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The Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN in Spanish) is a private, non-profit institution that had its origin at the Earth Summit of Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Under the original guidance of the World Wildlife Fund US , and with the financial support of donors, such as The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and Bankers Trust, a multidisciplinary group of 21 specialists conducted an extensive consultation process to design the FMCN with the participation of over 400 representatives from 250 Mexican conservation organizations. In 1994 the FMCN was legally incorporated and the first Board of Directors was formed.
During 1996 the FMCN consolidated its initial endowment with donations from the USAID and the Mexican Government. In early 1997, the FMCN published its first call for project proposals aimed at ecosystem and species conservation, sustainable use of natural resources and institutional strengthening. Through this Strategic Support Program (PAE) the FMCN disbursed, in eight years, approximately US$14 million to conservation projects throughout Mexico . At the beginning of year 2005, PAE evolved into two more specific programs: The Watersheds Conservation Program, and the Marine Ecosystems Conservation Program. |
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At the end of 1996, the National Council for Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), an advisory body to the Mexican Environmental Ministry, selected the FMCN to receive and administer an endowment from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in support of ten strategic protected areas in Mexico . This Protected Areas Conservation Program (FANP in Spanish) is a successful example of a public-private partnership. Since 1998 FANP has disbursed approximately US$12 million to protected areas. By the end of 2005 it will be supporting basic conservation activities in 20 key protected areas.
In 1998 the FMCN signed a five year period agreement with the USAID earmarked for wildfire prevention and restoration efforts within protected areas. The first phase of the Fire Management and Restoration Program (PPIRA in Spanish), which ended in December 2004, disbursed US$4.29 million to support projects on fire prevention, restoration, environmental education and training of local groups. The second phase will follow through an earmarked endowment from FMCN and an additional grant from the US Forest Service. Its main objectives are to increase the participation of society in managing forest fires and to restore burnt areas of high biodiversity.
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From the beginning, the FMCN has promoted capacity building and institutional strengthening of conservation organizations. In 2000 these efforts led to the formation of the Mexican Conservation Learning Network (IMAC in Spanish), a collaborative effort of the FMCN, Private Agencies Collaborating Together, Inc. (PACT) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
The FMCN has fostered cooperative efforts with other international donors. The FMCN also participated in the establishment of the Latin American and the Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC) and the Environmental Education and Communication Fund (FEA).
The FMCN supports today only 30% of the high quality requests we receive each year through our different calls for proposals. Our protected areas conservation program covers only 20 of the 56 priority protected areas in Mexico . The scale of the challenge to conserve Mexico’s natural resources demands a permanent fund raising effort as well as a robust and long-term capacity building program for national NGO’s and rural organizations. |
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