Mexico’s Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) has taken significant action by shutting down operations on seven properties across the Yucatán Peninsula, where extensive illegal deforestation was discovered. This activity affected more than 2,600 hectares of forest land.
The enforcement measures, conducted from May 28 to June 14, were applied to properties located in three states:
- Two properties in Carmenche, impacting 702 hectares.
- Two properties in Yucatán, affecting 606.4 hectares.
- Three properties in Quintana Roo, damaging 1,300.5 hectares.
Profepa indicated that all these properties are in regions where Mennonite populations have been increasing. Inspectors uncovered cases of unauthorized removal of trees and vegetation, with the natural forest being converted for agricultural use.
During the operations, the agency seized:
- 108.5 square meters of timber
- Three tractors
- Various pieces of agricultural equipment
In Quintana Roo, inspectors focused on the municipalities of José María Morelos and Othón P. Blanco, where they uncovered illegal land use modifications in the Piedras Negras ejido. Additionally, in the municipality of Tekax in Yucatán, officials documented the cutting, felling, and burning of adult trees and saplings in San Diego Buenavista to create leveled terrain.
Profepa has stated that such activities transform forest areas into agro-industrial monocultures, leading to significant environmental harm. The agency remains committed to ongoing operations intended to halt and reverse the impact of deforestation on the forest ecosystems across the Yucatán Peninsula.
Read more about these efforts on the original article.
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