Protection, the Guatemala's Pacific Coast Mangrove Forests Are Critical Habitat for Many Economically Important Species
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Biological Diversity and Tropical ?orest# Anmesmment James D. Nations Brian Roureal Irmael Ponciano Santiago Billy Juan Carl08 Godoy Fernando Castro Gregg Hiller Dietmar Rose Magals Rey Rosa CCsar Azurdia CENTER FOR INTEPJJATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENV1RONEIG)lT WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE Washington, D.C. A rtudy financod by the United Stator Agency for Intarnational Development EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction This document 8ssesses the rtatus of biological diversity and tropical forests in the Republic of Gurtomala by dercribing the nation'r biological rerource8, identifying prer~urorthat affect them, and proporing actions that can be taken to improve their rustainable uae, The document 8180 exminer the condition and management of Guatemals'r national parks and wildland8 areas, endangered species, tropical forest ocorymt.mr, germplamn conrervation, and the conrervation of aconmically important plant and animal species. biological dirsrmity ir the variaty of living rerource~iand the genetic diverrity they toprerent. Tropical fonmtm include a11 forest6 and rhrublandn within the geographic tropicr. Thur, all the forests of Guatemala are tropical forertr. md tropical forertr are thore tropical forests with a continuour canopy comprired of single ez multiple layerr found in the geographic tropics where the hnnual biotuiporrture An the lowlands is greater than 24 degrees centigrade and where.rnnur1 rainfall equals or exceeds potential evaporative return of water to the atmosphere. Biological diversity and tropical fororts are vital to human welfare for three major reasons: (1) to rurtain and improve agriculture and forestry, 12) to provide opportunitier for medical discoveries and indurtzial innwationr brrod on natural organisms, and (3) to prererve choices for addrearing ptoblmas and opportunities in the future. A nation that har conrorved itr biological diverrity and'tropical forertr ir better proparad to provide for the welfare of its citizens than a nation whore biological diversity and tropical forortr have hen iapoverirhed. If we reek to achieve round, rustainable dovelopnunt in Guatsmala, biological diverrity and tropical Forertr mrurt -in a central focus of rerearch and action. Strategiar to conaervo biological diverrity and tropical forert mrt be bared on tho fact that the development of natural tarourcer ir imp8zaliva fox human well-being. At the rune time, dovelopmont plumor8 and government official8 must acknowledge that the conrerc~8thnof biologScr1 diversity and forertr ir the foundation for fututa economic development and the barir of human lifo itrelf. The 108s of biological diverrity im not uc inevitable procarr, nor ir! it 1.mant.ble but naceraaty ride affect of economic development. The dartruction of biological divuaity mb tropica: forertr ir mawtimer rationalired ar the ti- of progress, but it rrrultr not from progzerr but ftm r Prck of unbe+rtanding or from greed. Rather than king a nacarrary rtep ia achieving economic development, tha aradication of biological diverrity and tropical fotertr undermine8 the foundation upon which rustainable economic deweXopment ir conrtructad. This assessment makes it clear that the goals of biological diversity conservation and economic and social development are not in conflict, but are inntead the same--namely, improving human welfare for present and future generations. Some of the most significant points identified by the biodiversity and tropical forests assessment team are theme: (1: Guatemala's natural environments are mall in comparison to those of some Latin American countries, but they are exceptionally diverse. As repositories of biological divrsity, Guatemala's ecosystems are among the world's richest. Guatemala's location as a bridge between two continents and between two oceans makes it one of Latin America's foremost repositories of biological diversity. With almost 1,500 vertebrate species, Guatemala's vertebrate fauna is the most diverse in Central America. (2) Guatemala's natural resources and biological diversity are the focus of a dynamic interaction between human populations and economic development. The well being of a majority of the population depends directly on renewable natural resources--soils, water, forests, and wildlife. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, all of which are dependent upon the maintenance of biodiversity, provide more than half of Guatemala's employment and mare than half of iks export earnings. 