Restore and Protect Forests in Mesoamerica

In San Mateo Ixtatan a community served by our Cuchamatanes project, EcoLogic and its local partner, the Association of the Northern Frontier (MFN), have pioneered a new component to our forest guardian training program: a woman-centric series of workshops to promote environmental awareness and resource conservation.  Many of the people we work with in this area are Chuj, a Maya people who have lived in Northern Guatemala and Mexico for thousands of years, and who have, against formidable odds, retained their language and aspects of their traditional culture. The Chuj were reduced to poverty by the taking of their communal lands by Spanish colonial authorities of the 17th and 18th centuries, and they were also deeply and adversely affected by the 36-year Guatemalan civil war, during which time the military government perceived them as "internal enemies." While Chuj women have historically participated in society on nearly equal footing with men, these days many Chuj women are confined to the home, have limited access to community services including healthcare and education, and speak limited if any Spanish; many are illiterate.  

Our workshops focus on educating husbands with their wives about the importance of women gaining an undertanding of conservation activities -- after all it is the women who literally feed the firest at home-- and we work to gradually acclimate both men and women to women gaining autonomy to collaborate together to have a meaningful impact on resource management.  Many women who attend our workshops go on to join recently formed women-only groups that meet to participate in reforestation and land maintenance activities.  

The three women pictured here, Maria Lucas Jacinto, Isabela Alonzo Martín, and Micaela Alonzo Pérez (left to right), meet with 8-10 other women three to five times a month, to visit the forest location pictured as well as other sites, to collect trash, clear paths, create fire breaks, and thin the trees selectively to encourage the growth of those remaining while obtaining modest amounts of firewood.  Isabela, a nineteen year old bilingual Chuj woman who is currently attending university, is a school teacher as well as the San Mateo Ixtatan's coordinator of the newly created "office of the woman."   Isabela, collaborates regularly with EcoLogic Field Technician Gyovany Diaz, and the two are working hard to identify and develop activities and workshops that will strengthen the role of Chuj women in social, political and environmental decisions and activities.  Says Gyovany, "EcoLogic's workshops and educational programs have many benefits including boosting women's self-esteem and participation in civil society.  This has advantages because it helps women take a more active role in daily activities and decisions which directly helps to protect natural resources and the environment in and around San Mateo Ixtatán.  I hope EcoLogic and our partner MFN, continue to develop and support these women's groups, because they act with a passion and resolute commitment to protect the trees, water and animals of this area. Their success can only succeed in making matters better for everyone here in San Mateo." 

Links:

• Read more about our work with the MFN in Guatemala.

Forest guards are working to protect and conserve over 85 hectares of land in Huehuetengango, Guatemala. EcoLogic helps train, educate, and promote the work of volunteer guards for the protection of precious forest resources. And, there is still more to be done! The city and municipality of Huehuetenango has over 32,750 hectares of community forests alone and over 200,000 people rely on the resources of this communal forest. EcoLogic is working with Northern Border Municipalities Alliance (MFN), emphasizing the importance of forest protection and conservation.

To strengthen the effectiveness of forest conservation, EcoLogic has teamed up with Heifer International Foundation to double our impact. In partnership with Heifer, the forest guard program has recently adopted the “pass on the gift” methodology, which means spreading the lessons we have learned together to other villages, communities, provinces, and countries.

EcoLogic is holding ongoing training sessions on leadership, soil conservation, and forestry management as part of the project to spread the word. So far this year we have trained 73 forest guards in three communities, bringing the total number of guards to 276.

With your support – and the continued interest of the community - we will be able to recruit and train more guards and ensure greater protection of the forest! 

Links:

• Our work in Huehuetenango, Guatemala