In the Sierra de Cubitas territory, four periods of Cuban history have influenced the forms and levels of its use: contact between Europeans and Amerindians; liberation wars against the Spanish colonial yoke; neocolonization (1898-1958) and the period of revolutionary transformations (1959-1997).
The main causes of degradation have been: irrational deforestation; poaching of birds and mammals; uncontrolled extraction of precious woods; uncontrolled hiking; the occurrence of periods of extensive drought; the local effects of the extraction of construction loan materials; the proliferation of invasive plants and the weak environmental awareness of the resident population.
INTRODUCTION
In 1976, with the new political-administrative division in Cuna, two provinces arose from the old Camaguey territory, Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey.
The current Camaguey province located in the eastern portion of the island, has a surface area of 15 615.02 square kilometers, including the adjacent cays, called Sabana-Camagüey archipelagos and Jardines de la Reina, to the north and south respectively. Due to its extension it is the largest in the country, occupying 14.21% of the national territory. Of the total area, more than 67% corresponds to the agricultural and forest area.
The province is divided, from the administrative political point of view, into 13 municipalities Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, Esmeralda, Sierra de Cubitas, Minas, Nuevitas, Guáimaro, Sibanicú, Florida, Vertientes, Jimaguayú, Najasa, Santa Cruz del Sur and Camagüey that It is the provincial capital.
Regarding the climate, the province of Camagüey, given its extensive surface and predominantly flat relief, shows continental features in its central region and a well-developed breeze system. Winds from the north coast rotate east to northeast during the day. the annual average temperature is slightly above 25 degrees, the average maximum is 27 to 29 degrees and the annual average minimum is 22.4 degrees. The rainfall regime varies significantly, this behavior constituting a vulnerability index, capable of affecting the agricultural economic base of the province, for which a maximum use of the waters has been necessary, through an extensive network of reservoirs. In the years of minimum precipitation, 950 mm have been reported and in the maximum years, 1,757 mm. In the last years (2003-2005) the province,and especially the study municipality, they have suffered a very intense drought that has affected all spheres of the economy and life.
The territory is dominated by current and recent sedimentary rocks that occupy areas of very low and swampy plains, which are most represented in the southern part of the Gulf of Ana María. Large sediment planes of the neogene constitute the general base of the low plains that cover the south of the province and are used for rice exploitation while in the north there is discontinuity in the plains and diversity in agricultural activity. The highly dislocated Cretaceous rocks emerged mainly in the reliefs of the low and slightly dissected plains, where the largest sugar cane extensions are located. The dissected plains are formed
The abundance of autochthonous soils stands out, and to a lesser extent the non-native ones, both are good for the cultivation of sugar cane, citrus, pastures and various crops and some swampy areas located preferably in the south of the province, usable for the cultivation of rice.. In the high plains formed by a peniplano very rich in igneous rocks, livestock activity and the possibilities of mining use stand out. Regarding limiting factors, it can be pointed out the poor salinity, compaction, acidity, low fertility, erosion, drainage and effective depth.
The rivers are not abundant, their lengths range between 40 and 145 km. The main ones are Caonao, San Pedro and Sevilla, which are mainly fed by springs. Most of them flow into the southern slope and are not of strong current.
The territory of Camagüey is the flattest in the country, its main elevations being located in the Cubitas and Najasa mountain ranges, the highest is found in the first, the Cerro de Tuabaquey with 330 meters and the Loma Mirador de Limones with 309, and in the second, the Cerro del Chorrillo stands out with 320 meters.
Natural vegetation has been relegated to two small coastal areas, as it has been almost entirely replaced by planting crops. The most important plant formations are located, basically, in the elevations of the Sierra de Cubitas (our case study), river banks, some streams and towards the coastal area, where there is the Refuge of Fauna at the mouth of the Máximo river.
