Community participation for carbon measurement in forests of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Introduction: Community participation is an effective strategy for forest management and ecosystem services management.  Objectives: To apply participatory methods for estimating carbon stocks in community owned forests and to identify land uses and conflicts that may influence the maintenance of these forests.   Materials and methods: Participatory mapping workshops were held in four communities. Members were instructed in the measurement of tree-size parameters to estimate aboveground carbon in forest biomass. Work was conducted in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a priority area for REDD+ in Mexico.  Results and discussion: Awareness-raising, acceptance and flexibility processes were identified towards the incorporation of participatory tools, both for future participation in carbon markets and to improve existing forest management practices of the communities. Carbon values ​​obtained through participatory methods were consistent with those identified by experts for the forest types included in this study. Averages of 112, 98 and 91 Mg C·ha-1 were estimated in conifer-dominated, broadleaf-dominated and mixed-species forest sites, respectively. In some communities there are conflicts over land ownership boundaries and there are some internal conflicts where community agreements have not been respected.  Conclusion: Participatory methods of tree carbon mapping and measurement support forest management through the generation of reliable data that can facilitate community management of resources. Carbon stocks were associated more with the degree of forest conservation, than with vegetation type, and forest disturbance is more associated with internal and external conflicts than with forest management practices.