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Guatemala
>> Regional Overview >> Guatemala Overview Activity Data Sheet
PROGRAM: Guatemala
TITLE AND NUMBER: Improved Natural Resources Management and Conservation of Biodiversity, 520-005
PLANNED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: $3,930,000 (DA)
PROPOSED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: $3,710,000 (DA)
STATUS: Continuing
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1997 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2003Summary: The Guatemalan Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR) forms the core of the largest tract of intact tropical forests remaining in Meso-America and is one of the most important regions in the world in terms of biological diversity. The freshwater wetlands located in the Laguna del Tigre National Park are internationally recognized under the Ramsar Convention. In 1992, a Government of Guatemala (GOG) analysis of deforestation found that if existing trends continued unabated, by 2010 the MBR would be destroyed by the advancing agricultural frontier.
The purpose of the strategic objective is to stabilize the agricultural frontier, conserve the MBR, and promote a more sustainable development path for the region focusing on tourism, forestry, and other income alternatives for marginalized populations. USAID supports the consolidation of the National System of Parks and Reserves (SIGAP) as a strategic foundation for long term sustainable development. SIGAP comprises 26% of the nation's territory. The Maya Biosphere alone, established with USAID support, represents 74% of SIGAP. Direct beneficiaries include the population living in and around the MBR (approximately 87,000 in 1998) and national constituencies interested in parks, tourism, conservation, forestry and environmental quality. Indirect beneficiaries are national and international in scope, including future generations.
Key Results: (1) People adopt more sustainable, environmentally sound practices as a result of the dissemination of "best management practices" for sustainable agriculture, timber and nontimber forest products, ecotourism and other enterprises; 2) Policies affecting the environment are improved and applied by defining a policy reform agenda, building environmental constituencies, strengthening the capacity of local stakeholders and organizations to identify and analyze policy constraints, and by implementing corrective measures, such as forest management concessions; and, 3) More responsive institutions and increased local participation in decision?making related to natural resource management through the promotion of greater private, municipal, and community participation in the administration of parks and forest reserves.
Performance and Prospects: Overall performance in 2000 met expectations. Community-based forestry management activities were implemented on 392,056 hectares, generating $500,000 in revenue and 22,000 labor/days benefiting 5,000 people. Export of timber to international markets reached 69% of production. Guatemala ranks number one in the world with the largest number of hectares (100,026) of community-based forest being certified under the certification/green seal process. Eight cooperatives situated in the buffer zone around the Sierra Lacandon National Park were administratively and financially strengthened leading to the creation of an Agroforestry Association to improve marketing, pricing, and export of certified timber products. This association has had a positive impact to improve the livelihoods of their members; the production of new nontimber products under forest cover is helping diversify community income from nonwood products. Based on these gains, illegal activities within Lacandon National Park have been reduced.
USAID assisted the Government of Guatemala (GOG) in its efforts to create a new Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, established in January 2001. The elevation of the principal GOG environment counterparts to ministerial level will garner support at the highest levels of the GOG to address environmental issues such as the lack of a unified petroleum policy, insufficient funding for parks and forest management, and resolution of land conflicts. On the policy front, the process of preparing a fire prevention and control strategy for the Peten sparked the development of a national fire strategy that was approved by the President. The Peten fire strategy and 2001 operating plan were developed with USAID assistance and discussed in open forums with all stakeholders, then approved by the Governor of Peten. This first-ever fire strategy identifies human and financial resources, roles, and responsibilities to effectively coordinate government response to combat fires. Guatemala is in a better position, both regionally and nationally, to improve its current fire fighting efforts. The area affected by fires in the MBR was reduced substantially this year, as community groups worked together on common enforcement strategies providing comprehensive coverage. Two co-administration agreements were implemented with local environmental NGOs to assist the National Council for Protected Areas (CONAP) with management of Laguna del Tigre and Sierra Lacandon National Parks-- potential models to assist financially strapped governments to manage protected areas. With support from USAID and local partners, a voluntary program relocated 46 families outside the Sierra Lacandon National Park; no new human settlements were detected in 2000 in this Park.
Based on the MBR assessment findings and recommendations, program interventions in 2001 will focuse on: a) Community-based forestry concessions to improve management and marketing of timber and non-forestry products; b) Specific activities in the Sierra Lacandon and Laguna del Tigre National Parks for conservation of biodiversity identified as important for the Mesoamerica corridor; c) Institutional strengthening of selected environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that will implement program activities; and d) Improved environmental policies for co-administration of protected areas, human settlement, fire prevention/control, and others as identified by the Ministry of Environment. The program will continue to work in the MBR and slowly expand into two new areas of the country rich in biological diversity-the volcanoes of Atitlan and the Sierra de las Minas landscape.
