B E S T O F T H E W I L D : W I L D L I F E c O n S E r v a T I O n S O c I E T y and the

M a y a B I O S p H E r E r E S E r v E

photo credits (counter-clockwise from left): cover: julie larsen maher/wcs; inside cover: wcs guatemala; page 3: wcs guatemala; page 4; wcs guatemala; page 5: wcs guatemala (2); cemec/wcs; page 7: wcs guatemala (3); page 9: rafael reyna; wcs guatemala (2); page 11: wcs guatemala; julie larsen maher/wcs; wcs guatemala; cemec/wcs; page 13: victor hugo ramos, wcs guatemala

B E S T O F T H E W I L D : W I L D L I F E c O n S E r v a T I O n S O c I E T y and the

M a y a B I O S p H E r E r E S E r v E

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Inside cover: Scarlet macaw nesting

habitat in the Maya Biosphere

Reserve Landscape. Right, from

top and counterclockwise:

Eastern MBR aerial view; WCS

area of focus, including human

impacts in the MBR (least

human impact = green;

greatest impact = red).

The MBR is a stronghold for wide ranging and iconic species—jaguar, puma, Baird’s tapir, white-lipped peccary, scarlet macaw, and king vulture. Species endemic to the region fill the forest: the raucous Guatemalan black howler monkey, Morelet’s croco-dile, and the spectacular ocellated turkey. Millions of migratory birds from the US and Canada, more than 80 species, depend on these forests during the northern winter. At 8,100 square miles (nearly one-sixth the size of New York State), the MBR anchors the largest block of broadleaf forest north of the Amazon. Securing its future is an impor-tant conservation imperative.

The forest is a major carbon sink for the planet and a critical water catchment for the region. The reserve provides Guatemala with 90% of its petroleum and timber. And the area was the epicenter of the Maya civilization—its 200 archaeological sites are a power-ful international draw for a lucrative and growing tourism industry.

Though Guatemala is embracing democracy and is slowly recovering from decades of internal conflict, the MBR still lacks the institutions needed to govern the use of its natural assets. Illegal settlements, unsustainable rural land uses, uncontrolled hunting of wildlife and annual burning have severely degraded much of the western third of the reserve, and resulted in a vast loss of economic opportunities for local people.

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is partnering with local organizations and government to integrate conservation and development in the MBR. Over the last 20 years we have developed innovative approaches to improve local governance of natural and cultural resources and resist destructive practices. We have supported the efforts of local people to manage their forests, which has reduced the threats of deforestation and fire, and ensured that the habitat for jaguars and scarlet macaws, and a host of other magnificent species, remains intact.

WCS has the knowledge, long-standing presence, experience, and a vision for the coming decade: forested parks teeming with wildlife and a managed landscape where fire is controlled and resource extraction is legal and sustainable.

With conservation leadership, scientific knowledge and field presence from WCS, we can together conserve this magnificent landscape.

Viewed from space the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR)

appears largely pristine, with minimal evidence of human

impact. It is one of the last remaining rainforest strongholds

in the region, situated at the heart of the Selva Maya, a tri-

national forest spanning Guatemala, Belize and Mexico.

W C S a n d t h E M a y a B I o S p h E R E R E S E R v E

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National park

Biotope

Buffer zone

Multiple use zone

Cultural monument

International boundary

New York, USA

0 50 10025

Kilometers0 200 400100

Kilometers

Site Scale Reference

Sierra delLancadon

Laguna delTigre

Dos Lagunas

Mirador - Rio Azul

TikalYaxhá

NakúmNaranjo

SanMiguel

laPalotadaEl Zotz

Lagunadel

Tigre-RíoEscondido

El Pilar

Zona de Uso Múltiple Reservade Biosfera Maya

Zona de Amortiguamiento Reservade Biosfera Maya

GUATEMALA

MEXICO

BELIZE

MEXICO

(Background shade represents topography)

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left, uncontrolled hunting—

jaguar killed by poacher. in this

case, the poacher was caught by

the community patrol and expelled

from the village. right, from top

and counter-clockwise: aerial view

of fires; wildlife destruction due

to fire (ocellated turkey nests);

illegal settlements in the mBr

Fire is the principal agent of forest degra-dation. Colonists clear small patches of forest and use fire to burn off the organic debris and create nutrient rich ash. During El Niño years, the fires spread into the surrounding forest, furthering and widening the destruc-tion. In 2002, the resulting smoke traveled north in such density that the Houston International Airport was closed. Dry years are becoming increasingly common—a pre-

diction of climate change scientists—suggesting that fire will become a more severe threat in the future.

