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Governance

Participatory governance is a dynamic process under constant review and consolidation.

Currently, there are significant positive results in terms of consultation and the definition of management strategies. The aim is to strengthen the participation ofstakeholders in active and consensual decision-making.

There is a good articulation of those involved in the project at the local level regarding the sustainability of the processes to ensure participatory governance.

The participation of local stakeholders, especially citizens, from the beginning of the management process favored the governance, implementation and enforcement of the protected area's conservation proposals.

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Financial sustainability

The funds for managing the conservation area are guaranteed because the municipality annually allocates resources for current expenses (personnel and operations) and investment expenses (programs), in addition to contributions from cooperation and environmental compensation funds.

If this trend continues, the area's management has sufficient funds to be able to sustain itself economically over time.

There is a strong interest on the part of civil society organizations and institutions to conserve protected areas.

The allocation of the company's own resources and the proper management of funds from national and international cooperation were essential to achieve the established goals.

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Institutionality

The Decentralized Autonomous Government - GAD - of Limón Indanza has generated a series of legal and regulatory instruments to strengthen and sustain the management of the conservation area. Therefore, this management is organically linked to the Territorial Development and Management Plan(PDOT), has its own management plan, and is part of the organic structure of the municipality. It also has an ordinance that establishes the regulations for its management and operation.

There is a strong political will to include in the public policy agenda and the management of the conservation area in question.

The political will of decision-makers is fundamental to achieve the institutionalization and permanence of protected area management and conservation processes.

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Promotion of sustainable productive activities to improve local livelihoods.

The promotion of productive activities has been developed through

Assemblies with the communities to reduce pressure on the forest and páramo.
The promotion of investments as an opportunity to improve the livelihoods of the community and also as an example for neighboring communities to follow in terms of changing attitudes towards the conservation of the forest and páramo.
Improvement of the main traditional crops such as wheat, corn and potatoes through technical assistance, technified irrigation and improved seeds.
Improvement of the dairy products production chain through the technification of the cheese, yogurt and blancmange production process, improved pastures and technified irrigation.
Promote aquaculture by raising trout, taking advantage of the availability of good quality water and the demand for protein in the local diet, including markets in nearby cities.
Promotion of alternative crops, such as fruit (avocado, apple, peach, orange) and technical assistance.

Articulation of wills between investors and the community in favor of sustainable activities

The impacts and results must be palpable in the lives of local community stakeholders so that they strengthen their commitment to ACA management. In other words, a before and after in people's lives in reference to the implementation of project management.

Something key in the whole process has been the creation of the QUIROZ-CHIRA WATER FUND, a mechanism of retribution for ecosystem services (or payment for environmental services), since 2014, which receives financial contribution from the irrigators of the coastal valleys, who benefit from the water that is "produced" in the highlands of Ayabaca and Pacaipampa, where the environmental conservation area is located. This finances part of the activities and the other part is managed by the community itself, with support from the municipalities and international cooperation.

It is also key to maintain good and permanent communication with the community.

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Active participation of local communities

Restoring the páramo, with native species (alder and queñual).

Paúl Viñas

This is a key element for the success of the ACA in terms of good use of the area's natural resources. Active participation has allowed for a clear perspective of the responsibilities and duties of the communities with respect to conservation, thus achieving recognition of an environmental conservation area by the provincial municipality, making good use of local resources and benefiting the greatest number of families in the area.

There has also been an interest in the organization and active participation of the communities in the management of the ACA.

The favorable factors were 3, namely:

Continuous training on topics of importance of natural resources.
Agreements reached and approved by the community assembly on the use, exploitation and protection of natural ecosystems.
Promotion of sustainable productive activities.

Local communities need to be empowered in the ACA management process.

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A strong ecosystemic framework for the management of the area.

The adoption of an ecosystem approach to protected area management was and is crucial in this case.

The San Pedro de Vice Mangrove is a threatened habitat that supports and sustains the life of numerous endemic species of both plants and animals.

Because of this, it is vitally important not only to work at the species level but rather, considering the habitats as functional, global ecosystems, to manage them in an integral way by focusing on the management and conservation of land and water.

In other words, preserving living resources.

The success in the implementation of this ecosystem focus has been due to the factual and technical understanding of the importance of mangrove management as an ecosystem, as well as the fact of having obtained RAMSAR certification , a situation that has officially demonstrated the importance of the care and preservation of the mangrove system in the area .