Forest cover is 251 252.6 ha of which 224 122.2 ha are from natural forests and 27 130.4 ha are from planted forests. The topography caused that throughout history large areas were dedicated to the promotion of livestock and the cultivation of sugar cane, to the detriment of the forest, which was largely replaced by the extensive anthropic savanna, which today constitutes the most Outstanding of the Camaguey landscape.
The cultural vegetation occupies a large percentage of the territory of the province, with crops of sugar cane, grassland, citrus, various crops, among others.
The fauna of the province are characteristic of the province, such as the jata bat and the butterfly; among the birds the crane, the catey, the cao pinalero and the flamingo, and amphibians such as the ventorcilla and the frog, as well as numerous types of scorpions. Marine fauna is rich in variety as it finds a perfect habitat in the coral formations that meander along the coasts. In general, the fauna is quite rich, not so much in population but in the diversity of species, especially birds, it has specimens such as flamingo, tocororo and green woodpecker.
It is important to point out that two species are in danger of extinction: the Cotorra and the Caraira, both affected by the destruction of their habitat, the former, by their persecution. The zunzunes, pigeons and other species of land birds still survive despite the hunting to which they have been subjected and in specific areas jutías and deer are reported, especially in the coastal areas and in the cayerías of the north of the province, among others. The region is a refuge for migratory birds. In addition, the province has the largest pink flamingo nesting site in the Caribbean region.
Despite the environmental impact that the region has experienced, valuable exponents of flora and fauna still prevail, especially located in the 72 areas that make up the Provincial System of Protected Areas, which occupy 12% of the provincial territory with an extension of 1,900 km2, located in the orographic systems of the Sierra de Cubitas, Najasa, Guaicanamar, El Chorrillo and Maraguán and in coastal areas of the North and South and in the island groups Sabana Camagüey and Jardines de la Reina
The Sierra de Cubitas constitutes the most important orographic group in the province of Camaguey and gives its name to the municipality.
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF STUDY
The municipality of Sierra de Cubitas is the second smallest in the Camaguey province. Its foundation was the result of the application of the Administrative Political Division approved for the country from the celebration of the First Congress of the PCC. It is located in the north of the province, limiting Bahía La Gloria to the north and part of the Esmeralda municipality, east to the Minas Municipality, south to part of the Minas municipality and Camaguey, and west to the Esmeralda municipality. It has an extension of 548.75 km2.
The Sierra includes extensive savannas that reach the vicinity of the city of Camaguey and the coastal plain to the north, being in both clay soils with good conditions for agriculture. It has small areas of semi-deciduous forest formed by remains of the original flora that grows on limestone.
The most important elevations are 330 masl, approximately, and are the Cerro de Taubaquey de la Loma del Mirador de Limones and are separated by the Los Paredones gorge.
The surface runoff of this municipality is made up of streams without the existence of important rivers being noticed, with the exception of the Máximo river segment, the border line with the Minas municipality and whose river current has carved its channel through marble limestones dating from the period tertian, thus originating the buckets that receive this same name.
The Cubitas Valley, with land transported from the red laterites, has soils of great use for agriculture, which are exploited, fundamentally, in citrus and sugar cane crops. The soils are distributed in strips in a NW-SW direction depending on the underlying rocks, although some irregularities are manifested due to the heterogeneous influence of the different forming processes. Carbonated and non-carbonaceous clayey brown, quartzite and grayish-brown ferralitic loam, purple ferralitic clay and reddish brown ferralitic predominate.
From ancient geological times this province served as a bridge for fauna species from the high mountain ranges of NE in eastern Cuba to move from east to west and specimens from the Guamuhaya mountains from west to east.
Mixtures of the different species must have been produced enriching the fauna of the area, which was favored by the great extension of the territory and the existence of wooded areas, which with the arrival of the colonizers disappeared, as has been said previously, pushing the components of the flora and fauna that had managed to survive human action towards more or less inaccessible places such as the Sierra de Cubitas and Najasa, which, being economically inappropriate areas, did not arouse the interest of the former owners of the region.
