🧵: It’s the 30th birthday of Guatemala’s Maya Biosphere Reserve—the largest reserve in Central America.
It covers 19% of Guatemala at the heart of one of Mesoamerica’s #5GreatForests. “It’s a model of community conservation,” says Roan McNab, director of WCS Guatemala.
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Over the past 10 years, 380,000 acres of forest in the MBR have been recovered from ranchers illegally occupying land in the reserve.
Also, in the eastern MBR’s largest forest block, #reforestation outpaced deforestation for the first time in history between 2016 and 2017.
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Today, the MBR generates economic and environmental benefits for #Guatemala. It supports 1,000s of individuals who earn their livelihoods by harvesting timber and non-timber forest products sustainably.
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It conserves globally significant natural and cultural heritage. It’s an epicenter of the ancient #Maya Civilization—home to remains of majestic temples and cities.
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Importantly, the MBR also serves as a safe haven for species vanishing from #CentralAmerica.
➡️90% of Guatemala’s remaining #jaguar population
➡️95% of country's remaining white-lipped peccaries
➡️99% of country’s scarlet macaws
And more…
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