Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Federal environmental officials have created a roundtable that will meet regularly to discuss illegal deforestation. The group will gather to specifically discuss curbing the destruction by Mennonites in Quintana Roo, destruction that has been dubbed the “Mennonite Footprint”.
“We established the Roundtable to Combat Illegal Logging and Deforestation in Quintana Roo, joining forces with state and federal authorities to curb the illegal clearings that threaten the state’s forests,” the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) said.
“In recent operations, we detected damage to 1,463 hectares in Bacalar and José María Morelos, which led to the closure of three properties and the filing of two criminal complaints.
“With biweekly meetings, this roundtable seeks to coordinate strategies to stop unauthorized land-use changes and protect the natural heritage for future generations,” the federal agency said.
The group consists of personnel from Profepa (Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente) and the Quintana Roo SSC (Citizen Security), as well as the Quintana Roo Federal Attorney General (FGE), the State Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection, the Representative Office of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources, the Regional Directorate of the Commission for Natural Protected Areas, the National Forestry Commission and National Guard.
During the installation of the working group, Mariana Boy Tamborrell, head of Profepa (National Prosecutor’s Office), called for coordinated efforts to halt unauthorized land-use changes affecting the state. She noted that these crimes are one of the main causes of the loss of forests and the benefits these ecosystems provide, such as water, biodiversity and climate regulation.
She explained that in recent operations, Profepa has detected cleared lands of up to 1,000 hectares where vegetation is removed, burned and replaced with intensive monocultures with extensive use of chemicals.
All of this is done without a land-use change permit, making it a completely illegal act with significant environmental repercussions.
Óscar Rébora, the State Secretary of the Environment (SEMA), said the establishment of the committee represents a key step in stopping those who threaten the forests and biodiversity of Quintana Roo.
He noted that SEMA is making its technical, monitoring and verification capabilities available to identify, document, and report any illegal activity, particularly in areas designated as high risk for deforestation due to the agricultural and livestock activities of the Mennonite community, whose impact footprint, the “Mennonite Footprint,” has been detected in various parts of the state.
He emphasized that this effort seeks not only to halt the damage, but also to strengthen the restoration of affected areas and ensure that Quintana Roo’s natural resources remain as a heritage for future generations.
In the Yucatán Peninsula, illegal logging and land-use changes are occurring at a worrying rate. While organized crime is not involved in this region, the destruction of resources is rapidly advancing, as those allegedly responsible for these processes have the capacity to clear large areas of forest in a very short time using heavy machinery.
In Quintana Roo, Profepa recently conducted four inspections in the municipalities of Bacalar and José María Morelos, where it detected damage to a total area of 1,463 hectares, resulting in three properties being closed and two criminal complaints filed.
The Roundtable to Combat Illegal Logging and Deforestation will meet every two weeks to maintain ongoing dialogue, refine strategies, and coordinate actions and efforts among the various authorities.
“No institution can do it alone. We need to join forces: state governments, environmental authorities, prosecutors’ offices, security institutions and social programs,” said Boy Tamborrell.
Tramborrell says that to comprehensively address the issue, the group will also seek out other agencies including the National Water Commission, the Ministry of Agricultural, Rural, and Fisheries Development, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Geographic and Cadastral Institute of Quintana Roo, and others, to join the working group.
The next meeting will be in two weeks to follow up on the proposed agreements.
