2011

Development of an integral model of sustainable joint management of the forest and water resources identified in the territory of the Commonwealth of Municipalities of the North Border of Guatemala (intermediate Evaluation)

The project to evaluate

The Commonwealth North Border of Guatemala has an extensive territory that includes 7 municipalities of the departments of Quiché and Huehuetenango. Nevertheless the territory of execution of the project includes five municipalities that are: Flat Big Ixcán, of the department of Quiché, and Barillas, San-Mateo Ixtatán, Santa Eulalia, Soloma of the department of Huehuetenango.

In that territory there are more than 13 indigenous villages of Mayan origin. It is important to emphasize that despite sharing similar territorial characteristics, this region of the country presents heights that go from the 180 up to 3. 300 m, what gives birth to a wide biodiversity and different apartments agro-ecological, where the forests prevail.

This diversity of the natural environment, together with the social and cultural diversity in the territory, has prompted city officials to articulate a process of sustainable development in the region, through the Commonwealth of municipalities of the northern border, which has a Territorial Strategic Plan whose objective is to be configured as "an instrument of strategic planning that guide the activities of the actors and order public investment private and cooperation in the territory of the Commonwealth of the northern border, promoting the integral development of the population in the context of gender equity, environmental balance and social justice".

The Guillermo Toriello Foundation with the support of the Mundubat Foundation is developing an action in the territory of the northern border Commonwealth which aims to promote the articulation of the different local actors; the empowerment of indigenous communities and the strengthening of public institutions (at the Commonwealth level, municipal and community); for sustainable development, through the planning of the land use and conservation and management of natural resources

In particular, the targets of the action to develop are:

• Consolidate the institutions, strengthened technically and normatively.
• A participatory and empowered indigenous communities in the protection and conservation of their natural resources, working in coordination with local authorities towards a comprehensive and consensual model of its forest and water resources management that allows to establish the bases for sustainable development. In this action women and young people will have a leading role.
• Link the protection and conservation of natural resources, with the improvement of the living conditions of the participant population, through the implementation of appropriate and environmentally friendly technologies with the environment, the legalization of their lands and the generation of income.