Dinámica relacional de las actividades recreativas en el Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Nevado de Toluca

Abstract

The simultaneous fulfillment of conservation and recreation represents a challenge for the management of Natural Protected Areas (NPAs), even more when the management of recreational activities involves multiple actors with divergent needs, activities and interests. The aim of the research was to analyze the relational dynamics among stakeholders involved in the management of recreational activities, and their impact in the coexistence of ecological and recreational functions of the Protected Area of Flora and Fauna Nevado de Toluca (APFFNT). Based on an exhaustive literature review, observation, field trips, socio-ecosystem approach and Social Network Analysis (SNA), it was found that relational dynamics do not favor the coexistence of ecological and recreational functions in the APFFNT due to the fact that links among stakeholders are weak and even disappear; stakeholders are mainly related to exchange information, with a minimum coordination, besides most of them do not share institutional goals nor management aims; they are only linked to prevent incidents and not to plan or regulate recreational activities. It is essential for an adequate management of recreational activities to link specialist stakeholders and governing bodies in recreational activities and regulatory instances; to reduce the distances that were reflected by results of the SNA between stakeholders that perform recreational activities and stakeholders that manage them; to have a greater control over external actors; and to formalize and maintain long-term relationships. The SNA is an effective tool for analyzing the relational dynamics of recreational activities since it helps to understand the complexity of managing these activities in NPAs. This research contributes to scientific knowledge of natural and social sciences first in the understanding of the society-environment interactions in NPAs from their natural and social subsystems, addressing recreational activities beyond the conventional duality of supply-demand with a socio-ecosystem approach; and second, in the analysis of the relationships between key stakeholders for conservation of ecosystems as well as to guarantee the provision of cultural ecosystem services. Likewise, in the governmental sphere, generated findings in this research can contribute to decision-makers and managers to lay the foundations for strategies, so that management adapts to the restrictions that regulate NPAs, helping to reduce the deterioration of ecosystems by recreational activities and to contribute to the main challenge of NPAs of being enjoyed and protected. It is recommended to deepen future research on the questioning of what is the relational dynamics of the other activities (agricultural, livestock, forestry, etc.) that are carried out in the APFFNT to have a broader vision of the management of the NPA. Due to the fact that the context of APFFNT is similar to other NPAs in Mexico, a regional or national analysis and even an international comparison of the relational dynamics could be extended, for both of recreational activities and the others productive activities of ANPs.