Restore and Protect Forests in Mesoamerica

Dear GlobalGiving Supporters,

On the banks of the Sarstún River, where tropical forests meet the Caribbean and mangroves shield the Mesoamerican Reef, local families are standing up as guardians of nature. Thanks to your support, EcoLogic and our partners are helping communities protect 415 hectares of vital forest—and build resilience for generations to come.

In San Juan, community assemblies recently advanced new land tenure agreements covering more than 21 hectares of forest, securing local stewardship and legal protection through participation in the PROBOSQUE program. Although navigating bureaucracy is slow, each step forward represents a lasting safeguard for the local ecosystem that sustains life here.

At the same time, communities are restoring degraded soils with agroforestry systems—blending fruit trees and timber species with traditional crops across more than 11 hectares of land. Families are applying pruning, soil management, and tree-care practices that will soon yield fruit harvests, strengthen food security, and provide sustainable sources of income, all while helping forests regenerate.

Looking ahead, families in Barra Sarstún are taking collective action to protect water as well as forests. Together, they are developing a wastewater management plan to reduce pollution flowing into the river and reef—an effort that links conservation with clean water and healthier futures for their children.

Your generosity makes this possible. Together, we are protecting one of Mesoamerica’s most important forests while strengthening the knowledge, traditions, and community institutions that will sustain it for generations to come.

If you would like more information on any of the areas mentioned above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at mdleon@ecologic.org. 

In solidarity,

Mario Ardany de Leon, Program Officer, Guatemala