Village-scale reserves in the forest frontier regions of Chenes and Calakmul, Mexico

A study of 23 villages in the Chenes and Calakmul regions of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula reveals that 9% of these communities have established deliberate, autochthonous reserves. These reserves represent local efforts to conserve land, often supported by external programs like Payments for Environmental Services (PES). The research used sketch-map-facilitated interviews to document the frequency and typology of these reserves, while also critiquing traditional static polygon reserve mapping methods as inadequate for capturing the dynamic cultural ecologies of forest frontier regions. Geographers' approaches are highlighted as more suitable for understanding these evolving landscapes.

Kelly, J. (2019). Village-scale reserves in the forest frontier regions of Chenes and Calakmul, Mexico. Journal of Land Use Science, 15(2-3), 203–220. https://doi.org/10.1080/1747423x.2019.1648578