As seen on India Blooms
San Pedro Sula (Honduras)” Sept 26 (IBNS): Experts presenting on the status of forests in the region that stretches from the Yucatan to the Darien Forest in Panama reported this week that with strong land rights” local communities in Central America are outperforming governments and industry in conserving the forests under their care.
Yet the study also supported claims by participants at the major community forestry conference in San Pedro Sula” Honduras” who warned that advances are at risk because governments in the region often fail to recognize and enforce the rights that underpin the region's success.
Many of the projects” especially in Guatemala and Mexico” have become global models for sustainable development and for protecting valuable forests” viewed as vital in slowing carbon emissions and climate change.
“After decades of experience” Mesoamerica has made enormous progress in recognizing community forest rights. Sixty percent of the forests of the region are now owned or managed by forest communities and indigenous peoples”” said Andrew Davis” co-author of a study that was produced by PRISMA” a research institute in El Salvador” and by the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests” organizer of the conference.
“Their success provides enormous potential” not only for the dilemma of how to economically develop the region” but how to do so while protecting forests” improving the livelihoods of rural peoples” and combating climate change”” said Davis” a senior researcher with PRISMA.
“But our work suggests if we don’t have political will on the part of governments in the region” even the most promising programs are at risk””he said.
The study also includes a map that illustrates the benefits of having local communities in control of forests.
“Where there are strong rights” the forests of Central America are still standing”” said David Kaimowitz” director of Sustainable Development for the Ford Foundation.
“The indigenous and traditional communities” with support from civil society” have created a groundbreaking solution to the problem of deforestation and created a new model for sustainable development”” he said.
Forests peoples feel impact of growing demand for land” resources
Yet indigenous and traditional leaders who attended the conference warned that even the most successful community-managed forests are showing signs of pressure from the global and regional demand for more food” fuel” biofuels” hydroelectric power and mineral wealth.
“Demand for land” hydroelectric power and extractives is testing the resolve of governments and our ability to continue to protect our forests” even after we receive significant rights to manage our lands”” said Marcedonio Cortave” with the Association of Forest Communities of Petén (ACOFOP) of Guatemala.
The study released at the conference calls Guatemala” “a pioneer in community forest management.” In Guatemala” 1.5 million hectares of the country are managed collectively” and more than 20 percent of the nation’s forests are on communal lands where forests have continued to be preserved “despite the high population density and the various pressures of deforestation.”
Yet Cortave says there is no guarantee the concessions will be renewed” despite global recognition of the program as a model for sustainable development. The current concession agreements are set to expire in the coming years for many communities” and Guatemala has failed to clarify who owns the carbon rights to the forests.
This is preventing ACOFOP and other community forest groups from accessing funds from programs such as UN REDD” a scheme aimed at supporting the communities and projects that are preventing the destruction and degradation of forests.
“On the map of Guatemala” our lands look like islands in a sea of devastation”” Cortave said. “The lands that surround the forests of indigenous communities are being destroyed. To do our job—for ourselves and the world—we need for our governments to commit to promising us these lands for another 25 years—or longer” if they are serious about saving our forests. “
The report says” where governments have conceded rights to indigenous groups” the rights cannot be revoked entirely. But they can be undermined.
According to indigenous leaders” governments are granting concessions to investors on indigenous lands” arguing that the rights do not extend to mineral wealth or hydroelectric power.
Too little is being done to support community enterprises and protect the vulnerable region from invasions from landless peasants and incursions by drug traffickers” who often send their “mules” through the most heavily-forested regions of Central America in order to escape detection.
PRISMA’s Davis noted that drug traffickers are most likely to operate in areas that governments have left to govern themselves” favoring the disorder that arises in the absence of appropriate and enforceable legal systems.
“Panama has one of the strongest systems of indigenous land rights in Central America” and yet its leaders are struggling to be allowed a seat at the table in deciding the future of our forests”” said Yuro Bacorizo” a member of the General Congress of Collective Lands of the Embera Wounaan in Panama.
Among the concerns of Panama’s Indigenous leaders is the apparent failure of the national government to include them as an equal partner in designing and implementing UN REDD in Panama” although 54 percent of the mature forests are found on lands controlled by indigenous groups.
The contested UN program aims to slow climate change by stopping the destruction of the world’s most vulnerable forests. The program is currently on hold in Panama.
In Honduras” where the Miskito peoples were recently granted control over more than 750″000 hectares” Norvin Goff” chairman of Miskitu Asla Takanka (MASTA)” a political group representing the Miskito people” says the Miskito will pursue strategies for developing projects that will both conserve the forests and offer economic opportunities.
But he noted the Miskito too will need government support to support a role for civil society and enforce their land rights.
“To succeed” we will need a real long-term commitment from our government”” Goff said.
Honduras” Costa Rica and Nicaragua were the three nations cited for meaningful advances in strengthening land tenure for indigenous peoples. The study noted in particular Nicaragua” where titles to a total of 2.5 million hectares have been transferred to indigenous communities.
On the Atlantic Coast of this country” the indigenous territories of the Autonomous Regions contain 62 percent of Nicaragua’s forests.
But in Mexico” Guatemala and Panama” “there is a clear failure of political will”” the study notes. Despite significant advances in the technical ability of forest peoples to manage forests” local forest communities have been unable to influence policy.
Davis and his co-authors conclude on a sober note in assessing Guatemala’s prospects” which is surprising in light of intense global interest in one of the world’s most innovative development models.
“Despite the enormous advantages demonstrated by community forestry in Guatemala” it is clear that at present there is little political will to build on the successes of these communities to achieve wider territorial governance” more vibrant local economies and reduction in deforestation and degradation.”