3 As a result of physical, demographic, and economic pressures, Guatemala's natural environment is being rapidly altered. The nation's tropical forests are being harvested, cleared, and burned at ominous rates, it8 hillsides converted to farmland, and its fishing industry threatened by chemical pollution and the aestruetion of mangroves. (4) In a nation as dependent on biological rerourceo as ir Guatemala, these changes in environment and biological diversity will have serious consequences. The eradication of ecosyrtems and biodiversity will hamper agricultural developwnt, export earnings, jobs, and peoples1 health. 5 The rate of deforestation and environmental degradation in Guatemala it alarming. Although quantified rciantific data on the disruption of natural ecoryrtemr and caamrunitier ie limited, what is known indicate8 an increaring fragmentation and lorr of tropical forest habitat and reduction in biological diverrity. (6) Appropriate conservation action8 must be implementd in *.he immediate future to prevent the continued lorr of Gustunalr's natural forest8 and the irreverrible extinction of rpecier and reduction of rocio-economic options for the future development of the country. (7) The Government of Guatemala and the Guatemalan people are receiving only limited info.mation on the importance of the nation's natural resource base and the conmequences of its destruction. Environmental management and biodiversity conservation ratik low on the list of pressing priorities. Where the political will exists, positive attempts at change are hindered by inadequate budgets and a rhortage of trained professionals. (8) Major international lenders and development agencies are only beginning to aid Guatemala in its efforts to improve the management of natural resources and biological diversity. International organizations are beginning to demonstrate their awareness that Guatemala's economic and political future rest on an eroding foundation of biological resources. Their activities in the future-in cooperaeion with Guatemalan citizenr--will help determine the nation's economic, socialr and biological fyture. Status and Management of Biodiversity and Tropical Forests All of Guatemala's remaining tropical forerts can be considered critical habitat for endangered and endemic rpecies. Most of Guatemala's forested areas are concentrated in the PetCn and parts of the interior highlands, and the major opportunities for protecting tropical forests exist in there areas. The Department of the Peten contains the largest, unaltered tract of humid tropical forest in Guatemala, and one of the largest tracts in Central America. However, of all forests in the country, the Peten tropical forest io under the mo8t serious preJeure from road construction, logging, colonization, and cattle ranching. The highland forests surrounding the volcanic peak# of southern Guatemala are a180 reverely threatened. The fragmented remnants of their former extension provide critical habitat for a range of native species. These highland montane forerts have m estimated 70 percent animal endemirm, meaning that there animals appear no where else in the world. However, colonization, fuelwood extraction, and agriculture axe common on there rite#, and these rare animals are threatened with 8xtiaction. The forested peaks of the Sierra be la6 Hinar, the Sierra del Werendh, Carro San Gil, and the Sierra de Smtr Crut form critical habitat for many endemic rpecier of plUlt8p ~e~til.8, and amphibians. Lumber extraction and agricultutrl expanmion threaten the rpecies of there areas. The Sierra lor Cuchunutaner and Sierra de la8 llinas contain exten8ive.coniferoua forests considered by some forest geneticirtr to be the'wrt iwportant oource of tropical pine gemplarm in the world. 68ed8 fzom these forest6 have been used in reforestation ptogrrmr in tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and South'America. The Pacific coast mangrove forests, which are also tropical forest^, are critical habitat for many economically important species. However, these mangrove forests are being converted for artificial shrimp hatcheries, salt ponds, and agriculture, as well as being overexploited for lumber, charcoal, mollusks, and crustaceans. This conversion will have serious economic repercussions. Tropical mangrove forests serve a number of ecologically and economically important functions, including the support of marine life. As an important component in the lifecycle of many shrimp and whitefish species, mangroves merit strict protection, The Guatemala's Pacific coast mangrove forests are critical habitat for many economically important species. Shrimp yields are closely correlated with the abundance of mangrove forestc, and some researchers believe that up to 90 percent of comercial fieh pass at least part of their life cycles in mangrove forests. The root systems of Guatemala's red mangroves also serve as nurrery grounds for comnercially valuable lobsters, crabs, mussels, and oysters. The mangrove is also home to an aseorted fauna of reptiles, mammals, and native and nigratory bir8s. At the same time, mangrove