This vision must be integrated, internalized and materialized in the daily actions of the inhabitants in order to fully understand the dynamics of the area's management and protection.

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Participatory approach to area management.

This has been possible thanks to a seven-year Management Plan , with the objective of "Conserving and sustainably using the biodiversity and natural resources of the Manglares de San Pedro de Vice Ramsar Site".

This Plan focuses on five components

Value of the Ramsar Site
Tourism
Signage and Accessibility
Use of natural resources and
Governance

The participatory approach is crucial in the effective management of the area as it allows local stakeholders to be part of the decision making and implementation of actions in favor of conservation objectives.

The high and effective degree of involvement of the communities in the decision-making and management processes of the area.

One of the lessons learned has been the imperative need for a process of capacity building on conservation issues so that community participation is strategically aligned with the objective of the Management Plan.

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Public policies for the biocultural protection of the jaguar

National Jaguar Conservation Alliance

Angel Daen Morales Garcia

The creation of public policies that protect the jaguar from biocultural and ethical dimensions is of great importance, since adequate conservation is integral.

Currently, we have requested federal authorities to consider the jaguar as intangible cultural heritage and in some Mexican states - Oaxaca - the jaguar has been considered as intangible cultural heritage.

Likewise, we have managed to escalate an IUCN motion that gives a guideline to a continental conservation of the jaguar that includes biocultural and ethical schemes.

It is essential that all governments in the Americas that have jaguars in their distribution protect this species from a biological, socio-cultural and ethical point of view.

This jaguar-human relationship is so important that it should be protected worldwide by UNESCO and declared intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Strengthening and social cohesion.

Dissemination of the jaguar's biocultural wealth.

Integral approach to nature conservation.

Visibility of indigenous peoples and communities.

Participation of indigenous peoples and communities in conservation.

In our activities we have had the support of the National Alliance for Jaguar Conservation to influence public policies in favor of the jaguar, its habitat and its biocultural relationship.

The participation of diverse social actors, as well as civil organizations and NGOs, is important.

Unfortunately, in Mexico, the incidence of civil society in public policies is very complicated due to the lack of channels of civility and good governance. However, social participation can have a positive impact on these activities.

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Rescue and safeguarding of the biocultural heritage of the jaguar and its habitat.

Dance and jaguars

Angel Daen Morales Garcia

Biofutura

Angel Daen Morales Garcia

The ancient human-jaguar

Angel Daen Morales Garcia

Through ethnographic, sociological and, in general, social science studies, activities are carried out for the protection of biocultural elements at risk. These elements are then incorporated into societies with the support of education.

It is necessary to have a plural group specialized in social issues or with institutions that collaborate in the activities, in order to have a specialized work that supports the biocultural conservation of nature.

Field work is a priority for these activities, and collaboration with people in rural areas is indispensable and should always be included.

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Fotografía etnográfica del jaguar y la cultura

Education for liberation; ethics and nature

The heart of the mountain

Angel Daen Morales Garcia

Roar of the jaguar

Angel Daen Morales Garcia

Rescue of the jaguar's biocultural heritage

Angel Daen Morales Garcia

Education and biodiversity

Angel Daen Morales Garcia

A transcendental element is education as a practice of freedom for the conservation of nature. Through horizontal workshops, we encourage students in megadiverse rural sites to strengthen their vision of the world in order to transform it, and thus reincorporate nature as an intrinsic element of societies, based on ethics and respect for all beings with which they coexist.

Educators become part of the learners' society and together we seek the process of decolonization of the reductionist thinking that considers nature as a thing, an object of the market, something that can be destroyed.

We transform this erroneous vision of nature with an educational model that seeks to reincorporate an ontological and ethical value to nature.

From the periphery, education incorporates the knowledge of the other.

Educators and researchers are a fundamental part of the activities, likewise, the pedagogical model used in the educational process is vindicating, seeks transformation and freedom, and thus, we build a pedagogy of nature conservation with bioethical elements.

During more than a decade of conservation activities, from bioethical and biocultural dimensions, we have become aware of the great marginalization and invisibility of rural areas in Mexico.

Currently, there is an erroneous reductionist vision of nature, of non-human animals and even of people living in rural areas.

It is important to have a broad collaborative work with the oppressed from a horizontal approach.

One should never have a colonialist thinking, nor impart a banking education. One should always opt for an education for freedom.