Ecological impacts of wildlife conservation units policy in Mexico

The value of biodiversity is often expressed in an abstract manner, while land-use decisions are typically made at the local level, on an economic basis, to meet the immediate needs of local communities. In Mexico, recent legislation has created new economic incentives for biodiversity conservation by allowing landowners and managers to benefit directly from the exploitation of wildlife. This bold move toward market-based approaches has proven popular, but implementation is hindered by a lack of scientific rigor in planning and monitoring requirements that, in some cases, has led to unintended and undesirable consequences. Because the program is expanding rapidly across Mexico and may serve as a model for similar efforts in other countries, the goal of the workshop described here was to review the policy and its on-the-ground effects, and to offer an initial set of recommendations for improving implementation and enhancing conservation outcomes.