Forest thriving after Guatemala's indigenous people take lead in looking after it

[Judi Lynn]

‘Forest guardians’ in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (Pictures: Sergio Izquierdo)

A group of indigenous ‘forest guardians’ in northern Guatemala have been hailed as an example to the world in how to look after forests. The community in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR) have battled deforestation and the threat of wildfires in an effort to conserve the area, while making a living through sustainable farming.

They have managed to increase forest cover in the area into a net gain of around 740 football pitches and kept forest fires at nearly zero in Central America’s largest protected area, according to Rainforest Alliance.

Community monitoring systems, fire brigades, and commitments to preventing deforestation and fires are all in place after 12 ‘concessions’ areas were granted rights to manage and make a sustainable living from the forest by the Guatemalan government in the 1990s.

The move was considered a gamble at the time, with the Unesco-recognised forest seen as a key biodiversity and wildlife hotspot and a vital ‘carbon sink’.

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2020/08/17/guatemalas-indigenous-people-look-key-section-forest-now-thriving-13140612/?ito=newsnow-feed?ito=cbshare

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