Community Adaptive Capacity in Peri-Urban Natural Protected Areas: A Case Study Near Mexico City

Conservation of natural protected areas (NPA), including national parks (NP) in socio-ecological contexts, as spaces essential to the conservation of ecosystems can be closely linked to the adaptive capacity and resilience of the communities associated with them. To analyze the adaptive capacity of the community in Ejido Emiliano Zapata (Emerald Forest) in east peri-urban Mexico City and its influence on the sustainability of Iztaccihuatl Popocatepetl National Park (NP Izta-Popo), interviews and focus groups within the framework of participatory research were used. We found that there is a close relationship between adaptative strategies of this local community and the NP Izta-Popo Management Program. Strategies such as the sustainable use of ecological resources (ecotourism) based on training, educational, and traditional tools generate economic benefits for families and ecosystem services for environmental conservation. However, the lack of coordination among local and federal institutions represents a gap that the community seeks to reduce through active participation in governance processes that directly affect environmental degradation. Thus, the adaptive capacity of this community, in a context of change and risk, plays an important role in decreasing the ecological deterioration of NP Izta-Popo through participatory, inclusive, and bidirectional approaches.