The Baja California Sur state government and the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR) will invest 16.9 million pesos (roughly $850,000 USD) in 28 forestry and conservation projects across the state. The funding targets community forestry, sustainable resource management, and wildfire prevention in four municipalities: Comondú, La Paz, Los Cabos, and Mulegé.
The state’s Secretariat of Urban Planning, Infrastructure, Mobility, Environment, and Natural Resources (SEPUIMM) is coordinating the effort with CONAFOR. Projects will focus on non-timber forest resources, nature tourism, and women-led productive initiatives in rural communities.
Protection for Oases and Water Recharge Zones
A central piece of the plan is the designation of 8,563 priority hectares for protection. These areas include water recharge zones and desert oases, the fragile freshwater springs that sustain both wildlife and human communities in BCS’s arid interior. For a state where water scarcity is a constant concern, protecting these recharge areas has direct implications for aquifer health and long-term supply.
The two agencies also agreed to hold joint workshops and technical planning sessions. The goal is to standardize criteria for the legal and sustainable use of forest-linked natural resources statewide.
First All-Female Fire Brigade in Comondú
One standout initiative is the creation of BCS’s first all-female rural fire brigade, to be based in the municipality of Comondú. The brigade is part of the state’s 2026 Strategic Fire Management Plan, which prioritizes community-based wildfire response in areas far from urban fire stations.
BCS has historically experienced relatively few wildfires compared to mainland Mexico. In 2018, CONAFOR recorded just three fire events in the state, affecting 11.38 hectares. But rising temperatures and prolonged drought cycles have increased risk in recent years, making rural brigades more important.
Building on a Long Federal Investment
The new allocation continues a pattern of federal forestry spending in BCS. Between 2013 and 2018, CONAFOR invested a cumulative 360 million pesos in the state. In 2018 alone, the agency spent 52.9 million pesos on restoration, soil conservation, and plant production across BCS’s five municipalities.
The 2026 figure of 16.9 million pesos is smaller in scale but more targeted, with an emphasis on community participation and gender inclusion. CONAFOR formalized the 2026 program supports with agrarian communities in BCS, according to the agency’s official social media channels.
The announcement was first reported by the Baja California Sur state government on May 31.