Delivery of the Extension Contracts for Community Forestry Concessions and Resolution of Award of two new Community Concessions for the integrated use and management of renewable natural resources in the Multiple Use Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala, Petén.
The Constitutional President of the Republic of Guatemala, Dr. Alejandro Giammattei, together with the Executive Secretary of the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP), Carlos Martínez, delivered three Community Concession Extension Contracts for 25 more years to the Chosquitán, Las Ventanas, and San Andrés Management Units in the Multiple Use Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Also, the awarding of two new Community Concession Management Units with a duration as defined in the General Management Plan.
The event had the participation of Mario Rojas, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources; Luis Burgosel, Departmental Governor of Petén; Mr. William Popp, Ambassador of the United States; Mr. Romeo Ruiz Armento, Ambassador of Mexico; Mr. Nick Whilttingham, Ambassador of the United Kingdom; Mr. Thomas Peyker, Ambassador of the European Union; Alejandro Santos, Country Director of the Rainforest Alliance; Marcedonio Cortave, Director of ACOFOP; Marcial Córdova Álvarez, representative of the community organizations Árbol Verde, San Andrés Petén Integral Forestry Association (AFISAP) and Laborantes del Bosques; special guests and other staff.
CONAP is the governing entity of biological diversity and the Guatemalan System of Protected Areas (SIGAP), in this framework, it carries out different actions for the protection, conservation, management and sustainable use of biological diversity and SIGAP, therefore it has implemented a model of sustainable forest management being the Community Forest Concessions located within the Multiple Use Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén. In compliance with the commitments acquired as a State, both nationally and internationally.
The State of Guatemala, through CONAP, extends these three Management Units for 25 more years and makes two awards in compliance with the “Rules for Granting Concessions for the Use and Management of Renewable Natural Resources in the Multiple Use Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve,” after evaluation, analysis and the corresponding administrative process, which was approved by the Honorable Council of CONAP.
This extension and awarding of two new management units represents the State of Guatemala’s ratification of the community forestry model, which, for the Association of Forest Communities of Petén (ACOFOP), is an incentive to continue working for life, equity and sustainability of natural and cultural resources in Petén.
As part of the Selva Maya, the concessions are a milestone in the conservation efforts of the largest block of continual tropical rainforest in the northern part of the continent. It allows us to continue being an international example with the sustainable use model in the value chains of the forest worldwide. It also provides continuity to the development of the communities, since the model generates income, health, education and other benefits for close to 10,000 direct beneficiaries, which represents 50,000 indirect beneficiaries.
The model is widely recognized nationally and internationally for its success in promoting conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in forest management through Concessions for the Use and Management of Renewable Natural Resources in the Multiple Use Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve.
There are currently 12 concessions, totaling approximately 500,000 hectares, 10 of these were granted to local community organizations also awarded to industrial companies between the 1990s and the beginning of this century, in compliance with the Protected Areas Law and the Peace Agreements signed in Guatemala in 1996.
The community management units associated with ACOFOP have been evaluated throughout the process by CONAP and have the Voluntary Carbon Standard International Emission Reduction Certification, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifications, which have been awarded for the high environmental standards used to manage the forests. ACOFOP invests resources, work and technology to maintain governance, its certifications in force, always striving to constantly improve the quality of life of the communities and the social, ecological, economic and political sustainability of the Multiple Use Zone and the Maya Biosphere Reserve.
About the units that received an extension
The Chosquitán Management Unit located in Flores, Petén, with an extension of 19,390 ha. In concession since 2000, it still benefits 395 people and is made up of 73 members, who make sustainable use of renewable natural resources.
The San Andrés Management Unit, in San Andrés, Petén, with 51,939.84 ha, in concession since 2000, today continues benefiting 169 families directly and 865 people indirectly, in addition to improving the socio-economic conditions of the community, through the rational use of natural resources, as well as contributing to the conservation of biodiversity.
The Las Ventanas Management Unit, with 64,973. 37 ha in concession since 2001, today it continues to directly benefit 332 families and indirectly 13,530 people, this organization is made up of nine communities established in the municipality of Flores, near the National Parks of Tikal and Yaxhá Nakum Naranjo, this organization also seeks to improve the living conditions of its members and the communities to which they belong, through the development of processes and implementation of productive projects based on the rational and sustainable use of forest and non-forest resources and services from community forest concessions; obtaining legal access to forest resources and services.
Among the activities carried out by the three management units described above are: timber resource harvesting (high-value commercial and secondary species), non-timber resources (xate), carpentry, wood and furniture sales, among others.
CONAP also unanimously approved the delimitation of two new concession areas for the sustainable management of renewable natural resources: the La Colorada-Molino Management Unit and the San Bartolo Management Unit. These areas total 71,255 ha increasing the number of concessions and the number of direct and indirect beneficiaries of the successful model of renewable natural resource management for sustainable use within the Maya Biosphere Reserve.
The Executive Secretary of CONAP, Carlos Martínez appreciates the work of the communities, strategic allies who share the same vision and reiterates the commitment of CONAP according to its constitutional mandate, to protect and conserve the Biological Diversity and Protected Areas of the country, which benefits present and future generations.
