Environmentalists demand protection for Cuernavaca's tropical dry forest, reject housing development

Environmental advocates are urging Mexican authorities to protect a vital fragment of tropical dry forest within Cuernavaca, a city increasingly threatened by urban sprawl. They are calling for the designation of the nearly five-hectare area, located along Paseo Cuauhnáhuac and near the Paso Exprés highway, as a Protected Natural Area and botanical garden.

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although permits have not yet been granted, there is concern about an alleged irregular change of land use that would allow for a high-impact housing complex.

Larisa de Orbe González, president of Acción Ecológica AC, expressed concern over a potential irregular land-use change that could pave the way for the Altoverde housing development, promoted by Portenta Hábitat. Although permits have not yet been granted, the group fears the project's high environmental impact.

The disputed land, situated next to the intersection of Avenida Cuauhnáhuac and the Cuernavaca bypass, is one of the last remaining pockets of tropical dry forest within the city limits. It hosts approximately 1,600 native trees and serves as a crucial refuge for wildlife, including opossums, squirrels, raccoons, snakes, and various bird species.

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today with absolute disregard for nature and the urban environment of Cuernavaca, it is intended to raze that field, to force in a development of 6 towers of 15 floors each with luxury apartments. That emblematic property could well be a park and a nature reserve for the people of Cuernavaca.

Environmentalists argue that the proposed development contradicts the municipality's Ecological Territorial Ordering Program. They point out that the relevant environmental management unit does not permit human settlements in this zone, emphasizing the need to prioritize conservation over real estate expansion. The cronista of Cuernavaca, Roberto Abe Camil, has also spoken out, describing the plan to build a complex of 30-story luxury apartment towers as a "desecration of nature" and urging the creation of a park and nature reserve for residents.

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Saving the last remnant of deciduous forest in the city would set a precedent regarding urban anarchy, fierce real estate voracity, and the ambition of those who issue permits without thinking about the future of generations of Cuernavaca residents.