Jalisco Is Paying Communities to Keep Forests Standing

There are fires to prevent, land to restore, watersheds to protect and thousands of hectares that need to be watched and cared for. And much of that work falls to the rural and Indigenous communities living closest to the land.

Jalisco is putting nearly 29.9 million pesos behind that work through its Payment for Environmental Services program, known in Mexico as Pago por Servicios Ambientales.

Between 2026 and 2028, the program will support 32 ejidos and agrarian communities in 22 municipalities, covering more than 14,900 hectares of forest and jungle.

The concept is refreshingly straightforward: if a community takes care of a forest that benefits everyone, that work has value.

Forests don’t just give us beautiful places to hike. They hold soil in place, capture carbon, provide habitat for wildlife and play an enormous role in protecting water supplies. Sierra de Quila, for example, has significant hydrological importance because its waters contribute to both the Ameca and Ayuquila-Armería river systems.

Instead of expecting communities to shoulder all the cost of protecting those resources, the program compensates them for conservation work. Funding comes through a partnership between Jalisco and the federal government’s National Forestry Commission, CONAFOR.

State officials estimate the projects could also benefit a much larger surrounding landscape—approximately 215,000 hectares.

That number needs a little explanation. It does not mean 215,000 hectares are being purchased, fenced off or turned into new protected areas. The land receiving direct conservation support totals a little over 14,900 hectares. The larger figure represents the estimated area that could benefit indirectly from healthier forests and ecosystems.

For those of us in Puerto Vallarta, this may seem like something happening far from the coast. It really isn’t.

Vallarta exists because of the extraordinary geography around us—the Pacific on one side and mountains and forests on the other. Water, wildlife and healthy ecosystems don’t stop at municipal boundaries.

And there is another reason this program deserves attention.

It recognizes that conservation isn’t only about protecting trees. It’s also about supporting the people who live beside them.

When keeping a forest healthy also helps a community earn a living, there is one more very good reason to keep that forest standing.

Published: August 28–30, 2026 Sources: Jalisco environmental authorities and CONAFOR program information reported by Jalisco media.