Land use changes and transnational migration in western Mexico PhD researcher:Silvia Hostettler (EPFL/ENAC/INTER/LaSUR) PhD supervisors:Dr. Jean-Claude Bolay (EPFL) Prof. Hans Hurni (University of Berne)

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Land use changes and transnational migration in
western MexicoPhD researcher Silvia
Hostettler (EPFL/ENAC/INTER/LaSUR)PhD
supervisors Dr. Jean-Claude Bolay
(EPFL) Prof. Hans Hurni (University of Berne)
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1. Conceptual framework
2. Research
3. Provisional results
4. Conclusion

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1) Conceptual framework Human-nature interaction
model
Model taken from  A review and assessment of
land-use change models Dynamics of space, time
and human choice  CIPEC, 2002.
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2) Research Objective This research project
aims to find out (1) which land use changes have
taken place in the municipality of Autlán and (2)
what are the underlying driving
forces. Questions 1) What are the land use
changes in one municipality in the watershed over
the last 20 years? 2) What are the main driving
forces of these land use changes? 3) What is the
influence of remittances on land use changes? 4)
How are the municipalities implementing
ecological land use planning? Methodology 1)
Qualitative (semi-structured interviews) with key
persons and quantitative (survey in 3 case study
areas) 2) Land use/land cover classification
based on satellite image analysis (IDRISI and
ArcView 3.2) 3) Review of secondary literature
and maps.
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Study area Municipality of Autlán, western
Mexico (927km2)
Legend Composite RGB of Landsat bands 432 of the
year 2000. In this picture red areas show
irrigated agricultural fields and
forest. Circles represent case study
areas yellow circles indicate communities (El
Jalocote, Chiquihuitlán, Mezquitán, El Volantín,
Chacalito) and green circles private landowners
(Rancho Noria, Rancho La Lima, Rancho Tecomatlán).
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3.) Provisional results - PhD research3.1 What
are the land use changes in one municipality in
the watershed over the last 20 years? Rural
context - Land use change from rainfed maize to
cultivation of agave azul for the production of
tequila.- Land cover change from forest to
agriculture and pasture.Urban and peri-urban
context- Urban land cover has increased 12
times between 1966 and 2004. ? Next step
Quantification of changes based on classified
satellite images.
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3) Provisional results PhD research3.2 What
are the main driving forces of these land use
changes?- Economic - Environmental - Political
and institutional - Demography3.3 What is the
influence of remittances on land use changes?-
Remittances are predominantly used for
subsistence and improving housing.- 60 of all
households have, or had, a family member in
migration in the USA - On average, remittances
represent 46 of total household income.
 Tienen dinero porque tienen familia en el
Norte  (Ejidataria, 81 years old, interview in
El Jalocote, 22 March 2004)
3.4 How are the municipalities implementing
ecological land use planning?It is not being
implemented. Corruption, an ineffective legal
frameworkand insufficient financial and human
resources hinder the implementation of effective
land use policies.
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• 3) Provisional results
• At the level of Key Issue 4 What are the
  effects of urban-rural interactions on natural
  resource management?
• Urban-rural interactions flows of people,
  goods/services, finances and information
• ? Different interactions have different
  effects on natural resource management.

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3) Provisional resultsAt the level of the
resesarch project What are the concrete effects
of rural and urban development policies on
natural resource management?- Rural
development Subsidies can drive deforestation
and expansion of agave cultivation (e.g.
PROCAMPO)- Urban context The failure to
implement urban development plans leads to urban
encroachment on agricultural land and on
protected areas.
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3) Provisional resultsAt the level of the
research project What are the core problems
related to urbanisation and natural resource
management?Political institutional4.
Inadequate legal framework and regulations, lack
of enforcement and means. (gt50) 7. Unequal
distribution of power and resources, corruption.
(gt50) Socio-cultural economic8. Social,
cultural and ethnic tensions and insecurity.
(gt50) 9. Prevalence of crime, violence and
violent conflicts. (gt80)10. Unused or
restricted innovative capacities and knowledge
(gt80)11. Great socio-economic and gender
disparaties. (gt50) 12. Incompatible and fragile
economic systems with limited market and
employment opportunities. (gt50) Population
livelihood15. Poverty and livelihood insecurity.
(gt80)17. Population pressure and
multidimensional migration. (gt50)
Infrastructure and land use19. Poor water
supply and environmental sanitation. (gt50)
Bio-physical ecological25. Inadequate
availability of freshwater. (gt50) 26.
Degradatation of land, soil and vegetation cover.
(gt50) 27. Degradation of forests and other
natural habitats.(gt80)28. Pollution and overuse
of renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
(gt50) 29. Loss of biological and agrobiological
diversity. (gt50) 30. Risks of natural and human
induced hazards and climate change. (gt80)
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3) Provisional resultsAt the level of IP5
Social practices and the transformation of
space.According to the current definition as
used by IP5, the practise of sending remittances
can be considered a social practice.
Remittances can transform space into
 remittances landscapes . The following
definition has been developed  An emergent
landscape that is driven by the investment of
remittances . In a rural context-
From an agricultural to a periurban landscape -
From a forested to a pastoral landscape In an
urban, peri-urban context- Construction of
houses driving urban expansion.- Migrants
opening businesses transforming residential into
commercial areas.
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4) Conclusions1. The concept of social
practices needs a clearer definition.2. Land
use/cover changes seem to be driven more by the
dynamics at play between the different driving
forces than by one specific driving force.3.
International migration is an important
livelihood strategy in the region. Roughly 50 of
all families depend on remittances for
subsistence. 4. Remittances can transform space
into  remittances landscapes . A remittances
landscape is defined as  An emergent landscape
that is driven by the investment of
remittances .
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