The fauna is abundant in the Sierra where the intricate vegetation plays the role of refuge to a great number of endemic Cuban species, among them the jata bat and the butterfly, the frog, the little frog and the scorpion.
The group buckets, the caves and the Sierra have great potential wealth for the use of the area.
Historical scenario of assimilation
Cuba, in general, has been affected by the rapid deforestation suffered between the 18th and 20th centuries. When Columbus arrived in this archipelago, 95% of it was covered in forests. In 1889 the forest area had fallen to 89%, and at the beginning of the 20th century only 54% remained. In less than 200 years, Cuba lost eight million hectares of forests, with a high diversity of precious species. The colonizers were mainly looking for fertile land for cultivation and suitable areas to establish their residences.
It is estimated that the aboriginal agro-pottery communities that occupied the island at the arrival of the Europeans resided in it some 800 years before our era. Upon the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the eastern coast of Cuba in 1492, the island exhibited outstanding characteristics in terms of forest wealth, both from the botanical, ecological, hydrological and economic point of view, as it appears from his own annotations, where he expressed: “I looked through the mountains and videos so big and wonderful that they could make their height and straightness more expensive like fat and thin spindles where I knew that you could make ships and infinite planks for older children in Spain, never so beautiful a video full of trees, everything surrounded by the river, beautiful and green, and diverse, with flower and its fruit, each in its own way. The highest mountains,and all the mountains full of pines, and for all that, very beautiful forests of trees. ”
Four major shocks or periods in Cuban history have profoundly influenced the forms and levels of use of this resource, also reflected in the study area. The indicated historical periods are:
- The contact of the Europeans with the Amerindians. The liberation wars against the Spanish colonial yoke. The neocolonization (1898-1958). The period of revolutionary transformations (1959-1997).
Although the meeting took place in 1492, the conquest began almost two decades later (1510), characterized by the destruction of the socio-productive organization of the indigenous population, which altered their way of life and made their knowledge disappear., traditional skills and practices developed over centuries, when the use of forest resources was the most significant aspect.
From the first years of colonization, the municipality's territory was classified as inhospitable for the Spanish settlement. In the past, the Sierra de Cubitas and the surrounding plains served as settlements for aboriginal groups of potters and potters. In some caves in the Sierra you can see the paintings and sculptures made by them. The area was a place of refuge for the aboriginal population fleeing from the colonizers. The territory was used by pirates and smugglers to transit to near the Villa de Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe, already located in its current location.
The disappearance of the indigenous population, logically initiated by its most vulnerable segment, the elderly, caused the accelerated loss of these practices, since "the oldest members of the communities have a greater and more developed knowledge than the young."
The massive introduction of African slaves initiated during the first years of colonization introduced new knowledge, skills and practices from the different regions of the black continent, which were established and popularized through the life and work of the slave in the plantations, the Maroon in the palenque, and the freedman in his place or conuco. The site was also a refuge for maroons escaping from slavery
The independence struggles of the last century that caused the disorganization and destruction of the socio-productive activity of the country and fundamentally of two segments of the population, the peasantry (considering in it small, medium and large owners, their employees and the force of slave labor) on the one hand and to the maroons residing in the palenques and remote places of the forest, on the other, both possessors of a deep culture of subsistence and use of the products of the environment. The caves became barracks, hospitals and warehouses for the Mambisa troops. In addition, it was the area of operations for Cándido González's column.
The complex process of neocolonization, which began in 1898 and lasted until 1958, reviews and destroys «the secular historical work of creation of the Cuban society and state. It undermines and undermines, destroys in the essential and basic of it, nationality. "
In 1899, a group of North American farmers and artisans arrived at the site known as Port Viano. When they collided with the inhospitable territory, many returned and the others, exhausting their fortune on the trip, decided to stay and settle in the Sierra area. Several hamlets such as La Gloria City were founded, until a landowner named Sola managed to divert the north railway from its original planned course, thus preventing agricultural products from being sent to La Gloria to Nuevitas. This contributed to the ruin of the Colony at the same time that it favored the flourishing of the current town of Sola.
