Involving the Next Generation in Forest Conservation
By Daniela Bueso, Co-Director of the Central America Program
Biological researchers, Tamara Layden, Sofia Fernandez, and Mynor Sandoval, and community research partners of La Bendición (members of the Women’s Group and Youth Group) taking a hike inside their communal forest to set up camera traps together
The community of La Bendición continues to stand out for its strong leadership and capacity for self-management. The most vital part of this community is not only its inhabitants and leadership, but also their beautiful lush forest. With the support of Utz Che’, the community groups (youth group, women’s group, and general assembly) have been a part of forest conservation projects, and its proper management and care for years. This year, in collaboration with TWP, Utz Che’, and Colorado State University, the community participated in their first biodiversity project.
Coring Yusemi Funez Morales, a previous youth group member and leader in the community who actively participated in the project said:
“I feel that I learned about how to install the equipment that was used for the photographs (Camera Traps), as well as the use of applications to be able to count the birds that are around here in the community, the interaction that there is between them, and their importance. On the subject of medicinal herbs recipes, this information came to complement and support us to learn more about natural medicine that we can have inside our plots.
In addition, activities related to the history of the community were carried out, how the group of women, youth, and the community began to work, what they achieved year after year, and it was a very nice activity because there are things that one as a young person does not know and when listening and talking to our grandparents about the beginning of what is now our community gives us that push to continue fighting for it.”
Community research partner Coring Morales and biologists Sofia Fernandez installing camera traps inside the communal forest and bird watching!
Tamara Layden, Ecology M.S. student from Colorado State University says:
“The biodiversity project with La Bendicion relied on a shared knowledge generation approach to wildlife research. We started this project by learning about local interests, goals, and concerns related to wildlife and grew the project from there. Through this project, we deployed camera traps to measure mammal diversity, conducted point count surveys to measure bird diversity, and conducted participatory mapping to document local knowledge of the landscape and biodiversity. Each community group participated in at least one of these activities. The youth group in particular played a central role in placing camera traps and helping to conduct bird surveys.
We learned from each other about research protocols and how the forest benefits the local community. The project culminated into three community-informed products, including a photo album of the mammals captured with the camera traps, a locally-specific mammal and bird guide, and a medicinal herb book – all created jointly with the community.
Local biological researchers Mynor Sandoval and Sofia Fernandez conducting a workshop with some of the youth community research partners on how to use camera traps.
We look forward to continuing to work together in summarizing results from the project to support land rights advocacy and the local economy through ecotourism. We are also drafting a data use agreement together to strengthen data governance and community autonomy of local environmental research to promote continued respectful and mutually beneficial relationships.”
Joint community workshop and presentations on local medicinal plants. Representatives from the women’s group and youth group organized and co-facilitated this event to share their knowledge with one another.
Women’s group and youth group leading a tour of their gardens and lands that hold important plants and herbs.
