The Private Institute for Climate Change Research (ICC) with the financial support of the project “Promoting Sustainable and Resilient Territories in Landscapes of the Central Volcanic Chain of Guatemala” of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), initiates the planning of 6 river watersheds and implementation of landscape management tools in 12 municipalities in region 3 of the project.
The management plans focus on water governance, sustainable management of soil, forest and biodiversity. It will be sought that these are oriented to the protection of hydric resources, and the promotion of adequate land management for the preservation of ecosystem services, integrating population dynamics to guide the decrease, mitigation or elimination of the effects of human activities.
Forest restoration of 800 hectares
During the project, restoration efforts will be carried out in the upper parts of the basins of the Coyolate, Achiguate and María Linda rivers (municipalities of Acatenango and Yepocapa in Chimaltenango); Santa María de Jesús, Antigua, Ciudad Vieja, San Miguel Dueñas and Alotenango in Sacatepéquez; Siquinalá, San Vicente Pacaya and Palín in Escuintla.
The plans will integrate the actions that will be developed as part of this initiative, such as the production of forestal plants, forest restoration in strategic areas in the watersheds, and economic incentive mechanisms through governmental programs, as well as a pilot mechanism of payment/compensation for environmental services (PES/CES).
It is expected to carry out the process of preparation of these plans and implementation of the aforementioned activities, with a broad participation of stakeholders and organisms involved in the management of water and natural resources, which is another of the great challenges faced by integrated watershed management.
Guatemala is implementing a donation of the Global Environment Facility -GEF- for the execution of the Project Promoting Sustainable and Resilient Territories in Landscapes of the Central Volcanic Chain of Guatemala. The national organism associated in the execution of the project is the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources -MARN-; and the implementing agency, the United Nations Development Program -PNUD-.