Gloria City was soon depopulated and poor, while practically all the land passed into the hands of a few landowners. This reached its peak in 1914 with more than 3,000 Americans in the areas dedicated, fundamentally, to the cultivation of citrus.
The revolutionary triumph of 1959 constituted the most extensive and popular transformation of Cuban agriculture after the period of 1536-1729, and began with the social changes an intense process of transculturation and peasant exodus and with them, a significant loss of its culture.
The Single Citrus Company is the one that occupies the largest area in the municipality, hence its importance. It was founded in 1969 and had 2375.34 ha and a production level of 16 and 18 thousand tons of citrus. In 1972 they are included in the Development Program, conceived by our Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.
Current Scenario
The vegetation of the Camaguey province is affected by the action of man due to the promotion of agriculture and livestock. As early as 1952, it was suggested that in Camagüey there was little left to conserve… perhaps some other forest in the Sierras de Najasa and Cubitas.
This problem had an unfavorable impact on the knowledge of these natural attributes, since the main botanists who worked in Cuba before the revolutionary triumph rarely explored that region, considering that, given its degree of alteration, it was of little scientific interest.
Beginning in 1980, local institutions such as the representations of the ministries of Higher Education, Agriculture and Science, Technology and the Environment began to work permanently on this subject.
Until then, the problem of plants threatened with extinction had not been the object of a comprehensive and critical study from a territorial perspective, but in 1983 the existence of 37 exponents with different degrees of alert was reported: 31 with the category of "Rare "; five, "Endangered" and one "Extinguished. The authors of the study, Borhidi and Muñiz, raised the need for specialists in the different taxonomic groups and scholars of the local flora, to continue with this first order task, for the sake of trace conservation measures.
The Sierra de Cubitas is an important refuge for fauna and a relic of vegetation. It is the largest and best preserved of the two large wooded areas that still remain in the province of Camagüey.
Taking into account the high landscape values, representation of plant formations, and floristic, fauna, and historical-archaeological values, the Limones-Tuabaquey Ecological Reserve, among other sites, was proposed in 1998 to the Provincial People's Power Administration Council. of interest for conservation and protection.
The territory of Sierra de Cubitas is used for agriculture, livestock, forestry, quarrying, as a polygon of military practices, for tourism and, of course, for the residence of its inhabitants.
The labor force of the territory is fundamentally linked to the agricultural activities that are carried out in the mountains themselves, and to a lesser extent are linked to the work associated with the mining-extractive industry. Agriculture constitutes a line of first importance surpassed only by forestry.
It should be noted that large areas, where many rare, endemic, and / or threatened species live, are vulnerable to activities that are not compatible with their conservation, such is the case of the proposed Limones-Tuabaquey Ecological Reserve, whose size is very small in relation to the great extension of the forest in the Sierra and important areas remain unprotected. In addition, there is no conservation treatment for the savannah immediately south of the Sierra, which also houses rare, endemic, and / or threatened plants, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and birds.
Aggressive exotic (non-native) plant and feral animal species constitute serious threats, such as the expansion of the Marabou (Dichrostachys cinerea), a highly invasive plant, in the northern plain. Feral populations of dogs and pigs affect native species, especially birds and mammals.
This introduction of aggressive species, through the years, has caused the displacement of different natural habitats and even the loss of ecological niches of various native species that populated the territory. It results in forced migrations to surrounding areas, changes in the behavior of some, and extinction of others. This activity includes both highland and plains landscapes. It should be noted that in recent years the areas dedicated to the cultivation of citrus have suffered the invasion of the marabou because the pastures have been seriously affected by the drought and the cattle have taken refuge in these areas to graze, together with the lack of labor that previously controlled these invaders and that migrated to other sectors for economic reasons.
