Biological Corridors
The challenge on involvement of actors
to actions for forest conservation in Honduras

Honduras

Forest in Honduras (Total area: 5,384 thousand hectares)(1,000 ha)

Cause of Deforestation and Forest Degradation
 Unclear situation of forest tenure Illegal use of the forest
 Forest fire
 Pine bark weevil harm(ha)Forest firein Honduras

100,000

Area of forest fires

80,00060,00040,00020,0000

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Cause of forest fires
By criminals

64%

By activities of agriculture and cattle
breeding

11%

By hunting, fishing, honey extraction
and night walkers and others25%National Strategies to conserve forests

2010 National Strategy for Climate Change of Honduras2017 National Strategy for Biodiversity and Action Plan 2018-2022
2018 National Plan for Climate Change Adaptation

Biological Corridor is an important tool to conserve biodiversity andcombat against climate change in these strategies.

Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC)(Accepted by SICA in 1997)• Target area of the MBC: 768,900
km2 (0.5% of the global land area)• 550 protected areas are planned tobe connected by the MBC.
• The species: 7% of species in theworld

Development of Biological Corridor in Honduras• 2013 - Strategy for the consolidation of biological corridors• 2013 - Technical regulations of the standards for the design and promotion ofbiological corridor planning• 2015 – Regulation of Biological Corridors• 2016 – La Union Biological Corridor Project (2016 - 2020)• 2017 - Establishment of the National Committee on Biological Corridors of Honduras(CONACOBIH)

What is Biological Corridors in Honduras?
Biological Corridor is the areas that maximize and ensure the following points:

Connectivity between protected natural areasNatural or modified landscapes, ecosystems and habitats
The ecological and evolutionary processes

The associated ecosystem services and benefits

Protected Areas and initial design of Biological Corridors
Type of protected areas
1. National Parks
2. Biological Reserve
3. Wildlife Refuge
4. Habitat Management by Species
5. Marine National Park
6. Marine Reserve
7. Natural Monument
8. Cultural Monument
9. Multiple Use Area
10.Water Producing Zone
11.Ecological Reserve Zone

12.Biosphere Reserve
13.Forest reserve
14.Botanical Garden
15.Anthropological Forest Reserve

La Union Biological Corridor• Total area
715.7 km2• Key zone
Yuscarán Biological Reserve
Three declared watersheds• Land coverForest 68.2%
Land for agriculture o cattle breeding 28.9%

Evergreen broadleaf forest

Coniferous forest

Deciduous Broadleaf Forest

Challenge in La Unión Biological Corridor
To involve residents of communities
in forest conservation activities
1. Watersheds protection

2. Prevention of forest fires
3. Monitoring of wildlife using automatic shooting cameras
4. Creation of the environmental label

Situation of a watershed
New deforestation after 2014
FarmUpper

Type of forests

Function of water resource
detentionUpper watershed

Evergreen broadleaf, Coniferous

HighLower watershed

Coniferous, Deciduous Broadleaf

Relatively lowLower

Communities that are using water resources from 2 watersheds
Comunities
Chagüite
GrandeLa Mesa
Loma Verde
Rosa de Abril
Samayare
Las Crucitas
El Barro
JicaroJicarito
DesechoFor residents of lower watershed and upper watershed
to receive enough water equally forever…

 “Board of Community Water
Conservation Committees” hasbeen established in 2019.

It is an integral group to manage
watersheds by 10 related
communities.
 In the process of designation ofwatersheds in two areas
 In the process of programming jointactivities

Prevention of forest fires

Area of forest fires per 1,000 ha of forest(average of 2015-2018)(ha/1,000ha)

16.0
14.0
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0

13.9

13.5

11.9
7.8

Honduras Dept. El Paraiso

7.0

Güinope

YuscaránOropolíFor residents not to lose their properties, water,farmland and all the base of life in the communities ...
Now Municipalities strengthen the activities of "Forest fire prevention".
• To make band of firebreaks• To develop the communal plan for forest fire prevention• To show strong will of Municipalities to communities by installing banners

To preserve wildlife
Municipalities, residents of the communities
and the Project are monitoring wildlife together
by using automatic shooting cameras.

To involve more actors for collaborationin environmental activities(In the process of development) The Environmental label is:
The collaboration tool for the initiative of themunicipalities of La Union to promote biodiversity
conservation activities.
 The Environmental label:

It is issued for products and services in La Union.
 The Users of the Environmental label:
They must declare and implement biodiversity
conservation activities.

Biological Corridors,
It is the tool to connect more than two protected areas

However, that is not all,It is the tool to connect basin low and above.

It is the tool to connect conservation and sustainable use ofthe forest.
It is the tool to connect people and the forest.
It will serve not only for biodiversity conservation, but also
for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

Thank you for your attention

Dra. Rosibel Martínez Arriaga,
Director, International Cooperation
Secretary of Natural Resources and Environment, Honduras