Housing construction in clay-rich terrain in Valle de Bravo has a negative impact on the municipality of Valle de Bravo, especially for craft makers, due to the lack of availability of said material according to specialists from the Sustainable Development Research Center at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM).
UAEM specialists Sandra Utrilla Cobos, Arturo Santamaría Ortega and Rafael Sánchez Barreto, authored a research paper titled “Policies on sustainable development of natural resources and their impact on craft makers of Valle de Bravo,” which states the need to reconsider policies on housing land use. The paper also highlights the urgency of an integral management of non-renewable natural resources, such as clay — a primary raw material for Valle de Bravo’s craftsmanship — one of the main economic materials of the region.
The relationship between tourism and local craft workers bolsters the passing on of traditional values through cultural symbols which can be an ideal coexistence if managed in a sustainable manner.