Creation of the El Salado Wildlife Reserve, Guatemala

Species protection Community managed nature protection Ecosystem protection

2017

by Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association (ARCAS)

Creation of the El Salado Wildlife Reserve, Guatemala

This project aims to contribute to the conservation of the mangrove and dry tropical ecosystems of the El Salado Wildlife Reserve, a 25 hectare protected area on the Pacific coast of Guatemala. The project will carry out reforestations, and develop educational trails and other infrastructure necessary for the management of the reserve. ln the longer-term, ARCAS will establish a research and training center for the development of practices for adaptation to climate change, as well as to monitor the dry forest and mangroves ecosystems and the influence of the encroaching sugar cane industry on these ecosystems.

The El Salado Reserve consists approximately of 1/3 mangrove (8 hectares) and2l3 dry tropical forest (17 hectares), and includes a lagoon and a pre-Mayan archeological site. Although it purchased the reserve 2007 , and it carries oul2- 4 reforestations per year, ARCAS has not yet been able to completely reforest it due to a series of tropical storms, floods, and droughts, exacerbated by climate change. Under this project, it is soliciting support for the full reforestation of the area and for the construction of a guard house to protect the land and prevent intrusion of illegal loggers and poachers Dry tropical and mangrove forests are two of the most endangered ecosystems in the neotropics. There are nearly 250 bird species registered for El Salado. and it is home to remnant populations of tamanduas, spectacled cairnans and otters. Nearby, olive ridley and leatherback sea turtles nest, and overhead is a major flyway for migratory raptors. ln addition. El Salado serves as a core area for the Hawaii protected area, and provides important ecosystem services as a filter for pollution, protection against erosion and as a nursery for fish and shrimp that serve as the basis of the local subsistence economy.

Name organisation:

Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association (ARCAS)

Start date:

01-06-2017

Funding:

€10000

Country/Territory:

Guetemala

Colum Muccio

Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association (ARCAS)

"“Thanks so much for all your support. We are very excited! After nearly ten years of work, the reserve is finally starting to feel like a real forest, and there are lots of birds and wildlife all around. We even recorded the first sighting of the Black-headed trogon in the area. (If only we could do something about the swarms of mosquitoes!) Please let me know if there is any additional information you need, and please visit us sometime!”"

Name organisation:

Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association (ARCAS)

Start date:

01-06-2017

Funding:

€10000

Country/Territory:

Guetemala

Main accomplishments of the project

From the final report: “Newly planted trees on the El Salado Reserve face a variety of threats. During the rainy season, the weeds grow so quickly that without help, young seedlings are quickly over-grown and smothered to death. Sugar cane is spreading in the area just north of the reserve, and preharvest fires burn out of control and firebreaks must be cleared and maintained. Floods smother trees, and droughts kill them. Reforesting is not as easy as you would think; ARCAS has spent the last 10 years reforesting El Salado!

Under this project, ARCAS was finally able to complete the reforestation of the reserve, clearing weeds, replanting and creating firebreaks on the roughly 18 hectares of dry forest area of the reserve. It worked with local community organizations, as well as paid workers to replant 2,200 seedlings that had died, were burnt, or drowned in floods, and clear weeds during the July – December rainy season. The trees that were replanted were all native species including matiliscuate and madre cacao, and were scattered throughout this area, not just in one area, so it is difficult to calculate the total area replanted, but we estimate that it was over 2has. ARCAS also organized community reforestations in the mangrove areas of the reserve during the months of November, December and January. A firebreak along the northern and western limits of the reserve was cut and maintained as is required by Probosque, and the barbed wire fence was maintained along the northern border of the reserve.

A 500 meter environmental education trail was created for visiting students and tourists highlighting the importance of the biodiversity of the El Salado Reserve, and the threats to that biodiversity. 14 educational stations were created along this trail beginning with an entrance sign on entering the Garsitas mangrove lagoon by boat, followed by stations at the dock where visitors begin walking, at the visitors rancho, and then along the trail to the road that leads to the ferry crossing to the west. (Please see attached fotos) Under this project, ARCAS also built a 7.3M X 8.3M laminated metal roof which will be used as a visitors center and guardhouse in order to establish a physical presence in this remote area, to protect the land and prevent intrusion of illegal loggers and poachers.

One of the principal accomplishments of this project was the registering of the reserve in the Guatemalan forestry incentive program, Probosque, managed by the government’s National Forestry Institute (INAB). ARCAS hired a forestry technician, who did an analysis of the area, and filled out the application to the incentives program, which was submitted in November, 2017.

Our many thanks to the Van Tienhoven Foundation for their support in this very important effort to conserve the biodiversity of one of the few wild places remaining on the Pacific coast of Guatemala!