MEXICO ECODEVELOPMENT PROGRAM MID-TERM EVALUATION FINAL REpORT Prepared for the Biodiversity Support Program July 1995 by Russell E. Davenport Team Leader Andrea Kaus TABLE OF CONTENTS GLOSSARY ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •• VII ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................ .. xiii I. BACKGROtJND 1 A. Purpose and Scope of the Evaluation 1 B. Evaluation Methodology 1 II. INTRODUCTION... ....... .. .................................. .. 5 A. General Context of Conservation in Mexico .................... .. 5 B. Mexico Ecodevelopment Program History ...................... .. 8 1. USAID GCC Project Goals and Objectives 8 2. BSP Goals and Objectives 9 3. WWF/WHN and Mexico Program Goals and Objectives 9 III. PROJECT REPORTS 11 A. Chimalapas ................................................ .. 11 1. Project Setting , 11 2. Project Description ..................................... .. 11 3. Findings .............................................. .. 15 4. Observations 23 5. Recommendations ...................................... .. 27 B. EI Triunfo Biosphere Reserve. ............................... .. 30 1. Project Setting , 30 2. Project Description ..................................... .. 30 3. Findings .............................................. .. 33 4. Observations 35 5. Recommendations ...................................... .. 40 C. El Ocote, Chiapas , 42 1. Project Setting. ........................................ .. 42 2. Project Description ..................................... .. 42 3. Findings ~ " 46 4. Observations 47 5. Recommendations ...................................... .. 54 D. Calakmul, Campeche ....................................... .. 56 1. Project Setting ......................................... .. 56 2. Project Description 56 3. Findings .............................................. .. 61 4. Observations 64 5. Recommendations " 69 IV. OVERARCHING FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 73 A. Constraints 73 1. Socio-Cultural Context in Southern Mexico 73 2. Institutional Constraints 75 3. Access to Field Sites 75 4. Finding and Retaining Qualified Field Staff 76 5. Program Administration 77 B. Conceptual Framework 77 1. Findings & Observations " 77 2. Recommendations ...................................... .. 84 C. Project Design and Implementation 87 1. Findings & Observations ., " 87 2. Recommendations , 93 D. Relationship Between Ecodevelopment, Wildlands and Protected Area Management. ................................ .. 96 1. Findings & Observations ; , 96 2. Recommendations ...................................... .. 99 E. Community Involvement 101 1. Findings & Observations ................................ .. 101 2. Recommendations " 106 F. Extension & Promotion Methodology 107 1. Findings & Observations 107 2. Recommendations , 116 iv G. Training . .. 120 1. Findings & Observations 120 2. Recommendations 123 H. Environmental Education 125 1. Findings & Observations " 125 2. Recommendations ;. 127 I. Institutional/Organizational Development 129 1. Findings & Observations 129 2. Recommendations ...................................... .. 134 J. Documentation, Monitoring 136 1. Findings & Observations 136 2. Recommendations ...................................... .. 138 V. CONCLUSIONS....... ........................................ .. 141 A. Unanticipated Results 141 B. Change of Attitudes 142 C. Networking 143 D. Conceptual Framework 143 E. Sustainability 144 F. Program Strategy 144 Finally 145 VI. ApPENDICES 147 A: Scope of Work for the Evaluation 149 B: Evaluation Itinerary and Calendar 152 C: List of People Interviewed 156 D: Monitoring: Indicators and Means of Verification 159 E: Bibliography ............................................... .. 163 F: Names and Addresses of Evaluation Team Members 171 G: Map of Project Locations 172 H: Report Project Annexes 173 v GLOSSARY Acuahual Fallowed secondary vegetation, part of traditional slash-and­ burn crop rotation system AID U.S. Agency for International Development Amas de Casa Housewives (whether married, divorced, widowed or single) A/V Audio-visual Biosphere Reserve A designation assigned by UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program. Central to the concept of biosphere reserves is the conservation of large units of landscape containing both natural ecosystems, in which man has little impact, and managed ecosystems, in which man substantially controls or influences the processes. A biosphere reserve thus may contain many different kinds of land uses and human activities. BSP Biodiversity Support Program: a consortium of WWF, TNC and WRI Buffer Zone Areas that surround a core zone that are managed for agriculture, grazing, forest production, fisheries, intensive recreation or other economic uses of renewable resources. The