Mexico’s Yucatán government permanently protects area larger than the Grand Canyon

First-of-its-kind initiative will secure freshwater sources for more than a million people

Mérida, Mexico – Today, the government of Yucatán and a broad coalition of partners, including WWF, celebrated a new initiative to permanently conserve and strengthen the management of more than 1.4 million acres of protected areas and enable sustainable community livelihoods through a new initiative called Herencia Maya. In a land famous for its cenotes—enormous underwater springs—Herencia Maya secures quality freshwater sources for more than a million inhabitants of Yucatán and countless wildlife. It also conserves more than 170 miles of Yucatán’s northern coast, including critical mangrove areas. The initiative will bring economic and ecological benefits to local communities living within protected areas, ensuring that cultural identity and nature sustain each other.

Today’s announcement reflects the efforts of multiple partners in collaboration with the State Government of Yucatán, the Municipality of Mérida, Natural Spaces and Sustainable Development (Endesu), and WWF, including Bepensa Corporation, The Coca-Cola Foundation, Enduring Earth, Marshall Field, Global Environment Facility (GEF), HP Inc., Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Mexican Federal Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SERMARNAT), the National Commission for Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), Richard and Anna Marie Rosen, The Nature Conservancy, Pronatura Yucatan Peninsula, A.C. (PPY), and Jeff and Laurie Ubben.

"Herencia Maya, an initiative promoted within Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena’s Maya Renaissance vision, establishes the first Project Finance for Permanence scheme at the subnational level in Mexico. The project strengthens the conservation of Yucatán’s Protected Natural Areas, safeguarding ecosystems, biodiversity, and strategic aquifers such as the Ring of Cenotes, while also securing long-term funding to protect the state’s natural heritage and promote sustainable development," notes Neyra Silva Rosado, Secretary of Sustainable Development of Yucatán.

Herencia Maya, part of the larger Enduring Earth collaboration, is the first Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative led by a state government, showing how subnational leadership can help meet global conservation targets. By strengthening the management of natural areas and reserves that fall outside federal jurisdiction, Herencia Maya ensures state and municipal areas contribute to Mexico’s ambitious 30x30 targets while prioritizing the livelihoods of the communities that inhabit them.

"The work that we do in our communities is an effort to preserve our heritage—the knowledge our families have passed down to us,” says Berta Silvia Canul Diaz, a member of Las Vecinas, a group of melipona beekeepers in Tzucacab. “From those who grow crops in the Milpa to our group of women who practice meliponiculture, everything we do preserves local livelihoods. We want future generations to learn and value this knowledge so that, in time, they can carry them out and pass them on."

Herencia Maya integrates cultural identity, traditional knowledge, and Indigenous governance as essential parts of durable conservation—particularly when nearly 40% of the population living in Yucatán’s protected areas are Indigenous peoples. It recognizes that protecting ecosystems also means safeguarding long-standing sustainable practices, farming systems, and community values rooted in the Maya worldview. This includes training and market access for locally produced goods, with a focus on beekeeping, sustainable fisheries, the practice of the Mayan milpa system of agroforestry, and ecotourism.

Countless wildlife also finds a home in Yucatán’s mangrove-sheltered coastlines and the Selva Maya tropical forest. By strengthening the management of these protected areas, Herencia Maya preserves critical habitats for hundreds of endemic and migratory species—like American flamingoes and loggerhead sea turtles—including nursery areas for the peninsula’s jaguar population. Stronger protection and management of over 170 miles of Yucatán’s shoreline and more than 130,000 acres of mangroves will also increase coastal community and ecosystem resilience to climate change.

"The 30x30 agenda responds to one of the most urgent challenges of our time: the loss of biodiversity crisis. This is not only an environmental issue—it is a direct threat to the well-being, security, and future of people everywhere,” said María José Villanueva, Country Director of WWF-Mexico. “Herencia Maya demonstrates how subnational action can drive progress toward global commitments, while safeguarding the livelihoods, cultural heritage, and knowledge of local communities. The scale of the challenge is immense, but this initiative proves what is possible when we work together with purpose and ambition.”

"Conservation at this scale requires bringing everyone to the table—government, communities, and partners who understand that protecting nature helps people," said Carter Roberts, President and CEO of WWF-US. "Herencia Maya secures more than a million acres and the freshwater that sustains more than a million lives. And it does so with the kind of durable financing and local leadership that ensures these places endure generations to come."

Herencia Maya employs the PFP approach, which secures the policies and funding for conservation success in a single agreement so that systems of conservation areas are well-managed, sustainably financed, and benefit the communities that rely on them. The five-year initiative is supported by USD$12.6million in funding.

