David Gutiérrez-Carbonell

Committee Member, Board of Directors

Biologist with wide experience in public administration in protected areas, particularly those related with international designations like Man and Biosphere, World Heritage Sites and RAMSAR. He was a researcher of crustaceans and coral reefs at Friends of Sian Ka’an (closely related to Biosphere Reserve Sian Ka’an) at another Non-Governmental Organization, Biocenosis. He was teacher at the National University of Mexico (UNAM) for several years. He led a team of specialists to research coral reefs in the Mexican Caribbean that lead to the establishment of nine marine protected areas.

David worked at the National Commission of Protected Areas (CONANP), the Federal Mexican dependence in charge of protected areas for more than 25 years (1983-1986 and 1995-2020), in charge of establishing new protected areas, terrestrial and marine, and later as a Director General of Operations was responsible of coordinating all 90 directors of protected areas in the country. Closely involved in problem resolution related to sustainable projects for local and indigenous communities, fisheries, tourism and ecosystems conservation. Responsible also for management plans construction for protected areas at a national level.

Mr. Gutiérrez represented the country in a number of international fora like WHC and MAB of UNESCO; attended a workshop with Mr. Kenton Miller at Sweden that established the Program of Work for Protected Areas that was the base for Aichi Goals at the Convention of Biodiversity.

He participated actively in all the proposals as Natural World Heritage Sites in Mexico, as far as 1986 for Sian Ka’an (declared in 1987) and as recent for Revillagigedo Archipelago (declared in 2016) and Tehuacan-Cuicatlán Valley (declared 2018). As Director General attended several official visits of WHC to Mexico at Vizcaino Whale Sanctuary, Monarch Butterfly, Islands and protected areas of the Gulf of California and Calakmul.

Represented the country in bilateral initiatives with United States, Cuba, France and Germany; at the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) for México-Honduras-Guatemala and Belize. Member of Mexico at the NAMPAN Group (North America Marine Protected Areas); at RedParques marine group and at MPAAP Initiative (Marine Protected Areas Agencies Partnership).

Skills in public participation with fishermen, farmers and touristic operations; conflict resolutions and team leadership under pressure.

 Mr. Gutierrez has dictated more than 150 conferences nationally and internationally in Germany, Sweden, France, Spain, Cuba, United States, Australia, South Africa, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panamá, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, among others.