Conserving the Maya Forest will attain the twin goals of biodiversity conservation and sustainable economic development. Planned land-use and zoning allow ecotour-ism development, sustainable forest extraction and biodiversity protection to co-exist within the same landscape. Management authority for specific areas is conferred to local communities, national NGOs or government agencies (See Zoning Map, previ-ous page).

Yet management authorities lack sufficient skills, experience and financial resources to effectively govern use of the region’s resources and respond to the growing threats. Concurrently, the Guatemalan Government is limited in its ability to respond to biodi-versity conservation goals due to the overwhelming social needs of the country.

The eastern MBR is still primarily intact, though is increasingly at risk from threats spreading from the west. It is in the east that WCS is focusing its efforts and is commit-ted to ensure that this subtropical forest stronghold remains intact.

The western reaches of the MBR, particularly Laguna del

Tigre and Sierra del Lacandon National Parks, are under

severe threat. Illegal colonization is rapidly moving west

to east, resulting in forest clearing, uncontrolled hunting

of wildlife and fire. At the industrial scale, roads built to

facilitate timber and petroleum extraction provide easy

avenues for hunters and new colonists into remote sections

of the forest.

u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e c h a l l e n g e s a n d r i s k s

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right, from top and counter-

clockwise: a vision of the eastern

mBr (mahogany); studying scarlet

macaws; scarlet macaw, Ara macao

To achieve this vision, we will hold ourselves accountable for:

n 90% of the intact eastern MBR protected and managed (more than 3,300 square miles);

n The eastern MBR a stronghold for jaguars, with a stable and ecologically functional population across the landscape;

n Scarlet macaw breeding areas protected and the population demographically robust.

Jaguars and scarlet macaws range widely, rely on different parts of the forest, and are put in jeopardy by the most acute and widespread threats to the region. They are symbols of the forest and their conservation is a measure of our success. By maintaining intact habitat for jaguars and scarlet macaws, we ensure the conservation of thousands of other forest dependent species.

To maintain that intact habitat, our focus must be threefold: ensuring that protected areas are effectively managed by government and other stakeholders; providing training and support so that communities are positioned to manage their forest concessions; and tracking the species and landscape trends that indicate success or need for adaptive management. Our conservation objectives will be met when a key set of management programs and circumstances are in place:

n Local management of community forest concessions reduces forest fires and illegal colonization, with 90% of concession areas free of fire, deforestation and illegal colonization;

n Protected areas of the eastern MBR are well managed by government and NGO partners, with intact forest cover free of fire and colonization;

n Trends in habitat and key landscape species are used by government and na-tional institutions to improve the adaptive management of the eastern MBR landscape, as measured by abundance of wildlife and government resource allocation in the reserve.

WCS has a 10-year vision for the eastern MBR: Forested

parks teeming with wildlife, and effectively managed

protected areas and forest concessions where fire is

controlled and resource extraction is legal and sustainable.

v i s i o n f o r t h e f u t u r e

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right, from top and counter-

clockwise: the causal chain:

a causal chain helps prioritize

conservation actions to address

threats to mBr’s wildlife;

ancient maya city of tikal;

working with communities;

communities creating a firebreak

To ensure effective local management of community forest concessions, WCS is: n Helping three keystone community management areas (Uaxactún, Car-

melita, and Paso Caballos) conserve habitat by improving local capacity and promoting alternative livelihoods;

n Leading fire prevention programs in eight community forest concessions;n Providing integrated education programs as strong local incentives for habitat

conservation in five keystone communities. To ensure that protected areas of the eastern MBR are well managed by govern-

ment and NGO partners, WCS is: n Supporting local partners to protect Laguna del Tigre macaw nesting areas

from fire and colonization;n Supporting national government and NGO leadership of the Mirador Rio

Azul Roundtable (see Building Consensus box, opposite page) process to develop ecotourism potential of the area;

n Strengthening a national NGO, Asociación Balam, to co-administer Mira-dor-Rio Azul National Park effectively;

n Leveraging resources to improve Guatemalan National Park Service (CON-AP) capacity.

To ensure trends in habitat and key landscape species are used to improve adaptive management of the eastern MBR landscape, WCS is:

n Coordinating seasonal over-flights to monitor illegal activities and fire, and raise awareness about threats;

n Monitoring and publicizing annual trends in habitat and fire;n Monitoring jaguar and macaw trends in collaboration with local partners and

communities;n Increasing scarlet macaw populations through population management

and research.

