Many of the private and ejido land owners within the forest hope to construct a dwelling there, despite the federal protected zone status. The decree states that the mission of the forest is to protect its wildlife and act as a counterbalance to the metro area’s pollution.
The 421 private land owners hold title to 53 percent of the forest. Eleven ejidos also have title to forest lands. One of them, the Santa Ana Tepetitlán ejido, has been able to create a non-protected zone within the forest. The other ejidos have agreed not to legally contest the decree, but are asking for more control on how the forest is managed, given the fact that they have a key role to play in its protection.
Ejidos are responsible for the majority of unregulated settlements within the forest.
The Jalisco state government owns 18 percent of the land in the Primavera and is the largest individual landowner.