Mexico City, Mexico - Nevado de Toluca, the fourth highest mountain in Mexico, has a new status that has sparked concern among the area's residents and environmental groups who fear the new measure will open it up to exploitation by commercial and touristic interests.

By presidential decree, the 15,344-foot volcano, located southwest of the capital of Mexico state, has gone from being a "national park" to become a "protected area for flora and fauna."

On the activist digital platform change.org, a number of petitions have been posted calling for President Enrique Peña Nieto to return Nevado to its national park status. One of them currently boasts more than 28,500 signatures.

Individual citizens and civil organizations are promoting two collective actions to contest the decree, which they consider in violation of international treaties on environmental protection by allowing the area to be exploited for profit.

In 1996 and 2003 the Arfra construction company - with the support of Mexico state which surrounds the Federal District and forms part of the Mexico City metropolitan area - tried to turn Nevado into an international ski resort.

Under its new status, Nevado will be divided into two zones: a nucleus that will only allow research and low-impact tourism, and a zone where communities established there will be allowed to pursue activities that utilize the area's resources.

Also exploited on Nevado de Toluca are 11 mining developments within several communities