Officials shut down more than 9,000 acres of land after photos reveal massive criminal operation: 'Exemplary sanctions'

According to Riviera Maya News, a large area of natural habitat in Mexico has been illegally cleared, and the perpetrators are facing criminal charges as a result.

Over 9,000 acres of land spread across 17 Mennonite properties were closed after federal officials detected illegal logging to expand agricultural operations. The properties were located in the southeastern Mexican states of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatan. The shutdowns included the seizure of a range of farming and landscaping equipment, including tractors, back hoes, and drills.

"In addition to the closures, we have opened administrative proceedings in all of these cases and, to date, have filed 13 criminal complaints," said Federal Environmental Protection Attorney Mariana Boy Tamborrell, per Riviera Maya News.

Global Forest Watch reports that the rate of tree cover loss in Mexico has decreased in recent years, thanks to legal protections, but it needs to continue downward to reach 2015 levels. Of all the Mexican states, Campeche suffers the most from that forest loss.

The Yucatan Peninsula is home to a wide range of threatened wildlife, such as jaguars and the Mexican sheartail hummingbird. Maintaining the health of mature forests is key to supporting biodiversity and protecting these species on the brink.

As wild animal populations tumble globally, so too do the vital ecosystem services they provide. Pollinators in particular serve an important role in agriculture. Besides habitat for wildlife, strong forests provide deep carbon sequestration, air quality improvements, and erosion protection, too.

Mexican officials are keen to reclaim land that had been cleared, though it will take time.

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"We are committed to working in coordination with institutions at all levels to stop these illegal clearings and move toward obtaining exemplary sanctions for those who destroy forests and to establish processes for restoring native vegetation," said Tamborrell, per Riviera Maya News.

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