Prioritisation of Native Tree Species for Biodiversity Conservation, Carbon Capture, and Livelihoods Improvement in Shade-Grown Coffee Regions of Chiapas, Mexico
Name
sustainability-18-03511.pdf
Description
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4.19 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
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Resource type
Journal article
Date published
April 2, 2026
Abstract
Coffee production, particularly in shade-grown farms, plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of Mexican farmers. Shade-grown coffee systems are also recognised for supporting biodiversity and enhancing carbon capture. Nevertheless, the geographical heterogeneity of Mexico makes the selection of tree species in these agroforestry systems challenging. This study develops region-specific priority lists to conserve biodiversity, improve carbon capture, and support the livelihoods of producers across nine coffee-growing regions within the state of Chiapas. We identified the tree species distributed in each region using an extensive dataset from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and a novel approach that enhanced spatial resolution of the prioritisation process, despite biases in collection efforts. A set of 23 criteria, including conservation status, carbon content, and documented uses by local communities, was compiled from databases and literature reviews and used to calculate a priority score for each species. Based on these scores, a list of 20 recommended species was generated for each region. However, additional participatory validation is needed to translate these lists into practice. A similarity analysis revealed that geographically proximate regions shared similar species composition. Overall, this study provides a transparent framework for regionally tailored shade-tree selection to inform conservation and restoration planning in coffee agroforestry landscapes.
Project(s)
Enhancing carbon sequestration and improving livelihoods in shade-grown coffee farms in the State of Veracruz, México
Priority 1: Ecosystem Stewardship
Funder
| Funder name | Awards |
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom | Enhancing carbon sequestration and improving livelihoods in shade-grown coffee farms in the State of Veracruz, México |
Faculty of Higher Studies Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México | Enhancing carbon sequestration and improving livelihoods in shade-grown coffee farms in the State of Veracruz, México |
Pronatura Veracruz A.C., Mexico | |
Instituto de Ecología del Estado, Mexico | |
Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México | |
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, United Kingdom | UK PACT Mexico (FCDO Project Number 30149) |
Aldama Foundation, United Kingdom | |
Emberson Foundation | |
British Embassy in Mexico | |
Journal title
Sustainability
Volume
18
Issue
7
Article number
3511
Publisher
MDPI AG
Place of publication
Basel, Switzerland
eISSN
2071-1050
Date accepted
March 22, 2026
Official URL
Related URL
Rights statement
In Copyright
Additional information
IF = 3.3 (2024)