Consolidation of the Protected Areas Program (SINAP II)

The GOM has embarked on a substantial strengthening and rationalization of the protected area system, including the establishment of an endowment fund (FANP) for 10 globally significant reserves. The overseeing ministry (SEMARNAP) now wishes to consolidate the PA system and to ensure its long-term sustainability. To this end, SEMARNAP is considering action on the following: (i) organizational reform of the PA managing unit (UCANP) to give it managerial and financial autonomy; (ii) development of a financial management system for UCANP and the parks, based on commercial practice and ability to generate and retain revenues; (iii) development of a human resource policy/career path capable of building a professional corps of park managers and staff, including training programs; (iv) rationalization of the national system of reserves to a core of priority, representative ecosystems; (v) increase in the size of the FANP endowment to cover the core reserves in the representative national park system; (vi) development and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation system of the biological resources in the national park system. GEF support would be sought for the incremental costs of these activities.