Livingston, Guatemala

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Livingston, Guatemala Building a Network for Guatemalan Replenishment Zones In March 2013, the Leadership Learning Community was hired by the MAR Leadership Program (MAR-L) to evaluate their program. The evaluation team conducted site visits to spend time with fellows and the people who work with them daily to learn firsthand about the challenges, achievements and impact of their conservation projects. Name of Fellows: Ana Giro Petersen Blanca Rosa García Hernández City, Country: Livingston, Guatemala MAR -L Cohort Year: 201 1 Project: Declaration of the first three fully protected “no-take” zones or replenishment zones in: La Graciosa, Punta Gruesa, and La Laguna Santa Isabel, Guatemala. Key wins: In the declaration of the first three fully protected no-take zones or replenishment zones in: La Graciosa, Punta Gruesa, and La Laguna Santa Isabel. Reached an agreement around the boundaries and legal foundations of replenishment zones among key Guatemalan stakeholders, including Fishing Groups, the National Protected Areas Council (CONAP) Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) through the office of Regulations of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DIPESCA), and The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN). Page | 1 I. Chapter 1: The Story of Place Only accessible by boat, travel to Livingston, Guatemala, is about 30 minutes from Puerto Barrios along the Amatique Bay. The town sits at the mouth of the Rio Dulce River at the Port of Honduras. The boundaries of Amatique Bay are mostly in Guatemala while the northeastern portion is shared with Belize. The dark blue green water contrasts with the lush green landscape along the Caribbean Guatemalan coastline. The jungle vegetation covers the hillsides along the coast. Some parts of the coastline are also densely lined with mangrove trees while others are connected to a small sandy beach. Livingston, once a major Caribbean seaport in its heyday, bustles with activity. Cars park on the docks as men and women load them full of fresh fruits brought in by boats. Fishing boats rock gently in the wind. Women in canoes who have been out on the water since early morning return with a few small fish in their boat. Livingston is a center of the Garifuna culture in Guatemala and the MAR region. The Garifuna are descendants of shipwrecked boats traveling from Nigeria and have a distinct culture and language. African, Mayan and European influences contribute to the rich indigenous cultural and linguistic diversity of Guatemala. II. Chapter 2: The Story of Ana and Blanca MAR-L fellows Ana Giro Petersen, Blanca Rosa García Hernández and Pilar Velasquez first met at the Guatemala City airport in 2011. It did not take them long to discover that they were all on their way to the first workshop of the 2011 MAR-L fellows. While their backgrounds are quite different, the three women had great energy from the start—and the more they talked, the more they realized they also shared some important similarities. This is the story of how Ana, Blanca and Pilar came together through the MAR-L program and established the foundations of a network that continues to work towards MAR conservation efforts. Ana is a professor of Oceanography and Coral Reef Ecology at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, Blanca is a community development organizer, and Pilar was part of the National Protected Areas Council at the time of the fellowship. Ana, Blanca and Pilar realized that they were all focusing on Marine Protected Areas, so they immediately asked MAR program director, Maria Eugenia Arreola, if they could pool their energy and resources on a joint project. Maria Eugenia responded with enthusiasm, since this would be the first group project in MAR-L history. That is how Ana, Blanca and Pilar ended up embarking on a journey to tap into each other’s skills, networks and resources to collaborate around a larger goal: to promote replenishment zones throughout the Page | 2 area, to ensure the sustainability of the limited resources that the MAR ecosystem has to offer the people of Guatemala. Two years after this initial meeting, the MAR-L evaluation team had the opportunity to visit Guatemala to learn firsthand about the first MAR-L team project and the fruits of their team effort. However, Pilar the third member of the group is currently completing a Master’s degree in Germany and was not available for the site visit in March 2013. III. Chapter 3: The Story of the Project We arrived outside Ana’s house in Guatemala City. Ana, a poised, gentle mother and petite crossfit warrior, lovingly soothes her three-year-old daughter Nuria who cries as she watches us leave for the nine hour drive to Puerto Barrios. Ana tells us that her Nuria loves the ocean and that she is very proud of her mother because she “saves the little fish.” In Puerto Barrios we climb aboard a small commuter boat packed with others making the trip to Livingston. We sail north on smooth early morning bay waters toward Livingston where we will meet with Blanca. As we make our way along the coast, we look back and see ships and small boats or lanchas in the distance headed towards Puerto Barrios, which has become a major regional shipping and receiving port. On the boat we are joined by a fisherman from La Laguna Santa Isabel and the President of the Network of Caribbean and Lake Izabal fishermen1, both from the replenishment zone we are to learn about. Eustaquio Ochoa, or Don Taco as he is affectionately known, is a strong yet playful man, apparent from the mischief in his eyes. Before long we are an eager audience for his stories, on the edge of our seat one minute and laughing the