There is poaching of birds and mammals, grazing on poor soils of the savanna and some forest practices incompatible with the conservation of native species.
In 1990, the Comprehensive Forest Company was directed to cease all silvicultural activity to allow the natural recovery of the areas and the application and generalization of Successive Reforestation Ecotechnology, a method based on ecological principles to reforest degraded secondary forests. From many decades back to that date, the territory continued to be impacted by a state and private forest overexploitation, which implied an inadequate silvicultural management, uncontrolled deforestation, and no forest recovery system of the areas affected by selective logging, low levels, and fires., among others.
The vegetation of the Sierra de Cubitas is characterized by the presence of eight plant formations: evergreen forest, semi-deciduous forest, gallery forest, Cuabal (thorny xeromorphic scrub on streamers), degraded scrub, cliff vegetation, savanna and cultural vegetation. There is a birdlife of great interest.
There are cliff vegetation complexes and semi-deciduous forests on limestone. The cliff vegetation is generally open, with xerophytic shrub species, and is located mainly on the steepest and most eroded slopes of the karst. The semi-deciduous forest occupies some elevations, slopes, and flat areas; in certain areas of the Sierra it is degraded by intensive and selective logging.
Also, the evergreen forest, the gallery forest, and three types of vegetation originating from anthropic action (degraded scrub, anthropic savanna, and cultural vegetation) stand out. In the Camaguey plain on ophiolitic association in the south of the Sierra, another vegetal community develops on serpentine soils, characterized by the predominance of thorny xeromorphic scrub over serpentine (cuabal) and degraded scrub, with abundant palms and low vegetation.
Future Scenario
Taking into account the current situation, two probable future scenarios are presented: one desired (positive), in which current management efforts are maximized and the entire community becomes aware and economic and political factors contribute to implementing the necessary measures of exploitation and protection. and, another, unwanted (negative) in that all efforts are ruined for different reasons and the natural cover and associated fauna species are permanently lost.
As a desired future scenario you can consider:
- A protected area with a level of significance for the important biological, geological, paleontological, landscape, and historical-archaeological values that it possesses as endemic local, regional, and national, vulnerable, threatened, or endangered species, and migratory species that depend on the Undisturbed caves of the Sierra and savanna that retain all their cave flora and fauna (such as invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, bats), and artifacts from the indigenous Arauca culture. Rescue heritage through a model strategy that combines the joint work of local people, scientific institutions, and conservationists. A local human population that benefits from its conservationist behavior.An ecological station that supports scientific studies in favor of the biological and cultural diversity of the region. Assimilation of the territory according to the agro-productivity of the soil. Decrease and eradication of invasive plants and wild animals that affect crops. Application of solutions Effective and quick alternatives according to the political-economic situation of the country. As an unwanted future scenario, the following can be considered: Total loss of the values of the area as a protected area (degradation of the landscape views, loss of endemics, destruction of the archaeological sites, disturbance of migratory species Loss of cave flora and fauna, partial collapse of some areas and destruction of vestiges of the Arauca indigenous culture.Loss and ignorance of the environmental values of local people and scientific institutions. Overexploitation of the territory. Proliferation of invasive plants and wild animals that affect crops. Lack of political will to eradicate mistakes.
RESULTS
The forest, considered before as a mode of land occupation and source of obtaining wood and energy, and later as a means to improve agricultural structures, later began to be analyzed as an instrument of rural development. Currently, it is attributed a relevant role in the environment and territorial planning, so reforestation must be a universal activity at all levels, since it directly influences the improvement of the environment, due to the production of oxygen, as well as to soil improvement.
It can be concluded that the vegetation cover and associated fauna species of the Sierra de Cubitas have been affected since the beginning of the colony, the natural vegetation of the savannas and plains being totally devastated and replaced by the cultural one and the natural vegetation restricted to the mountainous area of the municipality.