In FY 2001, $3,930,000 in DA funds will be used for the following activities: 1) to promote and develop forestry concessions, sustainable agricultural practices, and environmentally-friendly products ($850,000); 2) Policy reform and implementation ($600,000); 3) Protected areas management and institutional strengthening ($1,600,000); 4) Program extension to geographic areas outside of the MBR ($430,000); 5) Environmental awareness, management, and other sector activities ($450,000).
In FY2002, DA funds totaling $3,710,000 will be used to promote and develop forestry concessions ($550,000); support environmental policy reforms ($600,000); strengthen protected areas and their improved management through institutional strengthening ($1,190,000); extension of the program to geographic areas outside of the MBR ($910,000); and environmental awareness and program management activities ($460,000).
Possible Adjustments to Plans: None.
Other Donor Programs: USAID has coordinated and collaborated with many other donors working in the area, such as: the European Union, German Technical Cooperation, Inter-American Development Bank, Canadian Center for Studies and International Cooperation (CECI), World Bank, Global Environmental Fund (GEF), Government of Japan, MacArthur Foundation, and U.S. agencies (Fish and Wildlife Service and Forest Service). Implementing partners contribute significant matching funds toward program costs. USAID is assisting the new Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to create an international donor forum on environment to help the Minister forge strategic alliances and to improve donor coordination.
Principal Contractors, Grantees, or Agencies: U.S. implementing organizations include: the Department of the Interior, CARE International, Conservation International, the Nature Conservancy, Rodale, Chemonics International Inc., and International Resources Group. Guatemalan implementing organizations include the Government of Guatemala's National Council for Protected Areas (CONAP), and local NGO partners (Centro Maya, Defensores de la Naturaleza, Kanan Caax, and Naturaleza para la Vida). The Center for Tropical Agriculture Investigations and Studies (CATIE) is a regional institution. New or additional partners may also be selected to implement activities now under design.
FY 2002 Performance Table
Guatemala 520-005
Performance Measures:
Indicator FY97
(Actual)FY98
(Actual)FY99
(Actual)FY00
(Actual)FY00
(Plan)FY01
(Plan)FY02
(Plan)Indicator 1: People adopt more sustainable practices 48 36* 51 56 56 58 63 Indicator 2: Total area under formal concessions and contracts for sustainable management 87,220 99,440 255,000 392,056*** 495,000** 569,000** NA Indicator 3: Sustainable productive enterprises established in communities 6 20 23 32 30 NA NA Indicator 4: Hectares (millions) officially protected 1.95 2.11 2.15 2.16 2.16 2.17 NA Indicator 5: Area of natural habitat (primarily forest) saved from conversion to other uses (primarily agriculture) in comparison to historic trends (1970 - 1990) and projections (1991-2010) 600,000 NA 700,000 700,000 NA NA NA Indicator Information:
Indicator Level (S)or(IR) Unit of Measure Source Indicator Description Indicator 1: S Percent of total population in target areas Annual inventories by implementers with USAID verification Percent of total population in target areas that has benefited from the adoption of more sustainable income generating practices promoted by the programs under the S.O. Due to the fact that target or 1999 was exceeded, new targets for 2000 - 2002 were established: 2000 = 495,000 has (up from 150,000 has.); 2001 = 569,000 (up from 200,000 has.) Indicator 2: IR Cumulative area in hectares Official CONAP contracts Area within the MBR under concessions and contracts with local community groups that have approved forest management plans designed to assure sustainable levels of productivity without deforestation. ** Over 108,600 additional hectares have been assigned to communities, pending only the signing of the respective contracts. With the signature on the contracts, the total increases to 500,600 hectares against the planned 495,000 Indicator 3: S Number of productive enterprises Annual inventories by implementers with USAID verification Number of productive enterprises established in communities Indicator 4: IR Hectares officially protected Official CONAP records Number of hectares (millions) designated as protected areas. Indicator 5: S Hectares conserved compared to trend data Biennial analysis of satellite imagery. Historic trend, projections to year 2010, and 1993 actual data are derived from GOG-SEGEPLAN reports. Other data are from NASA/CI/UMaine research and Mission analyses. Number of hectares of natural habitat that have been saved from conversion to other uses in the Peten. U.S. Financing
(In thousands of dollars)
Obligations Expenditures Unliquidated Through September 30, 1999 12,634 DA 7,094 DA 5,540 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Fiscal Year 2000 3,080 DA 3,252 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA Through September 30, 2000 15,714 DA 10,346 DA 5,368 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Prior Year Unobligated Funds 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA 3,930 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001 3,930 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Future Obligations Est. Total Cost Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA 3,710 DA 4,000 DA 27,354 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
