Forests

Current Projects.
Sierra de Guerrero, Mexico
San Miguel de Los Altos, Guatemala
Veracruz, Mexico
Sierra Cuchumatanes, Guatemala
Sarstoon Temash National Park, Belize
Pico Bonito National Park, Honduras
Atlantida, Honduras
Bosques Pico Bonito, Honduras
Carbon Plus Program: Offsets for the Voluntary Market
Only half of the original forest cover remains in Central America. From 1990-2005 alone, the region's cover declined by 19% - the largest percentage loss in Latin America. This largely unintended consequence is driven by conversion of forest land to agricultural use. Often, this trend is fueled by subsistence needs of the poor as well as environmentally unsustainable commercial expansion. Destruction of forests translates into:
the devastation of habitat for countless species integral to the health of our complex ecosystems
increased erosion and severity of mudslides
decreased supply and protection of water sources
decreased capacity for the Earth to absorb greenhouse gases that intensify global warming
EcoLogic and its partners are rolling back this harmful trend through protected area management and reforestation.
Forests at Xapper, San Mateo, Guatemala/S.Paul

Protected Area Management
Obtaining legal recognition and protection for environmentally critical areas is a key strategy EcoLogic and its partners employ to help restore degraded environmental conditions and encourage sustainable use. This process requires not only the technical skills and resources needed to demarcate specific areas, but also enormous coalition-building efforts to bring together diverse social, economic, and political interests at the municipal, state, or national level.
Even when legally recognized, protected areas are not immune from social and economic threats. EcoLogic understands this and provides local solutions: helping train park officials in monitoring and protection, providing livelihood alternatives that decrease reliance on protected resources, educating communities on the health and economic benefits of conservation, and linking groups to local advocacy resources to defend protected area status.

Reforestation.
Replanting native tree species in degraded lands achieves the environmental benefits of restoring habitat and stabilizing soil as well as providing sustainable livelihood opportunities within communities.

With EcoLogic's support, our partners have been able to adopt new technology that has dramatically improved our reforestation results. In 2005, through manual planting we were able to plant about 30 seedlings per day. Today, thanks to the use of appropriate technology that includes trays, belts, and special poles, we can plant an average of 360 seedlings per day.

In addition, while previous planting methods yielded a 60% planting success rate of seedlings, the new technology has resulted in a stunning 98% success rate for seedlings planted. This new technology is being adopted throughout our reforestation sites, contributing to the best possible return on our efforts.

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