The main causes of degradation over time have been:
- Irrational deforestation, poaching of birds and mammals, uncontrolled extraction of precious woods, grazing on poor and toxic soils of the savanna, uncontrolled hiking, occurrence of periods of extensive drought that bring about changes in the frequency of fires. and drying out of forests, crops and grasslands. The local effects of the extraction of construction loan materials. Proliferation of invasive plants. No time assessment of the existing potential. Weak environmental awareness of the resident population. Economic situation of the country.
To counter this degradation and to some extent save what remains, a series of measures are proposed.
Farming.
- Carry out a close control on the applications of agrochemicals on productive lands. Agricultural practices, such as furrowing, terracing, etc., must be carried out following the contour lines. Sediments extracted from irrigation canals must be incorporated into the lands of cultivation. Carry out proper rotation and intercropping of crops. Promote planting of fruit and timber trees in agricultural production units. Agricultural production units will be subject to a land management program. Incorporate organic material soil fertilization processes. (manure, manure and compost) and green manures (legumes).Interpose crops of forage species or green manures in fruit areas.Combine production crops with green manures.Promote the use of pesticides with minimal persistence in the environment. In areas with a slope between 5 and 10 degrees, belt crops should be established following the contour lines. Do not allow the increase of the agricultural area in areas with shallow soils, slopes of more than 15 degrees and highly susceptible to erosion. Burning to open or reuse land must be carried out in accordance with the current provisions of SEMARNAP and other organizations. Erosion control measures must be established. Implement soil conservation techniques and water. Practice phytosanitary activities. Biologically control pests.Do not allow the increase of the agricultural surface in areas with shallow soils, slopes of more than 15 degrees and high susceptibility to erosion. Burning to open or reuse land must be carried out in accordance with the current provisions of SEMARNAP and other organizations. They must establish measures for erosion control. Implement soil and water conservation techniques. Practice phytosanitary activities. Biologically control pests.Do not allow the increase of the agricultural surface in areas with shallow soils, slopes of more than 15 degrees and high susceptibility to erosion. Burning to open or reuse land must be carried out in accordance with the current provisions of SEMARNAP and other organizations. They must establish measures for erosion control. Implement soil and water conservation techniques. Practice phytosanitary activities. Biologically control pests.Practice phytosanitary activities Biologically control pests.Practice phytosanitary activities Biologically control pests.
Cattle raising.
- Intensive farming is allowed in areas with slopes less than 10 degrees. Grazing of cattle, sheep and goats in forest areas will be regulated. Areas with shrub and / or tree vegetation with slopes greater than 15 degrees may only be used for grazing in rainy seasons. Extensive livestock farming is allowed as long as the herds do not exceed the grazing coefficients assigned for the region. Controlled livestock farming is allowed in areas with slopes of 15-25 degrees. Grazing is not allowed on slopes greater than 25 degrees. The burning of the vegetation that is carried out in order to promote the growth of new growth for livestock consumption should be avoided. Establish live fences to delimit the grazing areas.Maintain a minimum strip of natural vegetation on the perimeter of the silvo-pastoral estates. Allow the introduction of improved pastures according to the conditions of the area.
Forest.
- The nurseries must incorporate the cultivation of native tree and shrub species. The units for the conservation, management and use of wildlife must have an authorized management program. Enable the development of nurseries and greenhouses for the production of ornamental and medicinal plants. for commercial purposes. Forest production units must have an authorized management program. In harvesting, conservation and restoration areas, an authorized comprehensive management program must be followed for the effective regeneration of the forest. Cutting areas must have systems for the prevention and control of erosion. The use of firewood for domestic use must be subject to the established norms. Control the disposal of vegetable residues in the cutting areas.The forest management program must guarantee the permanence of wildlife corridors considering exclusion zones for exploitation.In altered forest areas, the introduction of commercial plantations is allowed, prior authorization by the EIA and the Forest Management Program.1 To reforest, only native species should be used.1 The clearings approved for the projects will be carried out gradually according to the progress of the works and starting at one end to allow the fauna the possibilities of settling in the surrounding areas. Burning of the plant material resulting from the clearing is not allowed. It allows grazing in areas of forest cut that are in regeneration. Reforest federal areas. Prevent forest fires. Encourage the approval of the areas to protect.
