Cerro Meyapac

Cerro Meyapac is a Zona Sujeta a Conservación Ecológica (State Ecological Conservation Zone) located in the municipalities of Ocozocoautla de Espinosa and Berriozábal, Chiapas, Mexico, approximately 10 kilometers from Tuxtla Gutiérrez. ^[1] Covering 1,741.62 hectares, the reserve protects tropical deciduous and semi-deciduous forest on the cerro (hill) that rises to approximately 1,100 meters above sea level — a prominent feature in the Central Depression of Chiapas. ^[1] The conservation zone was formally established on November 15, 2006, through decree No. 426, following advocacy by the civil association Grupo Meyapac A.C. ^[1] Cerro Meyapac provides critical hydrological services, recharging aquifers that supply drinking water to the municipal headquarters of Ocozocoautla, and forms part of the Selva Zoque ecoregion of western Chiapas.

Cerro Meyapac supports 172 vertebrate species, including 16 species of medium and large mammals, 19 bird species, and 14 amphibian and reptile species confirmed in research inventories. ^[1] The northern glass frog (Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni) has been documented on the cerro, a notable amphibian record for the Chiapas lowland zone. ^[2] Wildlife characteristic of tropical deciduous and semi-deciduous forests of the Central Depression includes white-tailed deer, coati, various bat species, reptiles, and migratory and resident birds adapted to the seasonal forest environment. The reserve's forests provide critical habitat in a landscape where lowland forest has been heavily reduced by agricultural conversion. Fauna presence is enhanced by connectivity with the adjacent Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve complex to the northwest.

Cerro Meyapac harbors three forest ecosystem types: Bosque Tropical Caducifolio (tropical deciduous forest), Bosque Tropical Subcaducifolio (semi-deciduous tropical forest), and Bosque de Quercus (oak forest), along with areas of secondary vegetation. ^[1] Trees in the deciduous and semi-deciduous forests exhibit seasonal leaf-loss patterns lasting 5 to 8 months annually, a characteristic adaptation to the dry season of the Central Depression. The reserve contains 45 tree species averaging 15 meters in height, typical of the subcaducifolia woodland and low caducifolia forest. ^[2] The oak forest (Bosque de Quercus) represents a floristically distinct zone within the reserve, contributing to overall plant diversity. Secondary vegetation in disturbed areas reflects the history of agricultural clearing and is subject to ongoing restoration efforts.

Cerro Meyapac is situated in the Central Depression of Chiapas, a major structural graben formed by extensional faulting between the Sierra Madre de Chiapas and the central highlands. The cerro rises as a prominent isolated hill above the depression floor, with its geology reflecting the sedimentary and volcanic sequences of the broader region. The area lies within the Selva Zoque ecoregion, geologically associated with the complex fold-and-thrust belt of western Chiapas where Cretaceous and Paleogene sedimentary rocks have been deformed by tectonic compression. The hydrological importance of the cerro is significant: its forest cover captures rainfall and feeds multiple perennial streams — El Meyapac, La Orquídea, Los Cacos (Moní), and La Culebrita — as well as springs including La Cabaña, Los Sabinos, La Cieneguita, and El Ojo de Agua, all of which contribute to local water supplies. ^[1]

Cerro Meyapac lies in the Central Depression of Chiapas, which has a warm, seasonally dry climate distinct from the highland zones of the state. Temperatures in Ocozocoautla de Espinosa typically exceed 25°C on average, considerably warmer than the nearby highland city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez sits at comparable low elevation. Annual precipitation in the Central Depression ranges from approximately 800 to 1,200 millimeters, concentrated in the rainy season from May through October. The dry season from November through April is pronounced, driving the seasonal leaf-loss patterns of the dominant tropical deciduous forest. The elevation of the cerro — reaching approximately 1,100 meters above sea level — moderates temperatures compared to the surrounding depression floor and enhances moisture capture from passing clouds and orographic rainfall. ^[1]

Ocozocoautla de Espinosa is part of the traditional homeland of the Zoque people (O'de'püt), a pre-Columbian indigenous group of western Chiapas distinct from the Mayan peoples dominant in eastern Chiapas and the highlands. The Zoque inhabited the Central Depression and maintained cultural and agricultural traditions adapted to the warm tropical forest environment. Spanish colonization of the region in the sixteenth century established mestizo agricultural settlements in the Central Depression. Ocozocoautla grew as a regional center, and the surrounding landscape was progressively converted to cattle ranching and dry farming over the colonial and post-independence periods. The late twentieth century saw increasing recognition of the ecological importance of remnant forest patches such as Cerro Meyapac, leading to formal conservation designation in 2006.

Cerro Meyapac was designated as a Zona Sujeta a Conservación Ecológica on November 15, 2006, through decree No. 426, covering 1,741.62 hectares in the municipalities of Ocozocoautla de Espinosa and Berriozábal. ^[1] The designation was pursued by Grupo Meyapac A.C., a civil association, in recognition of the cerro's combined ecological importance and its role as a municipal water supply source. Conservation management is carried out through coordination between SEMAHN (the state environmental secretariat), the municipal authorities of Ocozocoautla, Grupo Meyapac A.C., and academic and research institutions. ^[1] The reserve provides one of the few remaining forest areas in the densely populated and agriculturally modified Central Depression of Chiapas, earning it the designation as 'the lung of Ocozocoautla.'

Cerro Meyapac offers ecological visits and hiking through tropical deciduous and oak forest on the slopes of the cerro, with views across the Central Depression and toward Tuxtla Gutiérrez and the Sierra Madre de Chiapas. Birdwatching opportunities are available along forest trails, with species characteristic of lowland tropical forest and the transition to oak forest zones. The hydrological features of the cerro — including multiple named springs — are points of ecological and scenic interest. The reserve's proximity to Ocozocoautla de Espinosa (approximately 10 km) and Tuxtla Gutiérrez (approximately 10 km from the nearest edge) makes it accessible for day visits. SEMAHN and Grupo Meyapac A.C. coordinate access and ecological interpretation activities at the reserve.

Cerro Meyapac is located approximately 10 km from Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the Chiapas state capital, and is accessible by road through the municipality of Ocozocoautla de Espinosa. Tuxtla Gutiérrez is served by Angel Albino Corzo International Airport (TGZ) with connections to Mexico City and other major Mexican cities, and offers comprehensive tourist infrastructure including hotels, restaurants, and tour operators. The reserve has basic visitor amenities; guided visits can be arranged through Grupo Meyapac A.C. or SEMAHN Chiapas. Ocozocoautla de Espinosa, the nearest municipal center, provides local services. The Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve, approximately 35 km to the northwest, can be combined with a visit to Cerro Meyapac for visitors interested in the broader Zoque forest ecoregion.

The principal conservation threats to Cerro Meyapac include deforestation for agriculture and urban expansion, illegal logging, introduction of invasive exotic plant species, and fire during the dry season. SEMAHN has identified invasive exotic species as a specific management concern and has conducted monitoring and control activities at the reserve. ^[1] The Fiscalía (Prosecutor's Office) of Chiapas has also taken action to recover areas of the protected zone from illegal occupation. ^[2] The reserve's primary ecological service — recharging aquifers for Ocozocoautla's municipal water supply — provides a strong local incentive for conservation. Reforestation programs using native species have been implemented in coordination with the Ocozocoautla municipal government. The Grupo Meyapac A.C. civil association plays an active role in advocacy, monitoring, and community environmental education for the reserve. ^[3]