Yucatán launches historic $12 M conservation financing scheme for 11 protected areas

The government of the Mexican state of Yucatán, led by Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena, inaugurated the Herencia Maya Project of Financing for Permanence (PFP). The multi‑year initiative commits more than $12 million over the next five years to safeguard 11 protected natural areas—including forests, mangroves, cenotes and other ecosystems—covering over 581,000 hectares.

The project, developed with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Mexico, the state’s Secretariat of Sustainable Development, local municipalities, private sector partners and international donors, aims to provide long‑term funding for conservation and to benefit the roughly 114,000 residents living within the zones and about 1.3 million people who rely on ecosystem services such as water provision. Officials highlighted the model as a first of its kind at sub‑national level, positioning Yucatán as a national and international reference for sustainable development and biodiversity protection.