Durango,
Mexico
General Information
Between mountains and rivers, surrounded by vast forests, there is a small plain where homes emerge—this is Ejido La Ciudad. The people here are known for their hard work, strong values, honesty, and deep loyalty to their land. Ejidatarios have always had a profound respect for their forest, viewing it as a vital resource not only for their community but for all of Mexico. They have practiced sustainable management for generations, understanding that their forest plays a crucial role in water security, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Knowing that their forest is a green lung for Mexico, the community chose to join the carbon credit project. Through this initiative, they seek to secure sustainable financial resources that will improve their quality of life while continuing to do what they love most—living in and protecting their forest.
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Project Location & Employment Impact
Located in the Sierra Madre Occidental, Ejido La Ciudad lies 145 km southwest of Durango along the Durango–Mazatlán highway, near Llano Grande and El Salto. The administrative center is in La Ciudad, serving as the hub for forestry and conservation efforts.
The project fosters local economic growth, generating employment opportunities for community members through sustainable forestry practices. With additional investment, employment can expand, integrating more residents into conservation, restoration, and ecosystem services management.
Additionality
Co-Benefits
Climate Co-Benefits
- Ecosystem services preservation through hydrological regulation and soil stability.
- Climate justice promotion, ensuring equitable distribution of project benefits.
Biodiversity Co-Benefits
The project protects 10 species classified as at risk under NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, contributing to the preservation of the Sierra Madre Pine and Oak Woodlands hotspot.
Flora:
- White cedar (Cupressus lusitanica)
- Old man’s head cactus (Mammillaria senilis)
Fauna:
- River otter (Lontra longicaudis annectens)
- Military macaw (Ara militaris)
- Eared trogon (Euptilotis neoxenus)
- Thick-billed parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha)
- Feline Species: Jaguarundi, Bobcat, Puma
Social Co-Benefits
- Job creation in conservation and forest management.
- Community well-being, fostering teamwork and collaboration.
- Gender equity, promoting women’s involvement in sustainable forestry.
Additional Selling Points
- Commitment to environmental excellence through sustainable forest management.
- Transparency and accessibility, with public monitoring reports.
- FSC Certification since 2008, ensuring responsible forest resource management.
Community Scenario Before Project Initiation
Ejido La Ciudad has historically practiced sustainable forest management through its Forest Management Program (FMP) 2016-2026, generating 300 permanent jobs. Since 2008, the Ejido has maintained Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, ensuring compliance with environmental and social standards while conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecological functions.
Permanence
Short-Term Plans (Day 1 - 5 Years)
- Increase community participation in conservation efforts.
- Deploy enhanced monitoring technologies.
- Accelerate reforestation and fire prevention measures.
Explanation of Additionality: Ejido La Ciudad Structure and Its Impact on the SDGs
The project integrates sustainable forest management to increase carbon sequestration while improving ecosystem resilience.
The total investment is distributed as follows:
- Technical Staff & Infrastructure: 10%
- Social Safeguards: 20%
- Environmental Safeguards: 30%
- Monitoring & Technical Services: 10%
- Community Well-Being: 30%
1. Technical Staff & Infrastructure– 10% of total investment
(SDG 1, 8, 10)
- Carbon credit project coordination and financial oversight.
- Payment for staff, materials, and equipment. (SDG 1.2 Reduce Poverty. / SDG 8.5 Decent work and inclusion to everyone. / SDG 10.3 Guarantee equal opportunities.)
- Digital infrastructure and connectivity support.
2. Social Safeguards – 20% of total investment
(SDG 5, 6)
- Water collection and distribution systems. (SDG 6.b: improving water and sanitation management.)
- Construction of sanitary landfill.
- Social impact monitoring and data collection.
- Recycling and composting programs.
- Community planning workshops and transparency initiatives. (SDG 5.5: Ensure the full and effective participation of women.)
3. Environmental Safeguards – 30% of total investment
(SDG 13, 15)
- Wildfire Prevention (SDG 13.1: Strengthen capacity to climate related hazards and disasters.)
- Biodiversity Conservation: Monitoring and habitat restoration.
- Biodiversity program and species inventory (SDG 15.5 Urgent and significant action to halt the loss of biodiversity, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.)
- Conservation and protection of natural resources (SDG 15.1: Forest conservation and restoration.)
- Ecosystem Services Protection: Sustainable forest maintenance.
- Increased productivity and vegetation cover (SDG 15.3: Restore land and soil.)
- Drought mitigation maintenance (SDG 13.1)
4. Monitoring & Technical Services – 10% of total investment
(SDG 13)
- Annual monitoring reports and data verification featuring 17 KPIs.
- Project measurement and monitoring (SDG 13.3 Improve institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.)
- Technical project report (SDG 13.3)
5. Community Well-Being – 30% of total investment
- Enhancing social and economic benefits for carbon rights holders.
Long-Term Plans (30 - 100 Years)
Long-term conservation ensures stable carbon sequestration and ecological resilience:
- Maintain or expand carbon stocks.
- Strengthen biodiversity conservation.
- Scale up sustainable community projects.
- Achieve gender equity in project activities.
- Preventing illegal land use changes.
- Fire and pest control for forest health.
- Soil and biodiversity restoration.
- Sustained community involvement.
Accounting
- Estimated Annual Carbon Removal: ~44,500 tCO₂e
- Total Project Area: 13,486.08 ha
- Activity Area: 12,222.74 ha
To ensure accuracy and transparency, monitoring follows the Mexico Forest Protocol (MFP) v3.0, using:
- Remote Sensing & GIS Analysis to track forest cover changes.
- Field Surveys for biomass measurement and biodiversity assessments.
- Community Participation to engage local stakeholders.
- Annual reports published on the Climate Action Reserve platform.
Buffer Pool Contribution
A 30.86% buffer reserve ensures project stability and risk mitigation. These credits are not sold, serving instead as insurance to protect against potential carbon losses due to natural or economic uncertainties.
- Financial Risk: 4%
- Illegal Biomass Removal: 2%
- Land Conversion: 6%
- Over-Harvesting: 4%
- Social Risk: 6%
- Political Risk: 4%
- Wildfire, Disease, or Insect Outbreak: 4%
- Other Catastrophic Events: 6%
Leakage Prevention
Through careful planning, sustainable management, and ongoing monitoring, the project maintains a 0% leakage rate, ensuring that carbon benefits remain fully within the project area. This is achieved by preventing activity displacement through strong land-use policies, active community involvement, and economic incentives that make conservation the most viable option for local stakeholders.