Potential for restoration of forest landscapes in Guatemala and its impacts on national and

regional policy

Andrea Nájera National Forests Institute, INAB

Guatemala

Guatemala

• 34% of the country has forest cover (3.7 million hectares, 2010)

• More than 146,000 hectares of forest were lost between 2006-2010 (38,500 ha per year ).

Guatemala• The country has great potential for

restoration • International conventions include

restoration targets that should be met– Bonn Challenge

• National policies also make it mandatory – Constitution– Forestry Law– Law on protected areas– Biodiversity Policy

Efforts and achievementsInterest in recovering degraded areas

1. Economic incentives for reforestation 2. Map of potential areas for restoration3. National Strategy for Forest Landscape

Restoration (in process)

1. Economic Incentives for reforestation

PINFOR: Forestry Incentives Program:• More than 112 thousand hectares have been

reforested in 15 years (1998-2012)• US$ 149.2 million : amount of the incentives• Reforestation • Natural regeneration• 335,290 recipients

1. Economic Incentives for reforestation

PINPEP: Incentives program for small landholders• 2,792.3 hectares were reforested in 6 years

(2007-2012)• US$2.08 million: amount of the incentives• Reforestation• Agroforestry• 18,043 recipients

1. Economic Incentives for reforestation

PINFOR + PINPEP

Reforested area (hectares)

115,134.24

IncentiveUS$ 151.28

million

Beneficiaries 353,333

1. Areas without forest (excluding intensive agriculture)– Agroforestry – Forest landscapes for production – Forest landscapes for conservation (e.g. Protected

Areas)– Silvopastoral systems

2. Riparian forests (50-100m in rivers and lakes)3. Mangrove: areas deforested between 2008-2012

2. Map of potential areas for restoration, criteria used:

Proposed areas for restoration

Category Area to restore (ha) % of total

Riparian forests 335,690 9.4%

Mangrove 10,132 0.3%

Agroforestry with annual crops 1,040,300 29.2%

Silvopastoral systems 597,340 16.8%

Agroforestry with permanent crops 432,490 12.1%

Forests for production 937,870 26.3%

Forests for conservation 211,980 5.9%

Total 3,565,802 100.0%

3. National FLR Strategy

• Participatory process including– National institutions– NGOs– International cooperation agencies– Municpalities– Civil society– Academy

• Strategy should be finished by 2014

• National interest- one of the working spheres of national government• Recovery of degraded ecosystems

– Environmental goods and services– Protection of biological diversity– Carbon capture

• Poverty reduction• Improvement of food security• Mitigation of climate change• Incentives for investments• Community participation• Information for decision making

Impacts on national and regional policy

Conclusion and Challenges for Guatemala

• 3.5 million hectares available for restoration• Many of them in poverty zones or vulnerable areas of

the country• How will we pay restoration actions in Guatemala?• Create sustainable business models: restoration should

become a benefit (ecosystems goods and services) for the communities and the government, not a cost

• Private investments are possible• National commitment and External Cooperation are

necessary

andrea.najera@inab.gob.gt

Thank you