Mangroves in Tabasco
Saving the Ecosystem & Combating Climate Change in Mexico
With the success of the first certified Blue Carbon project in Mexico under Climate Action Reserve, ClimateSeed and San Crisanto Foundation have started working with two additional mangrove communities in the Gulf of Mexico, Tabasco. Since project implementation in September 2023, some of the work that has been carried out includes defining project areas, community capacity building activities, and baseline estimation through site samplings. Both projects are community-owned mangrove forests under the Ejido system that are following the Mexico Forest Protocol 3.0 under Climate Action Reserve.
Crucial, but vulnerable ecosystems in Mexico, mangroves have the potential to capture 4 times more carbon dioxide than terrestrial forest. These ecosystems benefit the local biodiversity, including migratory birds, such as the kingfisher and herons. However, some of the threats in the region include land-use changes, illegal deforestation, and fires within the mangrove forests.
A Treasure at Risk for Climate & Biodiversity
Mexico is home to 6% of the world's mangrove forest cover, found in 17 coastal states. Mexico has the fourth largest mangrove area in the world (after Indonesia, Australia and Brazil), covering more than 900,000 hectares. Only about half of these mangroves are in Protected Natural Areas. Mangroves are vital as they act as natural barriers against climatic disasters for local communities, and contribute to the local economy and biodiversity. However, livestock farming is one of the main causes of mangrove forest loss, particularly in Veracruz, Campeche and Tabasco, Mexico.
For an in-depth look at the series of visits to various Blue Carbon projects, read about Alessandra Souroujon's journey in our blog post.
© Biodiversidad Mexicana ｜CONAFOR｜WRI｜CONAFOR｜IUCN
A Single System for Community Governance & Sustainable Land Management
An Ejido is a community-based land tenure system unique to Mexico, established after the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) to allocate land to indigenous communities and small farmers as a way to reduce social tensions. Today, approximately 50.8% of the national territory consists of Ejidos or communal land, with 29,709 Ejidos and 2,393 communities.
Decisions within an Ejido are made by the General Assembly, which includes all members (Ejidatarios). Each Ejido sets its own rules for land governance. Therefore, any project, including carbon initiatives and social safeguards (e.g., Free, Prior, and Informed Consent - FPIC), must be approved by a majority vote, with equal voting rights for both men and women.
Mangroves
Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove), Avicennia germinans (black mangrove) and Laguncularia racemosa (white mangrove)
Other species
Fish, eagles, ducks, lizards, crabs, snakes, butterflies, icotea turtles, and migratory birds, such as; the kingfisher and heron.
Types of Property on which Mangroves Ecosystems Sit
Mexico Visit: 3 Ecosystems, 12 Communities & 10 Days
