Where We Work

Mesoamerica

Where we work: Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama

Background

The lush terrain of Mexico, Central America and the islands of the Caribbean -- otherwise known as Mesoamerica -- is among the most biologically diverse regions on Earth. But serious environmental problems must be solved so that the ecology, wildlife and people of Mesoamerica can continue to survive and thrive.

As the world’s population increases, so too does the demand for farm products, particularly the bananas, coffee, and other export crops produced in the region. Mesoamerica’s commercial agriculture industry has had a profound negative impact on both land and water. Rivers, lakes and streams have been strained by the need for increasing amounts of freshwater for irrigation and polluted by fertilizer, and offshore reefs are being affected by massive amounts of pesticide runoff.

Mesoamerica’s forests have also suffered due to poor farm methods as well as irresponsible use. The demand for wood and other forest products -- including nuts, gums and resins -- has led to widespread illegal logging and other unsustainable forestry practices. Once the forests are economically devalued, they become readily susceptible to being cleared and converted for agriculture and other uses.

The clearing of forests leads to the loss of animal habitat and soil erosion -- and contributes to global warming. Because tropical forests store vast amounts of carbon -- the gases that cause global climate change -- when they are cleared, those gases are released into the atmosphere. The loss of forests is responsible for 20 percent of the harmful greenhouse gases released worldwide.

In addition, the tourism industry is negatively affecting the region. The growing number of tourists visiting Mesoamerica’s offshore reef, Aztec and Mayan ruins, rapids and wildlife -- along with many of the hotels, resorts and lodges where they stay -- are using unsustainable quantities of water and other resources and contributing to pollution and waste.

Our Work

The Rainforest Alliance is working to reduce the negative impacts of farming, forestry and tourism on Mesoamerica. Our programs are not only benefiting the precious ecosystems of this region, but also the living and working conditions of many people whose survival depends on these industries.

The Rainforest Alliance was a founder of and continues to coordinate the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), a coalition of leading conservation groups from every Mesoamerican country except Nicaragua. The SAN awards the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal to farmers who meet guidelines for sustainability; the seal assures consumers that the products they buy are produced according to strict ecological, economic and social criteria. On certified farms, pesticide use is tightly controlled, wildlife habitat is protected and worker health and safety is a priority. Farms owned by several leading food companies have earned certification, while other companies have committed to purchasing products from certified farms.

To promote sustainable forestry, the Rainforest Alliance has joined governments and local groups in the Selva Maya region of Mexico, Guatemala and Belize -- one of the world’s largest tropical forests north of the Amazon -- to train communities in responsible forest management, and we are working to increase the value of non-timber forest products such as xate, a fern grown in the Selva Maya and sold in the United States.

We are aiding the growth of sustainable tourism by joining local entrepreneurs, governments and NGOs to promote tourism-related businesses that provide enjoyable travel experiences without harming local ecosystems and cultures.

To establish a common standard for programs that certify tourism businesses as sustainable, the Rainforest Alliance helped organize the Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas. And to help tourists interested in sustainable excursions, we have produced two useful tools: Sustainable Trips for a Better Future and the Eco-Index of Sustainable Tourism.