next. We meet up with Blanca in Livingston. Ana and Blanca are excited to see each other; their reunion is like watching close friends who pick up where they have left off. It is fun to watch them together. Ana’s quiet reserve is offset by Blanca’s gregarious nature. Blanca creates the social fabric for their work, weaving relationships with her warmth and openness. Ana with her practical and analytical background in academic research, training and ocean floor mapping is able to show fishers how the fish populations are changing. Their unique credentials have made them an unstoppable team. Over a hearty bowl of tapado, a coconut based fish soup made with fish, crab, mollusks, conch, sea snails and shrimp, Blanca talks enthusiastically about her work with community fishers for over 11 years. Blanca is petite and ebullient as she speaks with her hands. She is very proud of her work in the community and with fishers. Her ease and friendship with Don Taco and others has been hard earned. She good naturedly explains, “If you were 1 Pescador de La Laguna Santa Isabel y Presidente de la RED de pescadores del Caribe y Lago de Izabal Page | 3 to come here in 2001 the entire group of fishers wanted to kill me. They didn’t want me here. There has been a big change over the 11 years. We have created and shared space with our communities. I admire the fishers and I tell people that have just started, have patience. You won’t win the confidence of folks until the community sees you working, and that you don’t only know about books. The fishers have every right to think that way because the real learning is on the field.” Blanca is now lovingly referred to as Blanquis by fishers and has clearly won over Angélica Méndez, a fisherwomen, close friend and dedicated partner in the effort. She describes Blanca, “Blanca is a warrior, she is of my kind, we are stubborn and never give up, and she is a fighter.” Angelica is a stunning fisherwoman and community leader, who lights up the room with her smile. Her energy is contagious and she is quick to tell us that her daughters complain that they can’t even keep up with her. She is a natural organizer who is quick to win our hearts with her warmth. She is now working at the Municipal Office for Women, after receiving multiple nominations from many residents in Livingston. IV. Chapter 4: The Story of MAR-L in Ana and Blanca’s Life As part of the MAR-L program, fellows are required to work on a specific project that builds on the work of preserving the delicate MAR ecosystem. Ana, Blanca and Pilar focused on raising awareness and promoting replenishment zones. Their efforts were successful, not only because they were able to work together and tap into their collective wisdom, but also because they focused a great deal of energy on supporting a network of key community stakeholders, including fishing groups and the government, that can sustain the work now and in the future. Some of the most influential participants in the network were Don Taco, the humble and honest president of the fisher association, and Angélica, a fisherwoman and beloved community leader. They are both part of the Network of Caribbean and Lake Izabal fishermen, an association of over 2,000 fishers with 30% fisherwomen membership. On July 10, 2012, La Graciosa, Punta Gruesa, and La Laguna Santa Isabel, three communities not far from Livingston along the Amatique Bay located within the Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge were declared as “No- take” zones, also known as ‘replenishment zones.’ The communities are made up of about 50 families that depend on the resources from the ocean ecosystem. Don Taco said, “From the moment that a child can put the bait on the hook, from the moment that he or she becomes a fisher and starts to fish, they collect valuable resources that are used by men, women and children in these communities.” Based on the official agreement, 345 hectares of this area were placed under protection.
Recommended publications
  • Isheries Surney
    ISHERIES SURNEY JUAGULTURE WED AQUACULTURES WON 0 0 0 0 LAKE IZABAL FISHERIES SURVEY INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AQUACULTURE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND ALLIED AQUACULTURES AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION AUBURN UNIVERSITY AUBURN, ALABAMA 36830 Project: AID/cs'd-2-780 Date: September 5, 1973 LAKE JZABAL FISHERIES SURVEY by W.D. Davies Auburn University Auburn, Alabama 36830 Project: AID/csd-2780 Date of Survey: June 11 - 22, 1973 Date: September 5, 1973 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 1.0 ITINERARY .............................................. 1 2.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................... 2 2.1 Guatemalan Geography and Population ............... 3 2.2 Fish Marketing and Consumption .................... 4 2.3 Government Division Responsible for Fisheries 6 2.4 Lake Izabal, El Golfete and the Rio Dulce Water Resources. ...................................... 7 3.0 THE FISHERIES ........................................... 8 3.1 Lake and River Fisheries ........................... 8 3.2 Fishing Regulations ................................ 10 3.3 Assessment of the Fishery .......................... 10 4.0 RECREATIONAL USE OF LAKE IZABAL, RIO DULCE AND EL GOLFETE......................................... 11 5.0 SUMMARY OF SURVEY AND PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS .. 12 5.1 Summary ....................... ................... 12 5.2 Recommended Scope of Work ........................ 13 5.3 Program Requirements .............................. 15 6.0 CONFERENCES ............................................ 17 7.0 LITERATURE CITED .....................................
