Last updated: November 2021
Xalapa is located beneath towering volcanic peaks in the Sierra Madre Oriental, and the city is crossed by at least five minor streams, seven rivers, and it has four man-made lakes and one lagoon in its territory. Its natural ecosystem represents “1% of the national forest area and hosts more than 12% of forest biodiversity” [1]. However, unplanned expansion has resulted in deforestation and the inadequate management of its waterways. In addition, forests, riparian corridors and wetlands have been cleared for agriculture and urban infrastructure. These disruptions to the environment have increased the frequency and intensity of flooding in the city [2]. To meet the environmental challenges, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Mexico's Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources-SEMARNAT launched an initiative as part of UNEP's multi-city CityAdapt Project, backed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) [3]. The project focuses on four interventions to improve resilience to climate change through NbS: 1) riparian restoration along the Papas urban river; 2) ecological restoration of the Estropajo Hill; 3) installation of rainwater systems within the most vulnerable areas in Xalapa; and 4) implementation of an artificial wetland at schools [2,4].
Reforestation to prevent landslides and soil erosion in Xalapa
https://hoyxalapa.com/2021/03/23/reforestan-xalapa-para-evitar-deslaves/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Blue infrastructure
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Protection of natural ecosystems
Project objectives
1) Riparian restoration along the Papas urban river [2,5]:
- River restoration by using species adapted to reduce the risk of flooding and landslides.
- Contribute to the increased water infiltration.
- Improve habitat conditions and stability on the river through revegetation.
- To reduce erosion and sedimentation of waterways (watershed level).
2) Estropajo hill restoration [2].
- Construction of infiltration ditches and retention berms to retain soil and increase infiltration.
- Plant trees focusing on agroforestry in degraded areas and urban and peri-urban areas.
- Reduce runoff and enhance infiltration of rainfall.
3) Implementation of rainwater harvesting systems [2].
- Decreasing the amount of water that is lost through runoff (reducing flooding risk).
- Ensuring water supply during dry periods in key sites like schools.
4) Implementation of artificial wetland at schools [2,4].
- Increase the water storage capacity for rainwater, thereby reducing the runoff to the city.
- Regulate water flow (urban landscape level).
- Reduce the risk of flooding.
Implementation activities
1) Riparian restoration along the Papas urban river (2016-2021):
- Implementing an ecological river restoration (Papa river/ arroyo Papas). As a result, 3.46 km of riparian corridor restored with 3,640 trees with different species of fruit trees and aromatic species have to improve river flow, prevent floods and improve soil conservation [2,5].
2) Estropajo hill restoration (2016-2021):
- Restoring the Cerro del Estropajo hill by: “planting 20,000 trees; constructing 2,803 metres of infiltration ditches; and constructing 1,667 metres retention berms to retain soil and increase the infiltration” [2].
- 10 ha of soil restoration and conservation measures undertaken on Estropajo hill, including slope stabilization, and elaboration of terraces and living fences [2].
- 7 hectares of best practices for agroforestry implemented on the Estropajo hill, including interspersed crops with fruit trees, mixed forest plantations for enrichment with native species, and shade for coffee, with 4,625 trees planted [2].
3) Implementation of rainwater harvesting systems:
- Installation of 10 rainwater harvesting systems on the rooftops of 8 schools and 2 public buildings (2016-2021) [2].
4) 1 SUD system implemented at the Telesecundaria school Rafael Hernández Ochoa (2016) and 1 SUD system implemented at the Higher Technological Institute of Xalapa (2021) [2,4].
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides
- Implement solutions to capture/store water to increase its availability and prevent shortages from droughts
- Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms
- Implement sustainable urban drainage infrastructure (e.g. to make space for water)
- Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore ecological connectivity
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Non-government organisation/civil society
- Researchers/university
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Taskforce groups
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), together with Mexico's Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), executed the project with the support of local landowners, community, researchers and local organizations. Through participatory processes and workshops, the project ensures effective interventions, helping build urban climate resilience. In addition, the project has created alliances with different universities and consultants, "collaborating to update and produce data and models showing the vulnerability of other areas to climate impacts, with a higher resolution" [2,3].
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€2,000,000 - €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Donations
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Environmental quality
- Improved soil quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Reduced risk of damages by drought
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
Yes
References
1. Cityadapt. 2021. Available at: Source link [Accessed 11 October 2021].
2. Global Environment Facility. 2021. Building Climate Resilience of Urban Systems through Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Latin America and the Caribbean. Available at:Source link [Accessed 4 October 2021].
3. UNEP. 2019. Banking on nature: a Mexican city adapts to climate change. Available at:Source link and Source link [Accessed 23 September 2021].
4. MÁSNOTICIAS. 2021. Tecnológico Superior de Xalapa cuenta con sistema de humedales para saneamiento de aguas residuales | MÁSNOTICIAS. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed 5 October 2021].
5. Espejodelpoder. 2021. Xalapeños cuidan arroyo Papas-Carneros | EspejodelPoder. Available at: Source link [Accessed 12 October 2021].
2. Global Environment Facility. 2021. Building Climate Resilience of Urban Systems through Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Latin America and the Caribbean. Available at:Source link [Accessed 4 October 2021].
3. UNEP. 2019. Banking on nature: a Mexican city adapts to climate change. Available at:Source link and Source link [Accessed 23 September 2021].
4. MÁSNOTICIAS. 2021. Tecnológico Superior de Xalapa cuenta con sistema de humedales para saneamiento de aguas residuales | MÁSNOTICIAS. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed 5 October 2021].
5. Espejodelpoder. 2021. Xalapeños cuidan arroyo Papas-Carneros | EspejodelPoder. Available at: Source link [Accessed 12 October 2021].
Rainwater harvesting systems in Xalapa
https://ayuntamiento.xalapa.gob.mx/web/cityadapt-xalapa/sistemas-de-captacion-de-agua
Intervention mapping
https://cityadapt.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/191027-Ana%CC%81lisis-de-Vulnerabildiad-Xalapa.pdf
The mesophilic forest provides 30 percent of the water supply to Xalapa. Photo: Conacyt.
https://cityadapt.com/en/the-mexican-city-of-xalapa-adapts-to-climate-change-hand-in-hand-with-nature/
SUDs at the Instituto Tecnológico de Xalapa
https://www.masnoticias.mx/tecnologico-superior-de-xalapa-cuenta-con-sistema-de-humedales-para-saneamiento-de-aguas-residuales/
Ecological river restoration (Papa river/arroyo Papas)
https://siguenzacomunica.com/con-apoyo-de-onu-avanza-restauracion-ecologica-del-arroyo-papas-carneros-en-xalapa/
Ecological restoration of the Estropajo Hill
http://spiveracruz.com/spi/2021/09/06/por-el-rescate-del-cerro-del-estropajo/
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the UNA global extension project funded by the British Academy.