News

SEMARNAT: Key reforms to the forestry regulations

25 November 2025

Key takeaways

All forestry procedures will migrate to mandatory electronic management.

The authority's powers to suspend or revoke forestry procedures and acts are expanded.

The notification system for commercial forest plantations is simplified.

Existing plantations must submit notification six months prior to exploitation.

Procedures and requirements are harmonized with the national forestry system and coordination with PROFEPA.

On November 20, 2025, the “Decree amending and repealing various provisions of the Regulations of the General Law on Sustainable Forest Development” (“Decree”) was published. The amendments seek to modernize forest management by digitizing procedures, redefining the authority's powers to suspend or revoke administrative acts, and updating the framework applicable to commercial forest plantations, including new rules on notices and the recognition of prior authorizations.

The amendments to the Regulations introduce structural adjustments that transform the way in which procedures and activities related to forest management are handled:

Full digitization of procedures: authorizations and notices provided for in the General Law on Sustainable Forest Development (the “Law”) must be handled electronically to streamline processes.
Expanded powers: the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) may suspend, revoke, terminate, or declare the expiration of authorizations, certificates, notices, and other legal acts related to forestry.
Update to the commercial plantation regime: the notification scheme is simplified and clearer rules are introduced:
1. Plantations on temporary or preferably forest land require only prior notification.
2. Information may be incorporated by reference when it is already contained in authorized regional studies or programs.
3. Records must include details of the Forest Service Provider when this has already been identified.
4. Holders must submit annual reports on volumes harvested within the first two months of the following year.
Relevant transitory provisions: The Decree will enter into force on the day following its publication and provides for rules that are particularly relevant to ongoing operations:
1. Plantations established prior to the Decree's entry into force must submit notice six months prior to harvesting.
2. Current authorizations are recognized as equivalent to the new certificates.
3. Holders may process adjustments to area, methods, or species through the procedure provided for certificates.

Authored by Mauricio Llamas and Sofia de Llano.

Next steps

Individuals with forest plantations: confirm whether they must submit prior notice of harvesting.
Active procedures: consider that the authority will now be able to apply suspensions and annotations with greater clarity and scope; it is advisable to review files and annotations in the Forest Registry.
Companies: keep your information in the Forest Registry up to date.
Investors and developers: assess how these changes affect agricultural-forestry projects, lines of business, or harvesting scheduled for 2026.

References