Day 2, Session 3: The role and perspectives of forest communities in the forest reform process
Presentation by Erick Cuellar, Association of Forest Communities of Petén (ACOFOP
Entrepreneurship & organisations: influences and organizations
Erick Cuellar: Community forest management - an alternative for the conservation of biodiversity and reduction of poverty
1. Community forest management an
alternative for the Conservation of
Biodiversity and Reduction of
Poverty.
May 2009.
2. Conservation Policies
• 1989 creation of CONAP.
• 1990 creation of the MBR (2.1
millon hectares)
3. INITIAL STATUS OF THE ADMINISTRATION
OF THE MBR (1990-95)
Focus on Strict Protection
State of ungovernability
Deforestation and unmanaged
advance of the agricultural
frontier
Illegal extraction of the natural resources
Plundering of archaeological sites
4. STRATEGY
STRATEGY
• Share and delegate
the administration of
the Multiple Use
Zone
• Adjudication of
concessions for the
use and management
of the resource base
• Compatibility of
socio-economic
development with
conservation and
biodiversity goals.
5. ACOFOP
• Founded in 1995
• Its Objective: Promote
Objective
the socio-economic
development and the
improvement of well-
being of communities,
through sustainable
forest management.
• 23 member community
organizations.
7. Overall • More than 500,000 hectares
most of it FSC certified
Achievements
8. BENEFITS
• More than 14,000
persons benefit
directly from forest
management.
• Employment
generation.
• Development of local
capacities.
• Direct economic
benefits for
households.
• Social benefits to
community
9. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Control of Forest Fires
• Community
investment in
control and
vigilance overall
• Community
investment in
forest fire
vigilance.
• Both natural
resource and
archaeological
sites.
Aeas under
Concession