    [Show full text]
  • Draft Environmental Report on Guatemala
    DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT ON GUATEMALA PREPARED BY THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIVISION, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON, D.C. AID/DS/ST CONTRACT NO. SA/TOA 1-77 WITH U.S. MAN AND THE BIOSPHERE SECRETARIAT DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON, D.C. MAY 1979 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT ON GUATEMALA Table of Contents Section page 0.0 Introduction and summary 1.0 Population characteristics 1.1 General population statistics 1 1.2 Ethnic composition of population 3 1.3 Educational characteristics of population 4 1.4 Health characteristics of population 5 1.5 Population control 6 1.6 Water supply and sanitation 7 2.0 Organizations with interest in environment and natural resources 2.1 Government agencies 9 2.2 Non-governmental organizations 17 2.3 International organizations 19 2.4 International cooperation 20 2.5 Educational, research and training capabilities 20 2.6 Monitoring capabilities 21 2.7 Statistical capabilities 22 3.0 Legislation dealing with environment and natural resources 3.1 Renewable resources 3.1.1 Water resources 24 3.1.2 Forests 26 3.1.3 Wildlife and hunting 27 3.1.4 Fisheries 29 3.1.5 Air and the atmosphere 30 3.1.6 Proposed pollution control legislation 30 3.2 Non-renewable resources 3.2.1 Mineral resources 31 3.2.2 Soil 33 3.2.3 Coasts and beaches 33 3.3 Land use and agriculture 3.2.1 Land use 33 3.2.1 Land ownership and reform 33 3.4 Pesticides control 34 4.0 Resources 4.1 Water resources 4.1.1 Rainfall and climate 35 4.1.2 Rivers 37 4.1.3 Lakes 39 4.1.4 Groundwater 41 4.2 Forests 42 4.3 Soil 51 4.4 Wildlife 54 4.5 Coasts,
    [Show full text]
  • Pelican Paradise
    PELICAN PARADISE Pelecanus occidentalis Amatique Bay Canyon Rio Dulce Rio Dulce El Golfete Bird Island NICHOLAS HELLMUTH PELICAN PARADISE JUNE 2020 APPRECIATION Assistance for local Access, Municipio de Livingston • Daniel Esaú Pinto Peña, Alcalde of Livingston (Izabal, Guatemala). • Edwin Mármol Quiñonez, Coordinación de Cooperación de Livingston (Izabal, Guatemala) • Juana Lourdes Wallace Ramírez, Asistente Administrativo, Coordinación de Cooperación de Livingston MUNICIPALIDAD DE Livingston CREDITS The helpful individuals listed below are all part of the FLAAR Mesoamerica research and field work team. The office research team, webmaster, and web designers are additional individuals in the main office in Guatemala City. Since each report is a different plant or animal, the individuals who assist in preparing the bibliography, in species identification and botanical information category are not the same for each report. Author Nicholas Hellmuth Ornithological information compiler Nicholas Hellmuth Victor Mendoza Genus species identification team Nicholas Hellmuth Victor Mendoza Bibliography team Nicholas Hellmuth Vivian Hurtado Editor(s) Vivian Díaz Photographers Nicholas Hellmuth María Alejandra Gutierrez David Arrivilaga Erick Flores (2018) Melanny Celeste Q Photography assistants Senaida Ba Mucu Manager of design and layout Andrea Sánchez Díaz COVER PHOTOGRAPHY No. 1 COVER PHOTOGRAPHY No. 2 Pelecanus occidentalis Pelecanus occidentalis Photograph by: David Arrivillaga, FLAAR Photograph by: David Arrivillaga, FLAAR Mesoamerica. March,
    [Show full text]
  • USAID Report Template
    AHMID DACCARETT FOR UMG GUATEMALA URBAN MUNCIPAL GOVERNANCE (UMG) PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT October 1 to December 31, 2019 This report was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by Tetra Tech through the Guatemala Urban Municipal Governance project Task Order under the Making Cities Work (MCW) Indefinite Quantity Contract (USAID Contract No. AID-OAA-1-14-00059, Task Order No. AID-520-TO-17-00001). Test This report was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by Tetra Tech through the Guatemala Urban Municipal Governance Project Task Order under the Making Cities Work (MCW) Indefinite Quantity Contract (USAID Contract No. AID-OAA-I-14- 00059, Task Order No. AID-520-TO-17-00001). Tetra Tech Contacts: Brian Husler, Chief of Party [email protected] Christian Kolar, Project Manager [email protected] Tetra Tech 159 Bank Street, Suite 300, Burlington, VT 05401 Tel: 802-495-0282, Fax: 802 658-4247 