Forest Management in San Mateo Ixtatán
Background
In the region, 85% of the population lives in poverty and subsistence agriculture is the primary activity. Unfortunately, trees are being cut down at an alarming rate to clear land for agriculture and for firewood. This not only leads to a loss of forest habitat, it also reduces soil nutrients, water table levels, and water quality.
In 2004, women in the communities of the municipality of San Mateo Ixtatán faced two growing problems: illegal logging that cut down the area's pine forests and poverty that made it difficult for the women to care for their children. The Guatemalan National Forestry Institute began to offer a quarterly stipend for forest management, and the women began to care for their forests in exchange for this payment.
EcoLogic and the Alliance are working together to support the women's' groups in San Mateo Ixtatán as they manage and care for the area's forests.
Project Description
The women are responsible for management of community forests, which involves:
- pruning pine trees to accelerate their growth and regeneration of the forest;
- removing underbrush to reduce the risk of forest fires; and
- clearing tracts within the forest as fire breaks, to prevent the spread of fires.
Progress
When this effort began in 2004, there was significant resistance to the women's efforts. Men would taunt and even threaten the women, reducing the initial 40 women to 10 women. In response, the Alliance began an awareness campaign and sent its own forestry technicians to accompany the women when they went to the forests. Today, there are 16 groups of women who are accompanied by both men and children during their forest management activities. EcoLogic is supporting the Alliance and the women's groups through training and logistical support.
Partner
The Northern Border Municipalities Alliance is a coalition of seven municipalities in the Departments of Huehuetenango and Quiché that was incorporated in 2005 by their mayors, with support from EcoLogic, to promote forest stewardship. The Executive Committee of the Alliance oversees project execution and the chair of the Committee is its legal representative.