Jalisco is one of the most biodiverse states in Mexico, containing 80 percent of the country’s existing vegetation types, along with approximately 36 percent of its mammal population and 53 percent of its birds.
In addition, more than half the state’s land area comprises forest ecosystems, and there are 13 protected RAMSAR wetlands sites, with Lake Chapala the largest in the nation.
Unfortunately, over the years, unregulated tourism-related development and activities have led to the loss of biodiversity in the state. Deforestation, draining of wetlands, pollution and the degradation of natural habitats—among other affectations—have often been a result of such a limited vision.
With this in mind, the Jalisco government last week launched a new framework for sustainable tourism development in the state, one that recognizes biodiversity as a central part of this vital economic sector.
The Estrategia de Integración de la Biodiversidad en el Sector Turismo (IBIOTURJAL) lays out policies, initiatives and actions to “reduce environmental impacts, maintain ecological balance, increase social well-being and promote good tourism practices at the local and state level.”
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