www.tetratech.com/intdev COVER PHOTO: Closing ceremony of the vacation course led by the National Civil Police (PNC) for children and young people from Palencia, as a mean to prevent violence. December 2019. GUATEMALA URBAN MUNCIPAL GOVERNANCE QUARTERLY REPORT October 1 to December 31, 2019 JANUARY 2020 1 | GUATEMALA UMG: QUARTERLY REPORT, OCTOBER TO DECEMBER 2019 CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 3 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 2. MAJOR ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS 6 3. CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES 22 ANNEX A. SUCCESS STORY 28 ANNEX B: PERFORMANCE
    [Show full text]
  • MIGRACIÓN INTERNACIONAL EN CENTROAMÉRICA Mapeo Regional De Flujos, Legislación, Políticas Públicas, Organismos, Organizaciones E Investigaciones
    MIGRACIÓN INTERNACIONAL EN CENTROAMÉRICA Mapeo regional de flujos, legislación, políticas públicas, organismos, organizaciones e investigaciones Universidad Centroamericana de Managua (UCA) Servicio Jesuita para Migrantes de Centroamérica (SJM) Managua, marzo 2009 Coordinación General: José Luis Rocha Gómez Coordinador de las investigaciones Servicio Jesuita para Migrantes de Centroamérica Heydi José González Briones Coordinador de Cabildeo Servicio Jesuita para Migrantes MIGRACIÓN INTERNACIONAL EN CENTROAMÉRICA .................................................................... 1 INDICE DE CUADROS .................................................................................................................................. 8 AGRADECIMIENTOS ................................................................................................................................... 9 PRÓLOGOS ....................................................................................................................................................10 RICARDO FALLA, S.J. ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10 INTRODUCCION ...........................................................................................................................................14 I CARACTERIZACIÓN DE LOS FLUJOS MIGRATORIOS EN PAÍSES CENTROAMERICANOS ...........................................................................................................................................................................24
    [Show full text]
  • Justo Rufino Barrios, Perteneciente a Una Segunda Generación De Liberales Y Uno De Los Líderes De La Revuelta Contra Los Conse
    Ciclos, Año 24, Nro. 43, julio-diciembre 2014 ISSN 1851-3735 GUATEMALA EN LA MIRA: LA OPERACIÓN BPSUCCESS Ricardo Vicente* Resumen En 2014 se cumplen sesenta años del primer golpe de Estado pergeñado por la central de inteligencia estadounidense (CIA) en Latinoamérica. En ese momento histórico, en Guatemala, se ensayó un operativo modelo que luego sirvió de inspiración para otros que le sucedieron en el resto de Latinoamérica. El gobierno nacional, popular y democrático de Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán fue su víctima y los golpistas fueron coordinados y apoyados por la CIA: varios embajadores, militares reaccionarios, poderosos empresarios norteamericanos y locales y altos prelados de la Iglesia Católica. Esta conspiración incorporó a América Latina como nuevo escenario de la Guerra Fría. Palabras clave: America Latina, Guatemala, golpe, Estados Unidos Abstract In 2014 marks sixty years of the first coup concocted by the Central American Intelligence (CIA) in Latin America. In that historical moment, an operating model was tested in Guatemala, which then served as inspiration for others in the rest of Latin America. The national, popular and democratic government of Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán was its victim and the coup leaders were coordinated and supported by the CIA: several ambassadors, reactionary military, powerful American and local entrepreneurs and high prelates of the Catholic Church. This conspiracy joined Latin America as a new stage of the Cold War. Keywords: Latin America, Guatemala, coup d’État, United States * Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, profesor de la Maestría de Historia Económica y de las Políticas Económicas, investigador del IDEHESI, Ricardo Vicente, Un castillo armado: el primer golpe de la CIA en América Latina Ciclos, Año 24, Nro.
