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The Local Perception of Tropical Deforestation and its Relation to Conservation Policies in Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

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Abstract

We examine the ways both deforestation and conservation are viewed by people of two villages with different ethnic composition located within the biosphere reserve of Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. The rain forest is considered to be important, since it provides many resources and environmental benefits. Residents do notice forest degradation, although deforestation is not one of their major concerns. In the mestizo village, 65% of interviewees indicated they felt responsible for deforestation, while only 30% of indigenous villagers felt the same. In both communities, nearly half the respondents see themselves as powerless to take actions to preserve the forest. We analyzed the management plan for the reserve in light of our results, and found authorities’ perceptions differ from that of local communities. This study emphasizes the lack of factual data and common goals for biodiversity conservation. Our work points to the urgency to build conservation efforts that involve the different social actors, who diverge in interests and views, particularly in countries like Mexico, where rich biodiversity regions are also broadly inhabited.

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Acknowledgements

The Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México financially supported this study. We wish to thank all the people from Venustiano Carranza and Magallanes for their help and interest in our work, especially Mr. Fernando Málaga and Mr. Juan Gutiérrez and their families. Lourdes Godínez and Fernando Ramírez allowed us to use the forest clearance data from the PSSM A.C. geographical information system. We are also in debt to Claudia Aguilar Zúñiga and Viviana Guadarrama Villegas for making the maps of the Sierra Santa Marta, and Rubén López Ahumada for his careful grammar revision. Special thanks to the anonymous reviewers who helped to improve our manuscript.

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  1. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Multidisciplinarias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Av. Universidad s/n Circuito 2, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, México

    Leticia Durand

  2. Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Circuito Mario de la Cueva s/n. Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, México

    Elena Lazos

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  1. Leticia Durand
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Durand, L., Lazos, E. The Local Perception of Tropical Deforestation and its Relation to Conservation Policies in Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. Hum Ecol 36, 383–394 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-008-9172-7

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