Una visión para el futuro, una agenda para hoy - Eco-Index

Challenges in theMaya Forest: In Searchof SustainableDevelopmentin Guatemala the rate is 1.7% and in Belize 2.2%.The two main causes of deforestation areconversion of natural areas for farming andgrazing, and fragmentation of continuous blocks ofvegetation by roads, villages and farming zones.Another challenge is to maintain and restore theecological quality of natural areas, since forest fires,hunting and unchecked extraction of timber andother forest products such as ornamental plantscontinue affecting important areas.It is also essential to maintain, improve or recoverthe flows of rivers, lakes and tides, as well as waterquality. Human settlements and industrial facilitiespollute the waters, and the villages, roads, docks,marinas and dams have modified the flows ofrivers, ponds and tides to levels that affect thehealthy functioning of these bodies of water.Mapa Niveles de Amenazas/ Levels of Threat by Management UnitTo reduce these impacts, it is necessary tocoordinate the activities and policies of regionaldevelopment – including infrastructureconstruction, energy and tourism development inthe zone – so that they incorporate conservationneeds in the right balance for sustainabledevelopment.It is clear that sustainable development cannot bereached unless poverty levels are decreased. Theloss of natural areas to expand farming andgrazing areas– in some cases encouraged undergovernment programs that promoteunsustainable practices – does not contributetoward conditions for long-term economicdevelopment. To reduce poverty the productivityof already transformed areas must be improvedand sources of income must be diversified in thetowns and cities of the Maya Forest region.Conserving the biodiversity of the MayaForest while reducing poverty andgenerating socioeconomicdevelopment presents severalchallenges.The main challenge to be tackled in thezone is the need to maintain largeblocks of continuous and connectedforest in order to keep producingenvironmental services (watercatchment, reduction of environmentalvulnerability and others). Forest cover isshrinking at the alarming pace of over100,000 hectares annually. This variesamong the countries: in Mexicobetween 1% and 3% of forest cover islost each year, depending on the state;11