Abstract

MEDINA GARCIA, Marco Antonio et al. Temporary analysis of land use in a Ramsar site (No. 1981) in central Nuevo León. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2023, vol.14, n.79, pp.107-134.  Epub Oct 06, 2023. ISSN 2007-1132.  https://doi.org/10.29298/rmcf.v14i79.1356.

The ecosystem services provided by wetlands are central to the sustainability of societies through their contribution to food supply and climate regulation. The gradual deterioration of these ecosystems exacerbates the environmental crisis and the deterioration of water quality. Ramsar Sites were created for the protection of the world's wetlands, with the aim of preserving the integrity and maintenance of their biological character. This study presents the situation of Ramsar Site No. 1981 which is in north-eastern Mexico, using satellite images and land use maps, land use change is accounted for a period of 44 years analysed in three temporal snapshots: 1975, 2003 and 2019. The flooded area decreased by 84 %, scrubland decreased by 36 % and agricultural area increased by 547 %, and grassland by 284 %. The area increased at the expense of floodplain cover, possibly caused by prolonged periods of drought over the last few decades. It is essential to recognise that Mexico has not legislated specifically for the protection of Wetlands, therefore decree a system of Ramsar is not enough to stop or reverse the processes of environmental degradation. It is necessary to improve the management of existing laws and develop an adaptive management plan subject to hydrological changes due climate change, inadequate watershed management and lack of natural cover.

Keywords : Agriculture; land use change; conservation; wetland; Mexico; Ramsar.

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