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This week the Environment Secretary of Mexico announced a unique program whereby rural communities would be compensated for guarding, protecting and conserving forest land that produces water.
The government conservation fund of 10 million pesos ($840,000) was announced by Secretary Juan Rafal Elvira Quesada in Michoacan where a nature preserve of 6,296 acres was identified.
Communities in the Meseta Purepecha region that can protect forests that help recharge the aquifer supplying water to 13 cities will be the initial beneficiaries of this government initiative.
“Under the agreement, the communities will maintain the forest cover and engage in practices that conserve the natural ecosystems. In exchange, they will receive fixed compensation from the fund per hectare for five years,” the secretariat said.
