7 New Mexican Locations Make the List of Protected Areas
Mexico is about to get another seven natural protected areas in the north and northwest regions of the country, which will bring the number of such areas to 184, the commission responsible said this week.
They are the Marismas Nacionales biosphere and Monte Mojino, both in Sonora, the Sierra de Tamaulipas biosphere reserve, the Playa Boca de Apiza in Colima, the Islas del Pacífico of Baja California, the Semiarid Desert reserve of Zacatecas, and Sierras la Giganta y Guadalupe in Baja California Sur.
Alejandro del Mazo Maza, head of the National Protected Areas Commission, told a press conference that the publication of the official decree would take place in days.
Earlier this month, the commission announced the creation of four new management plans for areas already designated as protected as it attempts to address a backlog. Just 97 of the 177 protected areas have such a plan in place.
The four new ones are for the whale shark reserve and Isla Contoy in Quintana Roo, the Laguna Madre and Río Bravo delta in Tamaulipas, and the Pico de Orizaba National Park in Veracruz.
The plans seek to resolve environmental, social and economic issues in each region. Mazo Maza cited the whale shark reserve as an example.
“This area is home to whale sharks that reach a length of 14 meters . . . the management program establishes rules for sustainable practices and authorizes just 160 whalewatching boats,” he said.
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