    [Show full text]
  • Proquest Dissertations
    VANCOUVER SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY GUARDIANS OF THE BLUE-GREEN PLATE, THE BLUE GREEN BOWL: WHAT THE WORLD CAN LEARN FROM THE MAYA-SIPAKAPENSE OF GUATEMALA A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF THEOLOGY by THE REVEREND EMILIE TERI SMITH VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA April 2009 The Reverend Dr. Martin Brokenleg The Reverend Dr. Paula Sampson Library and Archives Bibliotheque et 1*1 Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington OttawaONK1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-57327-3 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-57327-3 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, pr§ter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non­ support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la these ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation.
    [Show full text]
  • The Case of Petén, Guatemala by Markus Zander and Jochen Dürr
    Dynamics in land tenure, local power and the peasant economy: the case of Petén, Guatemala by Markus Zander and Jochen Dürr Paper presented at the International Conference on Global Land Grabbing 6-8 April 2011 Organised by the Land Deals Politics Initiative (LDPI) in collaboration with the Journal of Peasant Studies and hosted by the Future Agricultures Consortium at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex Draft Version Dynamics in land tenure, local power and the peasant economy: the case of Petén, Guatemala Markus Zander, Jochen Dürr Abstract This article analyses the ongoing process of land grabbing by cattle farmers and drug traffickers in south-eastern Petén, Guatemala and its socio-economic consequences. In the last decade, this process has strongly accelerated due to several factors, which made investment in land more attractive and resulted in sharply increasing land prices. In the 236 communities included in the field study, 30% of all peasant families have already sold their land, some of them hoping to escape poverty, others under often violent pressure from buyers mostly related to the drug trade, who are securing control over large territories. For lack of economic alternatives the landless families end up leasing plots for cultivation from their neighbours, working as day labourers on big cattle ranches or occupying land in the protected areas in northern Petén, with poverty and conflicts about resources on a steady rise. Value chain analysis shows that the conversion from small scale peasant agriculture to extensive livestock production reduces land productivity and diminishes local added value and employment, thus providing further arguments for changes in agricultural politics to halt or reverse the process.
    [Show full text]
  • Technical Paper Sheet PSSA Project for the Golf of Honduras
    Technical Paper Sheet PSSA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MARITIME TRANSPORT POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM IN THE GULF OF HONDURAS TECHNICAL SHEET Gulf of Honduras, Puerto Cortes. Number 1. November 2007. DESIGNATION OF THE GULF OF HONDURAS AS PARTICULAR SENSITIVE SEA AREA (PSSA) _____________________________________________ INTRODUCTION The term “Sensitive Sea Area (SSA)” defines any marine body of water that needs special protection due to recognized technical reasons related to oceanographic and ecological attributes and to particular maritime traffic conditions which may endanger these attributes. Special protection measures are developed within the area to prevent sea contamination through hydrocarbons, hazardous liquid substances, or wastes (according to the circumstances). A “Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA)” is an area requiring higher standards of environmental protection. An effective set of international regulations or conventions such as CONVEMAR address the State parties’ role regarding marine economic zones and sea areas management and environmental protection. They define the parties’ jurisdiction and place an obligation on them to adopt necessary measures to protect and preserve the marine environment. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) in order to achieve its goal to protect the marine environment has developed the following instruments: 1. The International Convention for Human Life Protection on the Sea (SOLAS) Convention, tailored to the shipping industry safety requirements, expected to generate a positive indirect effect upon environmental protection. 2. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) addresses basic environmental protection standards related to threats posed by operational and accidental discharges. 3. Regulations aimed in particular at restructuring maritime traffic flow, which improve and reinforce navigational safety and contribute to protect and preserve rare or fragile ecosystems.
