A new protected natural area on the Island of Cozumel is very exciting news on at least 2 fronts. One is that the new wildlife reserve will mean that 75% percent of the island’s surface is protected; this is excellent news from an environmental side! This not only means that more wildlife and vegetation will be left in tact, but it also means that residents and visitors on Cozumel can rest assured that they will continue to enjoy seeing this beautiful nature.
The other side of things is likewise important for those who wish to live on Cozumel; with 75% of the island’s surface protected, this suggests that real estate development will be more limited on the island. There will be more ecological development, and the Cozumel real estate is more likely to see greater value and demand.
The New Protected Area and the Environment
The new area offers ​​protection for flora and fauna, both on land and water, and spans the northern and eastern coastal strip. The total area is 93,477 acres (​​37,829 hectares.) It is the fifth protected area on the island; the 5 areas combine to cover 75 percent of the area of ​​the municipality of Cozumel (which is the entire island.)
Of the five protected areas that exist in Cozumel, three are under the management and responsibility of the state government of Quintana Roo (the state that includes Cozumel, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and many other areas) and two under the federal government. The federal conservation areas are the Chankanab Nature Park and Colombia Lagoon, (at the south of the Island) managed by the Foundation of Parks and Museums. There is also the state reserve forests and wetlands, which was issued on April 4, 2011, he said.
The state as a whole includes 26 protected areas, 10 of which are protected by the state, and 16 by Mexico’s federal government. The progress of protecting more areas seems to mean that the state government is living up to its own challenge:
“The fight against climate change is an effort that we must take on not only as states or countries, with unilateral action,” points out Raul Gonzalez, representing the State of Quintana Roo, but rather, we have to carry out coordinated actions to protect our home!”
Since 2006, environmental groups and citizens have proposed to decree a larger area of ​conservation on Cozumel because of its great diversity of ecosystems and have found the support of the three levels of government, resulting in the current situation of the majority of the island’s area being protected in some form.
The conservation areas will offer protection to the breeding grounds of ​​important species, assisting in the recovery of the queen conch, a species of large edible sea snail.
Cozumel, according to the document which created the protected area, is protecting a total of 533 species in two groups:
Water:
- 68 algae
- 7 inland water invertebrates
- 38 stony corals
- 23 ogrgonians and antipatharians (also corals)
- 30 sponges
- 102 marine fish
- 8 freshwater fish
Land:
- 40 larger plants
- 5 amphibians
- 28 reptiles
- 166 birds
- 18 mammals
The Protected Area and Real Estate on Cozumel
As of yet, no statement has been made about what kind of construction or real estate projects will be permitted within the new protected area. Most protected areas allow for some home construction and even some multi-unit developments, but builders are usually required to leave a specific percentage of the land and vegetation untouched. In many cases, all development is required to be “off-the-grid” and use alternative energy sources, leaning towards sustainability.
The fact that most of the island of Cozumel is now protected means that there is a good likelihood that the island will begin to see even more ecological real estate – a trend which some Americans and Canadians have already found appealing.
This same fact could lead to increased demand and value for non-protected and protect areas alike, since both will be limited to some extent. For example, if the amount of Mexico beachfront for sale available on the island is reduced since much of it is protected, the value will possibly increase as a result. This could be an interesting point for investors to investigate further.
On the whole, all Americans and Canadians who love nature and see protecting the environment as a priority will feel very much at home owning a property and living on Cozumel.
TOPMexicoRealEstate.com; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely
