Mexico & Jalisco reaffirm their commitment to biodiversity: communities and ecosystems in action

During the recent Climate Action Week in Mexico, the country ratified its commitment to the Mexico 30x30 initiative, which aims to protect at least 30% of the country's land and marine territory by 2030. This effort reaffirms the importance of conserving Mexican biodiversity and the need to strengthen the role of local communities in the sustainable management of their Protected Natural Areas.

Jalisco: a land of wetlands, mangroves, and life

Among Mexico's most ecologically rich states, Jalisco occupies a special place due to its network of Ramsar sites and coastal lagoons, ecosystems of vital importance that are home to migratory bird species, critically endangered wildlife, and essential resources for coastal fishing. These wetlands, located at the interface between sea and land, are natural filters that regulate water, store carbon, and sustain local economies that depend on ecological balance. However, these ecosystems face increasing vulnerability. Lagoons and mangroves, which are interdependent, are threatened by severe sedimentation, pollution, and deforestation in the upper watersheds. When hydrological connectivity is disrupted, the entire system is affected—from vegetation and wildlife to the environmental services that sustain human communities.

Chalacatepec Lagoon: a strategic wetland at risk

Chalacatepec Lagoon is the second most important wetland on the Jalisco coast due to its size and its strategic role in conserving the region's biodiversity. Located between the municipalities of La Huerta and Tomatlán, on the southern coast of Jalisco, it forms part of an ecological system that connects the Chalacatepec sub-basin, Chamela Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and the San Nicolás River basin. According to CONABIO (2008), Chalacatepec is a priority wetland for conservation and restoration. Its location—in a transition zone between the northern and southern wetlands of the Mexican Pacific—makes it a veritable biological funnel through which thousands of migratory birds pass during their continental routes. These wetlands provide feeding and breeding areas that are crucial for their survival (Silva-Batiz, 2007). The natural system of Chalacatepec—made up of low deciduous forest, mangroves, aquatic vegetation, bodies of water, and aquatic and terrestrial fauna—performs essential ecological functions:

• Regulation of water balance and stability of the water table, which sustains agricultural artesian wells.

• Filtration and retention of solid waste and wastewater, improving water quality.

• Critical habitat for resident and migratory species, as well as fish, reptiles, and mammals.

When any element of the system—such as the body of water—is affected, the entire ecological integrity is weakened, putting at risk the biodiversity and environmental services on which local communities depend. According to the Ramsar Laguna Chalacatepec Site Conservation and Management Program (2007), the system faces serious alterations in its hydrological connection with the San Nicolás River and the Pacific Ocean. This disconnection has reduced the flow of fresh and salt water necessary to maintain the circulation of nutrients and energy, causing a decline in aquatic fauna, erosion, a reduction in the lagoon's surface area, and a loss of fishing productivity.

Community action and ecological restoration

Since late 2023, the Laguna de Paraman Cooperative Society, in partnership with the Sierra A Mar initiative, has been promoting a collaborative process for the diagnosis, design, and planning of a new strategy for the hydrological rehabilitation of the Chalacatepec Lagoon. The first tangible achievement of this collaboration has been the reactivation of the Chalacatepec Ramsar Committee, a participatory governance space made up of local and regional actors: the Laguna de Paraman Cooperative Society, the José María Morelos Ejido, the Tomatlán City Council, CONANP, SADER Jalisco, SEMADET Jalisco, JICOSUR, and the University of Guadalajara. This committee marks the beginning of a new phase to strengthen local management, restore hydrological connectivity, and ensure the long-term conservation of this emblematic wetland.

Upcoming discussion: knowledge and networking

As part of Sierra A Mar's efforts to promote the restoration and conservation of coastal ecosystems, a discussion entitled “Restoration of Watersheds for the Conservation of Coastal Lagoons in Costalegre” will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2025, in the auditorium of the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Jalisco, Tomatlán campus. This meeting will bring together specialists, authorities, academics, and local communities to exchange experiences, strengthen inter-institutional cooperation, and promote nature-based solutions that ensure the future of the region's coastal lagoons and mangroves.

Towards a new relationship with nature

Effective conservation of our ecosystems requires vision, collaboration, and commitment. At Sierra A Mar, we believe that protecting biodiversity is not just an environmental task: it is a commitment to resilience, food security, and collective well-being. The Chalacatepec Lagoon and the Costalegre wetlands are testimony to the close relationship between water, land, and the communities that care for them. Restoring them also means restoring our relationship with nature.