The growing conservation constituency in the eastern MBR

is a critical ingredient to well-managed forest concessions,

fire control, local NGO engagement and a government able

and willing to play its management and enforcement roles

in protected areas. WCS is building on that opportunity,

and has designed core activities around each of the three

areas described above:

a d d r e s s i n g t h e r i s k s

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B u I L D I n g c O n S E n S u S

WcS supports and nurtures a local, consensus-

building network (The Mirador-rio azul round-

table), comprising more than 30 government,

community, ngO and private sector institutions,

all working together toward the development

and conservation of El Mirador. This ancient Maya

site is poised to become a unEScO World Heri-

tage Site, and the next great archaeological tourist

attraction in the region, while providing intact

habitat for the region’s wildlife, and opportunities

for local income.

Intact forest habitatFires to clear landIllegal colonization

Weak management andlaw enforcement

Law enforcement &management training

Fire prevention & training patrols

Lack of awareness

Monitor & publicizeincidence of fire

Monitor & publicizeillegal colonization

Training & resources forpark staff & NGOs

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right, from top and counter-

clockwise: Biologist at work

in the field; jaguar, Panthera

onca; fires in the western MBR

and inset satellite image

Studies of prey species in Tikal National Park and the Uaxactún community forests followed, along with assessments of the impacts of non-timber forest product harvest-ers on MBR wildlife. This research informed design and focus of initial conservation interventions, including an initiative to strengthen public use of Tikal National Park and a community-based conservation program in the village of Uaxactún.

In 1999, WCS and Lighthawk began to assess illegal activities through aerial over-flights, and to bring these activities to the attention of authorities positioned to respond. WCS then supported the formation of Asociación Balam, a national NGO conceived to co-administer Mirador-Rio Azul National Park. This support affirmed the WCS commitment to build the necessary local capacity and institutions for the long-term viability and ecosystem health of the Maya Forest. Since that time, WCS engagement has evolved into long-term biological monitoring, support for community concessions to ensure equitable and sustainable management of forest resources, fire monitoring and management to secure the western border of the eastern MBR, and facilitation of government, community and private-sector stakeholder dialogues to promote best practice, equity and sustainability in the landscape.

These efforts have resulted in a number of conservation achievements. WCS has helped the Uaxactún community to develop non-destructive business practices for harvesting and sale of non-timber forest products. Today, local forest loss is negligible despite significant population increase and economic development. Since 2004, burn-ing around the Paso Caballos community management unit has decreased significantly, due to support provided by WCS to arrest the forest fires that threaten this scarlet macaw habitat. The forest is reestablishing its functionality as habitat for wildlife. More broadly, WCS has helped the Guatemalan Government and local communities to stop the march of seasonal fires from west to east—first by monitoring the fires using satellite imagery, then in 2003 by establishing and patrolling a narrow but effective 40-mile fire break. Annual burn areas have been reduced by more than 90% close to this corridor, with little or no burning to the east.

With 20 years of experience in the region, a permanent field

office and strong partnerships, WCS is positioned to deliver

its conservation objectives. WCS engagement in the eastern

MBR began with support for the first MBR wildlife surveys

in 1988.

w c s : p o s i t i o n e d t o d e l i v e r

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W c S I S g r a T E F u L T O T H E F O L L O W I n g F O r L E a D E r S H I p S u p p O r T O F O u r W O r k I n T H E M a y a B I O S p H E r E r E S E r v E L a n D S c a p E :

anonymous

British Broadcasting corporation

critical ecosystem partnership fund

conservation international

department for international development (dfid) governance

and transparency fund

global heritage fund

edith s. mcBean

moriah fund

edward john noble foundation

panthera foundation

plant family foundation

prospect hill foundation

the nature conservancy

us agency for international development (usaid)

us department of interior

For further information please contact:

wildlife conservation societyLatin america & the caribbean program

2300 Southern BoulevardBronx, ny 10460-1099

(718) 220-7158

W c S ’ S S u c c E S S I n T H E L a n D S c a p E c a n B E a T T r I B u T E D I n p a r T T O O u r S T r O n g L O c a L p a r T n E r S H I p S :

asociación Balam

association of forest communities of petén (acofop)

asociación de amigos del patrimonio cultural y natural de guatemala (apanac)

centro para estudios de conservación (cecon)

centro de monitoreo y evaluación de conap (cemec)

cooperativa carmelita (carmelita village)

el peru-wa’ka archaeological project

foundation for archaeological research and environmental science (fares)

gibor, s.a.

guatemalan fire prevention service (sipecif)

guatemalan national park service (conap)

guatemalan archaeological institute (idaeh)

guatemalan ministry of the environment (marn)

la corona archaeological project

mesa multisectorial (i.e. mirador-rio azul roundtable)

organización manejo y conservación (omyc, uaxactún village)

paso caballos village

tikal national park

trópico verde

universidad de san carlos-guatemala

F E B r u a r y 2 0 0 9