The mangroves, wetlands, and tropical forests of La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve are home to jaguars, crocodiles, spider monkeys, and more than 300 species of birds.

This makes it critical to biodiversity and ecosystem services in Mexico. It’s also home to people, many of whom depend on farming as a livelihood.

When La Encrucijada was created in 1995, cattle ranching, subsistence farming, and small scale production of commodity crops – such as palm oil – were already present. In 1999, the Mexican government, in consultation with local communities, created a land-use management plan to guide agricultural and conservation activities in La Encrucijada.

However, due to limited resources, the boundaries of this plan have not been well disseminated or enforced. The result has been agricultural encroachment on areas designated for conservation.

Today, Nestlé and Grupo Bimbo are investing in innovative satellite technology to generate a detailed understanding of current land use in La Encrucijada. This data is the basis for multi-stakeholder collaboration in support of conservation and sustainable development in La Encrucijada. The vision is for palm oil production – with its global supply chain and sustainability commitments – to serve as a vehicle for broader compliance with La Encrucijada’s management plan.