Forests for the Future: The Great Challenge 

Colegio de Postgraduados, Mexico

Abstract: Mexico is a nation endowed with a rich and wide diversity of forest ecosystems. That natural resource however, has been under an intense process of degradation and destruction along the time. Among the main causes are: heavy logging that intensified by the end of the XIX century and the second decade of XX century, ineffective forest legislation and policies, and severe pressure to forests by local rural people as means of survival. At present time, damage to the ecosystems has continued as a result of the increasing demand for forest products caused mainly by population growth. The number of rural population living in poverty has also increased and so the negative impact on forests. Added to these circumstances are damage caused by fires, pests and diseases on the forests. The estimated rate of deforestation is 150,000 hectares per year. Of no minor importance is the effect of climate change on the resource. The current tendency of the Mexican forests destruction has to be stopped. A detailed revision of forest policies and legislation applied, along with the public administration failure for decades is urgent. Definition of demands of natural forests and forest plantations for the future is deemed highly important. Strategies and actions for a long term plan for a sustainable use and conservation of the Mexican forest ecosystems are suggested.