident animals, and local crafts including wood carving, embroidery and hammocks.
In order to mitigate the threat of fire and protect its investments in Calakmul, the Conservancy helped develop an Integrated Fire Management Plan for the reserve. The fire management plan outlines key activities in fire prevention and control and community outreach and education that will equip reserve staff and local communities to protect their forest resources. The Conservancy and its partners are also working to develop fire management plans for individual communities.