Much Kanan K´aax

Initiative

Summary

Much Kanan K’aax is Mayan for ‘Together taking care of the jungle’. Much Kanan K’aax is a carbon project, established in 2006, working with ejidos to promote the recovery of the Yucatan Peninsula’s culturally and ecologically important rainforest. The project engages in forest recovery, through agroforestry and reforestation projects, and in avoided deforestation through improved forest management. Carbon finance generates additional income for community members (ejidatarios) engaging in reforestation and forest protection activities.

The project design document identifies the project development phase from 2006-2011, followed by scaling up of the project between 2012 and 2017. The project is being led by U’yool’che A.C., a local NGO. U’yool’che are working closely with a pilot community, the ejido “Felipe Carillo Puerto”. The project aims to disseminate the new methodology to nearby communities located in the Sian Ka’an – Calakmul Biological Corridor, with an eventual objective being to develop REDD+ activities in this area.

The project has been developed in accordance with the Plan Vivo Standard methodology, and validation to this standard is underway.

Stakeholder engagement and participation

The participatory methodology includes 12 workshops, 6 training courses and interchanges with other communities. These have been instrumental throughout the decision-making process. Stakeholder engagement started in the pilot site and is expected to expand as the number of sites increase, helping to enhance the number of communities using the Plan Vivo methodology in the region.

Stakeholder engagement has involved community to community seminars in order to promote direct dialogue between producers.

Land tenure arrangements and carbon rights

The majority of the land in the area is under the ownership of ejidos, however several private ranchers also hold ownership titles.

Reference levels

The baseline is being calculated from historical data. The project follows the Plan Vivo methodology.

Safeguards

The project activities aim to positively contribute to biodiversity conservation and habitat restoration. The design of the Plan Vivo project has been community led; aiming to incorporate local knowledge and practices into the project. The measurement of social and biodiversity impacts through the monitoring of associated indicators forms an important component of the project. Monitoring has been carried out by a technical partner in collaboration with the communities, with the aim of communities taking eventual full responsibility once they have the capacity to do so.

Reference Level

Historical