The forest role within armed conflicts: The case of Chiapas-Mexico

This book provides vast information of the Mexican forests and forest-related conflicts, focusing on the Chiapas' armed conflict, its contributing factors and driving forces. The author Ariadna Chavarria identified and documented the major forest problems in Mexico related with inter-communal struggles and land distribution-linked uprisings, narcotraffic presence in forest areas, and organized crime associated with illegal logging. She also conducted a deep research on the historical, cultural, political and economical aspects of the conflict, and performed direct interviews with the stakeholders of the Chiapas armed struggle to identify the forest role within the conflict. She further assessed the struggle impacts over the Lacandon forest and discussed a number of practices to reduce them. Finally, the author concludes the case studies and presents strategies based on land reform, sustainable forestry and protected areas management for bringing peace in Chiapas and other Mexican rural communities. This book offers valuable information to peace negotiators, environmental activists, policy makers, researchers and students dealing with natural resources-related conflicts.