Estudios Sociales 47 Procesos organizativos, turismo y conservación en la reserva de la biósfera Ría Lagartos, Yucatán Organizational processes, tourism and conservation in the biosphere reserve

The transformation of the organizationalprocesses and institutions was analyzed in acontext of the bird watching tourism (AmericanFlamingo -Phoenicopterus ruber) andthe establishment of the Biosphere ReserveRia Lagartos (RBRL). A perspective of collectiveaction was used, and quantitative andqualitative approach to analyze the effectsthat tourism generates in communities livingwithin protected areas. The results reveala weakening of local organizations to givepriority to the institutionalization imposed byexternal actors has caused new problems withnegative consequences for conservation. In RioLagartos there is a social base that can enablecollaboration among social actors, but it requirescollective action mechanisms that improvesocial organization and local institutions.