Herencia Maya is part of the growing community of PFP initiatives that are locally designed and led, and supported by Enduring Earth, a bold collaboration between The Nature Conservancy, The Pew Charitable Trusts, World Wildlife Fund, and ZOMA LAB. Using the PFP model, Enduring Earth partners with governments, communities, Indigenous peoples, and funders to accelerate conservation and sustainable development, address biodiversity loss, secure durable financing, and enhance economic growth.

Herencia Maya is the seventh PFP initiative under Enduring Earth, working with local leadership to durably finance and conserve a total of 520 million acres of lands and waters in Brazil, Canada, Colombia, and Mongolia since its launch in 2021, and securing more than $1.7 billion in sustainable finance for nature and people.

Quotes from Additional Herencia Maya Partners

“As a woman from the Puuc region, I know that the forest is not just a resource: it is living memory, livelihood, our roots. Conserving it means defending our identify, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the future of our daughters and sons. The Puuc region is not only home to biodiversity, it also safeguards ancestral knowledge. Caring for the forest through Herencia Maya is an act of love, resistance, and collective responsibility in a world that cannot afford to lose it.”

—Minneth Beatriz Medina García, General Director of the Puuc Biocultural Intermunicipal Board

"Our town, Dzilam de Bravo, is beautiful—the beaches, the mangroves, the cenotes. I don't wish to see any of them disappear. Deforestation is a serious threat to our environment, which is why I work on mangrove restoration. Every action that helps protect nature is something positive for our community and for the future of the people who live here."

—Guadalupe Mendoza Nuñez, resident of Dzilam de Bravo, Yucatán.

"Protecting and conserving coastal ecosystems, seas, and mangroves is everyone’s responsibility. Conservation is a state of harmony between people and nature. Mother Earth is suffering because of climate change. The ecological crisis is a crisis of the mind and spirit, one that must be confronted with the heart."

—Darwin Sosa, fisher and conservation advocate, Dzilam de Bravo

“As a longtime supporter of conservation in Mexico, I know that the cultural and natural richness of Yucatán state makes it a special place. I am proud to be a part of Herencia Maya, knowing that it will benefit the people and nature of Yucatán for generations to come.”

—Marshall Field, WWF Board Emeritus

"The Herencia Maya PFP will greatly benefit the people and natural ecosystems of the Yucatán and thereby benefit Mexico and all of planet Earth. We thank all parties that have made this project possible—and if the plants and creatures could speak, they would be thanking you, too."

—Richard Rosen, WWF National Council, and Anna Marie Rosen

“The Nature Conservancy applauds the Government of Yucatán for its bold global leadership through Herencia Maya. By stepping forward at the state level, Yucatán is showing the world what is possible when government partners with communities, Indigenous leadership, and durable finance to deliver permanent conservation at scale. This initiative protects freshwater, safeguards biodiversity, and strengthens livelihoods deeply rooted in Maya culture. Herencia Maya is a powerful example of how collaboration across public institutions, local governance, and community stewardship can secure the well‑being of both people and nature for generations to come.”

— Jennifer Morris, Chief Executive Officer, The Nature Conservancy

“At HP Inc., we are proud to support Herencia Maya and its vision for long-term conservation and community well-being. This initiative highlights the importance of protecting natural resources while fostering sustainable development. It reflects our commitment to advancing efforts that create lasting environmental and social benefits for people and the planet.”

— Frinee Cano, Latin America Sustainable Impact Lead, HP Inc.

“El Zapotal is a paradise for endemic and migratory birds. The area and neighboring ejidos contribute to the conservation of five wild cat species—jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, and jaguarundi—as well as deer, armadillos, peccaries, and a wide variety of endemic mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. At Pronatura Península de Yucatán, we celebrate the launch of Herencia Maya, which will strengthen efforts to preserve an area of great biological importance for the region.”

—María Andrade, Pronatura Península de Yucatán Director

“Today, protecting ecosystems is not optional—it is vital. At the local level, the Cuxtal Ecological Reserve stands as an example that has demonstrated the importance of defending the natural lungs closest to us, as well as the challenge of extending that vision to society as a whole. With Herencia Maya, we are not only building a financial architecture but also planting the seed of our own permanence in a city like Mérida, which requires and demands a steadfast commitment to our biodiversity and a pact with future generations.”
—Sandra García Peregrina, Cuxtal Ecological Reserve Director

“Mexico’s Herencia Maya PFP marks a pivotal step forward for conservation and sustainable development nationwide. As the first state-level PFP, it demonstrates how targeted ambition can help drive a broader national effort to protect 30% of Mexico’s lands and waters by 2030. By bringing together partners and environmental stewards, this initiative is laying the foundation for long-term financing to sustain protected areas while delivering meaningful benefits for communities.

—Zdenka Piskulich, Managing Director, Enduring Earth

About World Wildlife Fund

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working for 60 years in nearly 100 countries to help people and nature thrive. With the support of nearly a million members in the United States and more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment, and combat the climate crisis.