Staff of the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa), in coordination with agents of the Federal Police Gendarmerie (Environmental Division), closed an estate located in the municipality of Ocampo, in the Mexican state of Michoacan, for making the change of land use in forest territory without having the authorization issued by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).
During the inspection visit, staff of Profepa detected 510 avocado trees in an area of three hectares, as well as the felling of pine, oak, aile and white cedar trees, for 67,579 cubic meters (m3), without the proper authorization for changes in land use granted by Semarnat.
Therefore, and based on article 170, sections I and II, of the General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Protection of the Environment, the temporary partial closure of land use change activities was imposed as a security measure. the precautionary assurance of a backhoe loader that was located on the site, which was moved for safekeeping to the facilities of a nursery of the Forestry Commission of the Government of the State of Michoacán.
Illegal tree felling at Michoacán’s Monarch Butterfly Reserve to plant avocado trees (Photo: Mi Maravatío)
It is important to mention that in accordance with the provisions of article 157, section II, of the General Law of Sustainable Forestry Development, the alleged perpetrators may be punished with a fine equivalent to 100 to 20 thousand times the current Unit of Measurement and Updating ( between 8,449 and 1,689,800 pesos).
Likewise, they could be obliged to carry out the necessary restoration activities and, their machinery could be confiscated, besides other economic sanctions.
This operation is part of the permanent actions that PROFEPA carries out in coordination with the Gendarmerie to combat illegal logging in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, in order to protect and preserve the habitat and the migratory phenomenon of this important species.
The Yucatan Times Newsroom with information from http://mimaravatio.com
