From ‘Revolutionary’ to Contested Park. Mobilization and Conflicts in the Recategorization Process of the Nevado de Toluca National Park (Mexico)

A governmental project intending to downgrade a National Park into an Area of Protection of Flora and Fauna has encountered both scientific and legal opposition. During this recategorization period, participation has become a major issue mobilizing various groups of interest related to the Nevado de Toluca. These groups include agrarian communities living within the park and others, living in neighboring urban areas, who value the park for its material resources and its biodiversity. This paper will analyze the way this change of category has engaged territorial actors to use participation procedures to gain power over decision-making regarding the future of the protected area. In exploiting the possibilities of the law and regaining legitimacy, local communities have been able to partially redesign actors’ relationships and to regain a central actor status, leading to a renewed governance system.