The cultural context of biodiversity conservation - Oapen

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4.3.1 The National Park Laguna Lachuá
The cultural context of biodiversity conservation
The park is named after a scenic lake located in the centre of the protected area. 52 The
water contains high levels of sulphur, thus the name li chu ha means ›the fetid water‹.
The park is located within the aforementioned transitional zone referred to as Franja
Transversal del Norte in the northern lowlands of the municipality of Cobán. It covers an
area of 14,500 hectares of subtropical moist forest and is administered by the National
Forest Institute (INAB). 53 Additionally, the management of the park has been promoted
by IUCN. The currently proposed management plan is to restore and secure
protection of the natural values of the park consistent with national park criteria, while
integrating cultural values and accommodating those needs of local people that are
compatible with conservation objectives.
At the beginning of the 1970s, the colonisation of the region in the north-western
tropical lowlands was officially initiated without considering aspects of sustainable development,
specifically in environmental terms (Reinoso et al. 2001). Formerly, the
area was densely covered with tropical rainforest and inhabited by just a few scattered
settlements. The construction of roads in the 1960s opened the area to immigration.
In this process, the National Institute of Agrarian Transformation (INTA) distributed parcels
to landless farmers, many of whom came from the highlands of Alta Verapaz. 54
The protected area was established in 1975 in order to conserve the forest resources
from the pressures of ongoing agricultural expansion and the destructive patterns of
deforestation for swidden farming. 55 In 1996, the natural reserve was officially declared
a National Park. A significant feature to be emphasised is the missing buffer
zone around the core protection area. 56 In the present case, the park's zone of influence,
which is inhabited by approximately 10,000 people, comprises an area of around
27,500 hectares and is geographically limited by the river Chixoy in the north and west,
the river Icbolay in the east and the mountain range of La Sultana in the south. 57
52 The lake is 173 meters above sea level, 222 metres deep with a surface area of 400 ha. For its location
within the country, see map 4.2 in the Appendix, which indicates the National Park Laguna
Lachuá as no. 4.
53 INAB is under the directive of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food.
54 The INTA later became the Fondo de Tierra.
55 According to monitoring conducted in the frame of biological research, the area contains significant
numbers of tree species (100), mammals (130), birds (298) and particular endangered species of
conservation concern, such as the tapir (Tapirus bairdii), the saraguate monkey (Aloutta pigra) and the
jaguar (Panthera onca).
56 Ideally, by permitting the sustainable use of natural resources (like hunting, fishing, gathering of
forest products and the seasonal grazing of domestic livestock) within such a peripheral zone, ecosystems
in the core area will remain undisturbed from activities by local residents inhabiting the
wider surrounding lands. Besides local participation, buffer zone management has been described by
Wells and Brandon (1993) as a further key issue in protected area management.
57 The usual way to reach the area from highland Alta Verapaz is in a four hour ride from Cobán on a
paved road to Chisec and further by dirt road to the park entrance close to the village of San Marcos.