Project Launched to Protect Biodiversity and Mitigate Climate Change in Northern Mesoamerica

• The Northern Mesoamerica Resilient and Biodiverse Landscapes project aims to promote sustainable development in critical sub-landscapes for
  biodiversity conservation
  
  

The Northern Mesoamerica Resilient and Biodiverse Landscapes project has been launched as a key initiative of the United Kingdom's Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF). This ambitious project aims to protect and restore biodiversity and reduce the impact of climate change in three critical sub-landscapes for biodiversity conservation: the Maya Forest in Belize and Guatemala, the Moskitia in Honduras, and the Trifinio region, at the border between El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The BLF project is implemented in these three sub-landscapes by a consortium of organizations under the leadership of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Trifinio: A Comprehensive Approach to Sustainability

In the Trifinio sub-landscape, the project is implemented by WCS and CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), in collaboration with the Trinational Commission of the Trifinio Plan (CTPT) and local partners. This strategic alliance seeks to reduce poverty and promote sustainable economic development in local communities, while simultaneously protecting biodiversity and improving ecosystem quality.

The BLF project is structured around four fundamental components:

1. Prosperous and resilient communities
2. Protected areas and species protection
3. Policy and financing mechanisms
4. Learning and adaptive management

Concrete Goals and Actions

The primary objectives of the project include promoting good productive practices to reduce pressure on key protected areas and strengthening the management of the CTPT. Planned activities include a strong component of local capacity building in various topics, interventions for productive restoration, the promotion and implementation of agroforestry systems, strengthening the management and monitoring of protected areas and species, supporting the fight against forest fires, and enhancing the livelihoods of local communities.

The Trifinio-Fraternity Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, covering 1,195 km², is crucial for the protection of the Montecristo cloud forest, home to endangered species, and for supplying water to the region, including 22% of the water for the Salvadoran capital, San Salvador. However, the region faces challenges associated with poverty and deforestation patterns, which are exacerbated by climate change.

Expected Impact

The project's intervention in the Trifinio sub-landscape aims to benefit approximately 880 people in 27 communities located across the three countries. These communities depend on the ecosystem services provided by the Güisayote Biological Reserve and the Montecristo Biosphere Reserve in Honduras; the Trifinio Biosphere Reserve and Cerro Huexqué in Guatemala; and the Ramsar Site Laguna de Güija Complex and the San Diego and San Felipe Las Barras National Park in El Salvador.

With a seven-year implementation period, from 2023 to 2030, the project's interventions are expected to drive economic opportunities, curb biodiversity loss, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate resilience and poverty reduction.

This effort represents a significant opportunity to strengthen trinational cooperation in the protection and sustainable management of one of the most important landscapes in Mesoamerica.