    [Show full text]
  • Q'eqchi' Women's Livelihood Strategies in Guatemala
    FREEDOM PIPES AND SLAVERY BUCKETS: Q'EQCHI' WOMEN'S LIVELIHOOD STRATEGIES IN GUATEMALA A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Ligia Catalina Lundine, B.S. ***** The Ohio State University 2006 Master's Examination Committee: Dr. Kendra Mcsweeney Dr. Joel Wainwright Dr. Becky Mansfield td;:b / Adviser ) Graduate Program in Geography ABSTRACT Many marginalized people in rural areas of the global South are trapped in a cycle of poverty that prevents them from accessing resources. Access to safe drinking water is one of the elements of this cycle that seems to influence mechanisms to get out of poverty. The complex nature of this cycle reveals how, inadequate water provision services, exacerbate the obstacles that individuals, households and communities (particularly women and girls) face to challenge inequality and social exclusion. Disenfranchisement is by no means inevitable, however, and there appear to be processes by which marginalized people are able to transform intangible resources—such as the ability to read, write, and speak the dominant language of society—into dignity and assets that are vital for their livelihoods. In this thesis, I explore the different ways in which two indigenous communities from the humid tropical forest of Eastern Guatemala manage to access water, and how that water access mediates and is mediated by their livelihood strategies. Qualitative and quantitative analyses based on fieldwork conducted in summer 2005 show how in one village, the combination of those intangible resources (particularly education, leadership and command over local and dominant languages), propels a positive feedback loop that links an improved water provision service to education.
    [Show full text]
  • Pelican Paradise
    PELICAN PARADISE Pelecanus occidentalis Amatique Bay Canyon Rio Dulce Rio Dulce El Golfete Bird Island NICHOLAS HELLMUTH PELICAN PARADISE JUNE 2020 APPRECIATION Assistance for local Access, Municipio de Livingston • Daniel Esaú Pinto Peña, Alcalde of Livingston (Izabal, Guatemala). • Edwin Mármol Quiñonez, Coordinación de Cooperación de Livingston (Izabal, Guatemala) • Juana Lourdes Wallace Ramírez, Asistente Administrativo, Coordinación de Cooperación de Livingston MUNICIPALIDAD DE Livingston CREDITS The helpful individuals listed below are all part of the FLAAR Mesoamerica research and field work team. The office research team, webmaster, and web designers are additional individuals in the main office in Guatemala City. Since each report is a different plant or animal, the individuals who assist in preparing the bibliography, in species identification and botanical information category are not the same for each report. Author Nicholas Hellmuth Species identification team Victor Mendoza Senaida Ba Bibliography Team Nicholas Hellmuth Vivian Hurtado Photographers María Alejandra Gutierrez David Arrivillaga Sofia Monzón Melanny Celeste Quiñónez Erick Flores Nicholas Hellmuth Photography assistants Senaida Ba Mucu Juan Pablo Fumagalli Manager of design and layout Andrea Sánchez Díaz COVER PHOTOGRAPHY No. 1 COVER PHOTOGRAPHY No. 2 Pelecanus occidentalis Pelecanus occidentalis Photograph by: David Arrivillaga, FLAAR Photograph by: David Arrivillaga, FLAAR Mesoamerica. March, 2020. Livingston, Mesoamerica. March, 2020. Livingston, Guatemala.
    [Show full text]
  • Project Examples for SGP Strategic Guidance Paper
    International Waters Case Studies BELIZE Community Management of Sarstoon Temash Coastal Marine Resources Location Project activities target the coastal communities of Amatique Bay, a portion of the Gulf of Honduras, between Puerto Barrios in the Izabal Department, Guatemala, and Punta Gorda in the Toledo District, Belize. Beneficiaries Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) Funding SGP US$ 40,000; Co-financing US$ 113,418. Date Ongoing, started from June 2005. Objectives To develop a bi-national community based mechanism to address the problem of over-fishing in the waters of Amatique Bay shared by Belize and Guatemala, off the Sarstoon Temash National Park. Activities To achieve the bi-national approach to the project SATIIM is signing an agreement with a Guatemalan NGO, ‘Fundación para el Ecodesarollo y la Conservación’ (FUNDAECO). Communities participated in data collection including monitoring of fish stocks, sea grass beds, mangroves and basic water quality. The project organised community education and awareness workshops on sustainable fishing practises for resource users in both countries. Joint ranger trainings for SATIIM and FUNDAECO staff were provided. A one-day bi- national Sustainable Fishing Forum for resource users and fisheries authorities from both countries was organised. Results The project will establish a bi-national community based advisory committee to oversee implementation of the sustainable use strategy. An environmental monitoring station will be constructed at the mouth of the Temash River. Impacts The project will reduce over-fishing and unsustainable fishing practices in the waters of Amatique Bay. Community livelihood needs, will be addressed through the promotion of sustainable fishing and other grass-root efforts.
    [Show full text]