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Surrounding the protected areas which we manage are a variety of communities whose livelihoods depend on the land. Most residents of these communities are of Mayan decent and use the land for agriculture, use wood and palm leaves for building traditional thatched structures, and gather and hunt food from the forests. Any impact we make on the land will impact them as well. |
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Therefore we are committed to working in and with these communities to share the benefits of our conservation work, and to apply our vast institutional knowledge to add to the quality of life and economic standards they experience. The activities covered in this program include eco-friendly micro-enterprise development within communities, building local capacity for micro-enterprise development, environmental education, supporting the implementation of community plans, and supporting community links with our Sustainable Land Use Management and Advocacy programs. The goal of the Community Outreach and Livelihoods programme is to assist the local citizenry improve their standard of living while maintaining the pristine environment in which they live. |
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