Integrating pre-Hispanic human legacy in central Mexico to move toward adaptive land and water management

Culturally integrated approaches to water use and management are critical for achieving IWRM commitments and sustainable development goals. Ancient peoples created Mesoamerica's hydro-agricultural systems over thousands of years, diverting water from mountains, rivers, and springs to irrigate cornfields and orchards. Morelos state, Mexico, has a cultural, archeological, and historical heritage related to land and water control through the use of apantli networks (irrigation channels). However, the current state of deterioration of historical heritage illustrates how ancestral values have been forgotten over time. Morelos is endowed with natural resources such as abundant water and a unique microclimate, but it has suffered environmental degradation in recent decades as a result of high population growth and unplanned urban, agricultural, and industrial development. In order to promote the protection and sustainable management of the apantli network and to raise awareness among authorities and local communities; as well as to prevent negative impacts on this natural and cultural heritage, which contributes to the environmental and hydrological balance in the southeastern portion of Morelos, here, we present some ideas on the role that archeological heritage could play in preserving the values of a cultural ecosystem service (CES) that are critical to the well-being of today’s communities. This study presents the outcomes of restoration efforts derived from a survey and characterization of the apantli network, particularly in the municipalities of Cuernavaca and Jiutepec. We also discussed the main findings of a sociohistorical and functional study that revealed weakness and alternatives in the socioecological system around the apantli network in Morelos. It is anticipated that the recovery of the pre-Hispanic apantli network in the state of Morelos will not only contribute to improved water and land management, but will also help to revalue the historical interactions between people and nature, thereby supporting ongoing efforts in conservation and ecological restoration.