emphasis here is on sustainable development of these natural resources in ways that minimize impacts on natural processes and genetic resources. Cacique Local political leader, usually of peasant or Indian background, who wields power abusively Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in Campeche state, site of one BSP project Campesino Rural dweller, peasant CEQRODE Centro Quintanarroense para Desarrollo y Ecologia Chiapas Southern-most, poorest state in Mexico Chimalapas Remote, mountainous region of southern Oaxaca state and northern Chiapas in the Tehuantepec Isthmus Congregaciones Village or settlement within the Chimalapas indigenous comunidades Consejo Regional Xpujil Representative association of 33 ejidos which administers the Calakmul Reserve under guidance of the state governor, and which administers most goverment development assistance, social services and infrastructure in the region Core Zone Ideally, a primitive wilderness in the heart of the biosphere reserve, which is strictly protected and maintained free of human disruption to conserve a representative example of the ecosystems. It is a place where natural processes, including vii biological evolution, continue undisturbed and where as much of the region's biological diversity as possible is included. COSECHA Asociaci6n de Consejeros para una Agricultura Sostenible, Ecol6gica y Humana (Association of Counsellors for a Sustainable, Ecological and Humane Agriculture); an off-shoot of World Neighbors - Honduras established by Roland Bunch and associates EC Environmental Communications EE Environmental Education EE&C Environmental Education and Communications E/GCC Environment and Global Climate Change Program of USAID Ejido Constitutionally established land cooperatives, planned and managed collectively and farmed individually by campesinos Ejidatario Head-of-family member of an ejido El Ocote Biosphere Reserve in central Chiapas state El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve in southern Chiapas ENGO Environmental NGO Extensionist Trained and/or skilled practical agricultural technician who provides technical assistance to farmers Frijol Abono Green manure technology (literally, fertilizer bean): family of multi-purpose nitrogen-fixing leguminous plants that serve as ground cover, mulch, fertilizer, natural herbicide and provide erosion control and high-protein animal feed and human food GIS Geographic Information System Guamz7 Similar to Acuahual ha Hectare: 10,000 sq. meters, equal to 2.47 acres Hortaliza vegetables (literal) or gardens (vernacular) ICDP Integrated Conservation and Development Project IHN Instituto de Historia Natural: parastatal organization that manages El Ocote and El Triunfo Reserves IPM Integrated Pest Management: system of biological, non­ chemical control of insects, vermin, weeds and diseases harmful to cultivated plants Labranza Minima Minimal tillage: system of planting seeds in tilled rows with no soil tilled (turned, hoed or plowed) between the rows; in the MEP context, an entire system of soil preparation Latifundista Landowner, usually absentee, of very large rural holdings Linea Biosfera NGO formed from Barbasco producers association in Malpaso, Chiapas, within the El Ocote Reserve buffer zone; became member of BSP's MEP two years after the program's inception, and thus was not included in the mid-term evaluation viii MAB Man and the Biosphere Program of UNESCO, started in early 1970s Maderas Maderas del Pueblo del Sureste (Wood for the People of the Southeast) MEP Mexico Ecodevelopment Program: the BSP-supported sustainable development projects in four areas of southern Mexico, implemented by six Mexican NGOs, and the subject of this mid-term evaluation Milpa Fields or cultivation of basic grains, principally corn and beans Monte Alto High bush, land left fallow long enough to grow back into tall trees, but somewhat less than secondary forest NGO Non-Governmental Organization, sometimes known as "Private Voluntary Organization" (PVO) NTFP Non-Timber Forest Product OD Organizational Development Parks in Peril TNC-administered park protection program throughout Latin America PPY Pronatura, Peninsula de Yucatan, AC: Merida-based environmental NGO which implements the Calakmul ecodevelopment project PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal: a mechanism to employ a cross­ section of community members in a rapid diagnosis of the community's conditions and opportunities Promoci6n "Promotion," or the introduction to local communities of simple, easily adaptable techniques, ideas or practices by a local person with external training or guidance PROAFT Programa de Acci6n Forestal Tropical, AC: A combined NGO and SARH-based agency that implements the Mexican government's Tropical Forest Action Plan (TFAP) by means of supporting