Conservation

Morelos territory is privileged, because it has one of the best climates in the world, beautiful mountains, valleys, rivers, gullies and different soil varieties, most of them exceptional for the agriculture production and water of the best quality for human use and for agriculture.

Morelos is the second smaller state in Mexico (0.25 of Mexico’s surface) and its one of the entities with the highest biological diversity in its territory. In the state there are 8 of the 10 biggest ecosystems recognized in Mexico and 15% of plant and animals specie in the country (4,302) species.

Morelos is an entity of a huge plurality in ecosystem and alive cultures that points to one of the highest ratings in deforestation, loss of biodiversity and cultural richness.
The state occupies the second place in deterioration and transformation in its natural ecosystems The loss of basic natural sources keeps increasing (water contamination, soil erosion, and the decline of wild life) 70% of the land surface in the state is consider forest, but in the last decades 80% of the forest cover has been eliminated and 80% of Morelos surface present different erosion degrees.

Morelos still counts with 88,000 hectares of forest and jungles of which annually there is a loss of 3000-4000 hectares. If this continues the forest cover in Morelos will extinct in a period of time of 20 to 30 years and with this most of the biodiversity and environmental services putting at risk the sustainable development of the state.

Group	Mexico	Morelos	% National territory
Vascular plants	26,000	3,686	14.2
Fishes	384	26	6.7
Amphibians	361	40	11.9
Reptiles	804	79	9.8
Birds	1060	370	34.9
Mammals	450	101	22.4
Total	28,675	4,302	15

Among the main causes of the acute environmental deterioration are the increase of the human population and the urban areas, with a model of economic growth that attracts immigration and that is based on a savage urban development and threatens the traditional economic sectors (tourism and farming). Despite the state's forestry vocation, the expectations of financial speculation with the land have distorted land use and halted the development of the culture of diversified and sustainable use of forests and jungles.

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