Waters.
- The wastewater discharges must be treated through aeration systems and / or oxidation ponds that guarantee compliance with the parameters established in NOM-001-ECOL-1996. Streams, streams, rivers, channels and channels must be protected and restored that cross urban and tourist settlements. The channels and natural runoffs should be kept unchanged. Dumps should not be located for the disposal of solid waste in the ravines, close to river runoff, rivers and streams. Conserve or restore vegetation on the edges of rivers, streams and ravines respecting a strip of 50 meters on both sides of the channel. Discharges of sanitary drainage without treatment and the disposal of solid waste in bodies of water and flood areas are prohibited.It is not allowed to dry bodies of water and wetlands. the balance between supply and expense).
Natural areas and wildlife.
- The introduction of exotic species of flora and fauna in the protection zones is not allowed. The location of sanitary landfills and solid waste dumps in protection zones is prohibited. The carrying out of works in areas where species included in the NOM standard are found -059-ECOL-94 will be conditioned to what is established in the opinion of the corresponding Environmental Impact Statement. At least 30% of the original vegetation must be maintained in the State. In the protection areas the use of flora and fauna for commercial purposes. Establish a regulation for the legal hunting of hunting species according to the federal and state hunting calendar. The extraction, capture or commercialization of species of flora and fauna included in the norm NOM-059-ECOL-94 is prohibited.The use of wild flora and fauna must have an Authorized Management Program. Each protected area must have its Management Plan. Carry out technical diagnostic studies of the Protected Areas proposed to protect them while defining and approving their limits. Integrate and to make the inhabitants of the Protected Areas participate in the protection and management of the Protected Areas. Do not authorize activities incompatible with the protection of natural resources. The growth of existing human settlements must be controlled and regulated in these areas and new settlements must be prohibited..The activities carried out in the Protected Areas must not interrupt the flow and communication of the biological corridors. Reduce the proliferation of harmful fauna.The use of medicinal plants in Protected Areas should be restricted to domestic use. Expand the managed area for native biodiversity. Develop effective control of populations of exotic species, for example, dogs and pigs within forests, and especially the Marabou in the serpentine savanna.Increase the number of rangers and develop programs to improve conservation personnel.
Mining.
- The location of material extraction banks in protected areas is prohibited. The area affected by protection and mining activities must be restored. Schedule the exploitation in accordance with the recovery of the areas. Avoid water and air pollution generated by tailings and other mining waste.
Tourism.
- The establishment of tourist ranches will be regulated. Tourist services associated with bodies of water must have a Program for the Management of residual waters, disposal of solid waste and regulations on recreational spaces. Only camping practices, routes are allowed in Protected Areas Interpretive, fauna observation and photographic walks. Tourist developments must procure the least impact on wildlife in their projects. Only native and native species of the region should be used in the creation of gardens. Low density tourist projects may be authorized in Protected Areas with prior authorization from the Environmental Impact Statement and based on the provisions of the Management Plan and current legal provisions.
Infrastructures.
- The edges and rural roads should be protected with native trees and bushes. The slopes on roads should be stabilized and reforested with native species. The construction of new roads in protected natural areas will be carried out in accordance with the corresponding decrees and Management Programs. electricity, telephones, etc., will be installed following the provisions and conditions of the EIA. The characteristics of the constructions in the new urban and tourist developments will be subject to the Environmental Impact Statement. Industries related to the processing of agricultural products are allowed. Industries should be surrounded by vegetation barriers. Demolition of trees and shrubs located on the edges of rural roads is not permitted.The location and operation of sites destined for sanitary landfills must observe the provisions of standard NOM-082-ECOL-1996 and standard NOM-084-ECOL-1994.
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