Date of Workshop: July 30 and August 6, 2017

Workshop Coordinator: James Robson

Jalapa del Valle, a community located 20 km from Oaxaca City, Mexico is home to over 1,500 residents, many of whom interact daily with the city for work, education, and services. Historically, the community's livelihoods were closely tied to their temperate pine oak forests, but in 1975, the Community Assembly designated the area as a forest conservation zone, banning logging. Over time, this shift led to the community adopting more urban livelihoods, while still maintaining strong ties to their land.

In 2013, Jalapa del Valle received a national conservation award, but recent challenges like forest fires and plagues have prompted community discussions on forest use. The Assembly is now considering a collective approach to commercial forestry, exploring ways to balance conservation with sustainable forest management.

A Youth Visioning Workshop was hosted in July and August 2017, led by James Robson. Participants in the workshop reflected on the community's past and future with the forest, sharing memories of tree-planting efforts and aspirations for protecting their natural resources for future generations. One participant shared, "The forest is important to me because I planted trees there when I was younger... I enjoyed doing something good for the forest and community." Another added, "Let's look after the forest for future generations."