Conservation and Livelihoods: finding balance in Mesoamerica's five great forests

Mesoamerica is home to five forest ecosystems vital to the planet: the ‘Five Great Forests of Mesoamerica’. These territories not only provide habitat for native species such as the Central American tapir, but also provide a home and source of livelihoods for millions of people, mainly Indigenous communities. However, these great green lungs are under threat.

What challenges and opportunities can be found in striking a balance between securing the livelihoods of forest dwellers and protecting these great green lungs of humanity? As part of an initiative to protect these ecosystems, as well as to adapt and transform the surrounding agriculture and food systems in partnership with communities, the Alliance has produced a series of publications that capture the process of identifying and analysing value chains that are sustainable and economically viable for the people involved. These populations are located in and around transects of the five great forests, including: the Maya Forest Corridor in Belize; the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala; the Reserva del Hombre y del Río Plátano in the Honduran Mosquitia; and the Bosawás Biosphere, Alto Wangki Bocay Special Regime Zone in the Nicaraguan Mosquitia.