Territorial and identity disputes in Milpa Alta: between conservation policies for the Sierra Madre sparrow and commercial agriculture

Abstract

Socio-territorial conflicts in the pueblo originario (indigenous town) of Milpa Alta, a semi-rural borough of Mexico City, have generated tensions between environmental conservation policies and agro-industrial activities, thereby affecting the ecosystems of endemic species such as the Sierra Madre sparrow (Xenospiza baileyi), an endangered species under Mexican official standard NOM-059. While certain comuneros, ejidatarios, and local groups—such as the Biological Monitoring Brigade—promote nature protection strategies and advocate for sustainable agricultural development that respects biodiversity, state agricultural development policies instead drive commercial agriculture through oat and potato monocultures within forested areas and conservation land (Suelo de Conservación, SC), prioritizing the economic interests of the global market to the detriment of biodiversity, traditional agriculture, and food sovereignty. Through a qualitative approach utilizing semi-structured interviews, biocultural field walks, and a documentary review, this study explores the anthropogenic activities that threaten biodiversity and the ecosystems of endemic species. Furthermore, it examines the agricultural practices and local initiatives for conservation and territorial care that enable the socio-political reproduction of the Nahua peoples.