Santiago Papasquiaro IFM, Mexico

Harvesting is very common in the state of Durango, and the forest is vital for local communities reliant on forest products for their livelihoods, bolstering the project's additionality. Financial viability depends on carbon credits as existing national forestry policies in Mexico face implementation challenges.

This IFM project in Durango, Mexico, aims to reduce harvesting in community forests by implementing anti-illegal logging measures, fire prevention, and silvicultural treatments. The forest land is owned by community members in an “Ejido” communal land tenure for those who rely on forest products for their livelihoods.

Ejidos are a unique form of communal land tenure in Mexico, established after the Mexican Revolution as a means of land reform and social justice. There is an opportunity to scale the impact of IFM projects in Mexico as Ejidos make up around two-thirds of Mexico's 64 million hectares of forest. Ejidos constitute about 55 percent of Mexico's cultivated land.

In addition to delivering emission reductions and removals to help take urgent action to combat climate change (SDG 13), Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects contribute to other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offering multiple benefits:

• No Poverty: Many community members rely on their Ejido allotments for subsistence farming, this project improves the sustainable management of community lands. 
• Clean Water and Sanitation: IFM projects that shift from production to conservation protect and improve water-related forest ecosystems, enhancing water quality and water retention. Conservation practices reduce soil erosion and act as a buffer for nitrate leakage from surrounding agriculture. 
• Decent Work and Economic Growth: Increases employment opportunities in rural communities.
• Sustainable Cities and Communities: Increases funding towards the preservation and protection of natural heritage and landscapes. 
  
• Life on Land: IFM activities contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation and forest protection. Shifting from production to conservation helps avoid forest loss, while reduced impact logging contributes to higher species richness and biodiversity.