DEFORESTATION AND TREE DENSITY REDUCTION OF THE NEVADO DE TOLUCA NATIONAL PARK

Abstract

Historically, the natural resources of the high mountain areas of Mexico have undergone pressures due to various factors such as timber extraction, pests and diseases. Zoning attempts have been very general, and it is impossible to assess the transitions that occur in periods of less than 10 years, because adequate assessment requires processes that involve a high time investment in order to obtain a highly detailed and functional product. A land cover map of the Nevado de Toluca National Park (PNNT) was made in 2009 with a SPOT image based on the land use categorization by Cetenal and on vegetation charts with a 1:50 000 scale for the year 1972. As a reference, this map was contrasted with the most recent update of this image, produced in the year 2000. The land cover maps for the years 2000 and 2009 were superimposed in order to carry out an interactive interpretation by sectors of the transitions that took place during the study period. This made it possible to estimate the areas in which the forest cover has suffered damaging processes. The areas with the most dynamic degradation were found to be the pine forests, where the damages were due to deforestation and loss of tree density. There is an overall deforestation rate of 35 has year-1, versus a mere 3 has year-1 of recovered forests. It was concluded that the protected area is subject to intense selective logging processes that occur illegally or for sanitation purposes.