Climate change often seems like a losing battle when it comes to the raging wildfires, flooding, deforestation, and many other devastating practices dominating the media. Although the darkness may seem to overshadow the light, it doesn’t mean there aren’t actions being taken to protect the planet. 

Mexico, Belize and Guatemala have agreed and recently announced that they plan to create a nature reserve consisting of 14-million acres in the Maya Forest, called the Biocultural Corridor of the Great Mayan Rainforest. For context, the Maya Forest is the largest remaining tropical rainforest in the Americas, covering 35-million acres of land. It is home for many endangered species such as the white lipped peccary, tapir, scarlet macaw, and howler monkey. During migration, the forest can have several million avian visitors and house up to 400 bird species. In addition, there are many thriving Mayan communities living in the forest, continuing to follow traditions and steward the land.

This reserve will be second only to the Amazon rainforest and will span across all three countries encompassing fifty spaces (12 in Mexico, 27 in Guatemala and 11 in Belize). In simple terms, the reserve is a humongous chunk of Latin America! The creation of the reserve is crucial because it safeguards thousands of species. Around 7,000 species habitats and precious ecosystems will be protected from external harm. As mentioned before, species like the tapir, scarlet macaw, jaguar and many more will gain a much needed sanctuary. The Mayan people within the rainforest will also be protected and have their cultural practices built into the conservation plans. Even further, the forest absorbs significant amounts of carbon dioxide (crucial for reducing the effects of climate change), and increases soil fertility and water conservation. 

While this announcement is a huge victory, it is not going to be an easy battle for the administrations of all governments to reclaim the land. Certain areas of abandoned forest have been overtaken by organized crime, consisting of drug-trafficking, illegal loggers, etc. The need for an increased security presence in the reserve has been recognized by the government. The Guatemala Environment Minister stated, “This is not primarily an environmental battle. We’re talking about the Guatemalan state needing to retake control of its territory.” One way being proposed to incentivize support from those believed to be involved in crime to become allies of the reserve is through Mexico’s “Planting Life” program. It offers landowners money to grow certain kinds of trees for either fruit or timber and it has a budget of around 2 billion dollars. 

If the Biocultural Corridor succeeds it will not only be a huge success for Latin America, but proof that in a climate crisis that there is hope for our world through conservation efforts.