Meet Lacho: A True Environmental Leader

Lacho of El Nance Darcio Puerto, lovingly known in his community as "Lacho," was elected six years ago as the President of the Administrative Water Board of El Nance, a small community in rural Honduras within the municipality of Olanchito. Like all of the members of the water board, he works as an unpaid volunteer.

"I have nine children and all of them live here in El Nance," he says. "My children ask me, ‘Dad, why do you do all of that work if you do not receive benefits from it? Remember you should stick more to your work than that of others.' But I've come to realize that the environment needs people willing to sacrifice, because nature should not only give us; we should also give back for her to keep on giving more."

When he was first elected, he did not have a lot of knowledge or experience and it was the first time he had ever occupied a position like this one. Fortunately, EcoLogic and its partner at the time, the Pico Bonito Park Foundation (FUPNAPIB), and then EcoLogic's more recent partner, the Association of Community Water Boards for the Southern Sector of Pico Bonito (AJAASSPIB), provided him with support and training.

"I used to feel like a useless person when it came to solving all the problems we faced here, but today, I feel trained to do it," he says. "The community has complete trust in me, Ecologic, and AJAASSPIB. If you look around and see the community's support with reforestation, they do that because they believe in EcoLogic, and in us as the board."

The Administrative Water Board of El Nance is a member of AJAASSPIB and the two have worked together to improve the water system and protect the community's water resources, or micro-watershed. The board led by Lacho has been fighting for the clean-up of the micro-watershed, hoping to keep agriculture, ranching, and any other activity that could contaminate the water away from the water source.

"Six years ago, when we began managing the water system, it had been abandoned," Lacho recalls. "It had damaged pipes and weak oversight. But maybe the most difficult part we had to deal with was the system's contamination, created by some of the landowners whose properties were located near the water's source." EcoLogic and its partner at the time, Pico Bonito Foundation, helped the community get representation with local authorities - a critical step to receive support from the municipal government. "We are very thankful to the municipal authorities in Olanchito because they have given us all the support we've needed."

El Nance has around 130 homes, of which 100 receive water services. Each house pays a small fee of around US$1 per month for their water, providing for minimal maintenance of the community's water supply system.

In addition to administering the collection of these fees and overseeing the maintenance of the system's infrastructure, the El Nance Administrative Water Board is responsible for protection of water itself. This involves protection of the micro-watershed, which means reducing pollution and reforesting degraded areas with native trees. A nursery was built in the community's school and Lacho has been directly in charge of the nursery and reforestation efforts.

"The students and the school's professors helped a lot with preparing the seedlings," he recalls. "Some students asked for plants so I gave them to them, as long as they promised to take care of them and make sure they didn't dry out. I like to help them as this contributes to their ecology classes."

Nursery in El Nance The nursery includes species such as cashew, mahogany, paradise tree, and mango. Interestingly enough, although the community is called El Nance, there are no "nance" trees in the sector. "Our ancestors have the answer to why there are no nance trees but this place is called the Nance," Lacho explains. "In any case, I would like to plant some nances in this nursery. We should all be involved in growing nance so that our community deserves to be called ‘El Nance.' This will be in honor of all of those involved: AJAASSPIB, EcoLogic, the community, and myself."

With contributions from other donors, a fund has been created which will pay US$1 for the maintenance of each tree planted over the next three years. This fund will also be used for improvements to the community's water system, including the construction of a larger storage tank. The fund also provides greater incentive for the whole community to get involved in reforestation efforts.

Still, the community struggles to work with local landowners to protect their micro-watershed. "The landowners near the water's source have set a lot of obstacles impeding the protection of the micro-watershed," he says. "They don't allow us to reforest areas they own."

Ranching in El Nance With EcoLogic's support, the community has begun negotiations with the landowners in the hope of protecting the areas surrounding the river and of reforesting deforested areas along rivers and streams. "We have learnt, through AJAASSPIB and the Pico Bonito Foundation, the different laws protecting us," Lacho says. "And, with this knowledge in our hands, we have spoken to the landowners about the Water Board. We have convinced them to listen to us and offer us at least a minimal area on both sides of the water source to reforest. We know we need 150 meters on each side of the water source and they are willing to give us at least 25 meters, which is better than nothing, but still short of what we need. I hope they soon realize that they shouldn't act that way, and that we should not only take care of our lands but should also share our knowledge with other communities who need us to help them manage their water supply."

Despite the progress, there is much for the water board and the people of El Nance to do to ensure that their water supply remains clean and available to all. Nevertheless, Lacho is personally committed to this project and eager to keep working.

"My will is absolute," he says. "I will be helping in whatever way is necessary - always. I sacrifice with all my heart because I feel the need to serve nature. This is my duty in order for our community to prosper and keep my country out of poverty. I'm sure if we all thought this way, this would be another story entirely."

Lacho works hard each and every day, motivated in part by EcoLogic's encouragement and willingness to support his efforts. "Who, having received all this technical support, is not going to want to improve his living conditions and problems?" he asks. "The problems left from the previous administration have been solved. The way we have advanced with the aid EcoLogic has given us has made us practical technicians. I think it is those improvements that truly motivate me."

The community of El Nance has made much progress since EcoLogic began working with them six years ago, and there is much hope for the future. "To tell you the truth, with all the hard work now and during the past, we are able to see huge results and positive changes in the community," Lacho says. "The results are brilliant. There is a lot of hope on top of all EcoLogic is offering - much more!"

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