CoSMoS
Conservation and Sustainable Use of Mountains and Mountain Ranges
The Project
The objective of the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Mountains and Mountain Ranges (CoSMoS, Spanish acronym) project is to improve the state of conservation and sustainable use of the ecosystems of central Mexico.
Context
Within the framework of Mexico-Germany cooperation, both countries agreed to the joint development of CoSMoS. The project was born with the idea of carrying out conservation, restoration, and sustainable use actions on the route that Alexander von Humboldt, the German scientist, followed on his five-year trip through Latin America. In 1803, Humboldt arrived in Mexico, disembarking in the port of Acapulco to settle in Mexico City, from where he left for different destinations in the mountains of the Neovolcanic Axis and the Altiplano, setting sail from the port of Veracruz.
CoSMoS embodies the current vision of the Government of Mexico to strengthen the sustainable management of the territory, improve the effective management of its protected areas (PAs) and areas of influence, and strengthen the communities that inhabit them, facing new global challenges, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of climate change.
The lines of work that guide CoSMoS’ actions are:
- Strengthen the effective management of federal PAs.
- Support the restoration of ecosystems.
- Promote the sustainable use and exploitation of ecosystem goods and services provided by federal PAs (strengthen the local economy).
- Contribute to developing digital infrastructure and applied technology to improve decision-making, effective communication, and environmental education regarding biodiversity conservation.
CoSMoS will promote the conservation and sustainable use of the mountain ecosystems of central Mexico.
Achievements
During the second half of 2023, FMCN completed the integration of a project coordination unit and developed the plan that will direct all CoSMoS actions over five years. In addition, an exhaustive social and environmental diagnosis was carried out to identify possible risks associated with the proposed activities. This analysis will allow all project stakeholders to design effective mitigation measures.
In parallel, FMCN and CONANP collaborated closely on the five-year strategic planning for the 18 PAs covered by CoSMoS, their respective annual operational programs, and identifying environmental and social safeguards. All this work was carried out for resource execution in early 2024.
During the first half of 2024, CoSMoS began activities in 19 PAs, focusing on the operation of fire brigades and biodiversity monitoring. Additionally, other actions were carried out, such as the implementation of plans for tourism management, fire management, control of invasive species, and consultations for updating their management plans. These actions, led by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP, acronym in Spanish) and supported administratively and technically by local organizations, aimed to improve the management of these key ecosystems in central Mexico and strengthen the PAs’ capacity to address the pressures of urbanization and climate change. Furthermore, in collaboration with the National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO, acronym in Spanish) and CONANP, FMCN designed and published a call for proposals to select restoration subprojects to be implemented in these PAs and their surrounding areas starting next semester.
Allies
Donor: KfW Development Bank
Partners:
- National Commission of Natural Protected Areas
- National Commission for the Use and Knowledge of Biodiversity
Contact
To address any questions, clarifications, suggestions, complaints, or comments related to CoSMoS, we provide you with the following means of contact corresponding to the project's Complaints and Inquiries Mechanism. Your request will be treated with confidentiality, responsibility, and interest by the representatives of the project.
E-mail: denuncia@fmcn.org
Postal address: Francisco Sosa 102. Santa Catarina. Delegación Coyoacan. CDMX. C.P. 04010.
Telephone: 55 5611 9779