Herencia Maya
Where cultural identity and nature sustain each other
© WWF-US / Alejandro Prieto
Strong communities, strong conservation
Nestled at the top of Mexico’s southern peninsula is one of the country’s strongholds of nature: Yucatán State.
The state that gives the peninsula its name holds an exceptional legacy, rich in Maya culture and unique biodiversity. Its mangrove-sheltered coastlines and the Selva Maya tropical forest boast hundreds of endemic and migratory species, including American flamingoes, loggerhead sea turtles, white-nosed coati, tapir, and jaguars.
Heirs of Maya culture, Yucatán’s communities honor their ancestry by keeping traditions and the Mayan language alive: the state is home to the largest population of Mayan speakers in Mexico. The Food and Agriculture Organization has recognized the Maya Milpa as a World Agricultural Heritage System. Archaeological sites, such as Chichén Itzá and Uxmal, are a testament to the historical importance of this cultural legacy.
This cultural and natural heritage is the foundation of Herencia Maya (Maya Heritage).
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
Securing a lasting future for people and nature in Yucatán
Launched in 2026, Herencia Maya permanently conserves more than 1.4 million acres of protected areas and enables sustainable community livelihoods. In a land famous for its cenotes—deep sinkholes in limestone with a pool of water at the bottom—Herencia Maya secures quality freshwater sources for more than a million inhabitants and countless wildlife. The initiative will directly benefit people living in protected areas—more than 40% of whom identify as Indigenous peoples—ensuring cultural identity and nature sustain each other.
Herencia Maya is the first Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative led by a state government, showing how subnational leadership can help meet global conservation goals. PFP is an approach that secures policy changes and lasting financial resources needed to make conservation permanent and effective long after initial funds have been spent. The goal is simple but powerful: protect nature and ensure the people who steward and depend on vibrant natural resources and wildlife continue to thrive. Herencia Maya is a $12.6 million initiative, made possible by a broad coalition of public and private partners.
Herencia Maya supports 11 state, municipal, and private protected areas.
Impact at a glance
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Over 1.4 million acres
permanently conserved in 11 protected areas
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1.3 million people
with secured sources of freshwater
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170 miles of coastline
with stronger protections
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54% of the Yucatan’s bird species
in conserved habitats
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130,000 acres
of mangroves under greater protections
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$12.6 million in funding
over five years
Sustaining jaguars and community livelihoods
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
Protecting jaguars means safeguarding the broader Selva Maya landscape. As one of the largest remaining tropical forest systems in the Americas, this region provides critical habitat and connectivity for jaguars and other species. By strengthening the long-term management of protected areas and preventing further fragmentation, Herencia Maya helps maintain the ecological conditions needed for jaguars to move freely across the landscape, even as pressures from deforestation and land-use change continue to grow.
At the same time, Herencia Maya is grounded in collaborating with the communities who live within and depend on these ecosystems. The initiative promotes sustainable livelihoods, protects freshwater resources, and supports productive activities that align with conservation goals. By linking ecosystem protection with economic resilience and cultural traditions, Herencia Maya helps reduce vulnerability, strengthen food security, and ensure that local communities can continue to thrive as stewards of both nature and heritage.
Going further together
Herencia Maya is possible because of the efforts of multiple partners in collaboration with the State Government of Yucatán, 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), 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 is part of the growing community of locally designed and led PFP initiatives with support from Enduring Earth, which partners with governments, communities, Indigenous peoples, and funders to accelerate conservation and sustainable development, address biodiversity loss, secure durable financing, and enhance economic growth, using the PFP model.
"The work that we do in our communities is an effort to preserve our heritage—the knowledge our families have passed down to us. 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."
—Berta Silvia Canul Diaz, a member of Las Vecinas, a group of melipona beekeepers in Tzucacab
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
"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."
—Neyra Silva Rosado, Secretary of Sustainable Development of Yucatán
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
“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 identity, 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
© WWF-US / Alejandro Prieto
"The 30x30 agenda responds to one of the most urgent challenges of our time: the biodiversity crisis. This is not only an environmental issue—it is a direct threat to the well-being, security, and future of people everywhere. 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.”
—María José Villanueva, General Director of WWF-Mexico
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
"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
© Jason Houston / WWF-US
“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
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
“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
© istock.com/Getty Images/Andrey Kanyshev
"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
© Darwin Sosa
A lasting vision for Yucatán’s future
Herencia Maya centers people as the foundation of conservation, strengthening livelihoods, local governance, and traditional practices so communities can continue stewarding their lands. By protecting forests and cenotes as an interconnected system, this initiative safeguards water quality, securing freshwater for more than a million people while sustaining the ecosystems that support life across the region.
At the same time, Herencia Maya demonstrates how state-level leadership can advance global communities, government, and partners under a shared vision, combining strong policy with sustainable financing to deliver lasting benefits for people, nature, and local economies.
© Jason Houston / WWF-US
“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
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
“Through The Coca-Cola Foundation and Bepensa, Coca-Cola is proud to support the Herencia Maya initiative alongside organizations and communities working to protect the Yucatán Peninsula’s natural resources. Water is essential to communities, ecosystems, and economic development, which is why helping protect water resources remains an important priority for our business. We believe collaborative efforts like Herencia Maya can help strengthen ecosystem resilience and contribute to the long-term wellbeing of communities across the region.”
—Venkat Iyer, Senior Director of Water and Agriculture for The Coca-Cola Foundation
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
“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.
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
“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 wellbeing of both people and nature for generations to come.”
—Jennifer Morris, Chief Executive Officer, The Nature Conservancy
© WWF-US / Alejandro Prieto
“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
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
"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
© Jason Houston / WWF-US
"Conservation at this scale requires bringing everyone to the table—government, communities, and partners who understand that protecting nature helps people. 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 for generations to come."
—Carter Roberts, President and CEO of WWF-US
© WWF-US / Alejandro Prieto
News and stories
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
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Herencia Maya
Historic initiative will protect 1.4 million acres of Yucatán State and honor Maya culture
© WWF-US/Alejandro Prieto
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