Guatemala's forests are crucial for water recharge zones, playing a vital role in maintaining the country's water resources. However, only about one-third of high-recharge zones are currently protected by forests, and water quality issues, including pollution, are a growing concern. 

“The Motagua River basin is a very important watershed in Guatemala as it crosses many departments and municipalities with significant recharge water sources that supply water to these communities. One of the greatest risks to the Motagua River basin is the damage we are causing to nature: deforestation, the growth of the agricultural and livestock frontier, population growth... This is affecting this important watershed and its recharge areas,” says Carlos Rodas, Departmental Delegate in Izabal for the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN ). 

The project of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN),  Integrated Environmental Management of the Motagua River Watershed,  a non-reimbursable cooperation project financed with resources from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and supported by the United Nations Development  Programme (UNDP), is working to restore and protect forests in water recharge zones, with an emphasis on sustainable practices and community participation. Among these efforts is the pilot project "Protection and Restoration of Water Recharge Zones of the Cerro San Gil Springs Protective Reserve," in the municipality of Puerto Barrios, department of Izabal, Guatemala.

“ The pilot project:  protection and restoration project being carried out on Cerro San Gil can be an example of replicating all the water recharge areas in the Motagua River basin that we are interested in regenerating to supply water to the communities, ” explains Carlos Rodas.  

The Cerro San Gil Springs Protective Reserve, co-managed by FUNDAECO, protects one of the largest contiguous remnants of very humid tropical forest in Guatemala (approximately 25,000 hectares of forest) and is home to astonishing biological diversity. The Cerro San Gil Core Zone protects the Las Escobas River watershed, the sole source of drinking water for Puerto Barrios and Santo Tomas de Castilla, as well as the water sources of more than 40 local communities.

Groundwater from wells and springs is important for supplying drinking water for public and domestic needs. “ With forest degradation, what we can see is a decrease in the flow entering the drinking water reservoir in the municipality of Puerto Barrios, which creates pressure and a decrease in drinking water for homes, ” explains Alejandro Majano, Supervisor of the Puerto Barrios Municipal Water and Sanitation Office.  

The main objective of the pilot project is to protect and restore forests to ensure water production. Byron Samayoa, Coordinator of the Cerro San Gil Springs Protective Reserve, comments that among the pilot project's achievements is "the protection of 1,800 hectares throughout the Las Escobas River basin, also focusing on 500 hectares that make up the upper part of the Las Escobas River basin ." 

The project included training in proper forest management, fire prevention and management, infiltration testing to determine future water production potential, and the establishment of nurseries with native species such as Cedar and Matilisguate to restore the water recharge zones of Cerro San Gil. Conservation agreements have also been established that directly benefit 10 families, and patrols have been coordinated with authorities and community monitoring has been carried out to safeguard the area's natural resources. 

Additionally, the pilot project incorporated 50% women and 50% men into its various activities. “ I like that they take me into account because I like working in forests. I like patrolling and monitoring. I love it. Because I studied at INTECAP and earned my diploma,” says Blanca Barrientos, one of the two women who have been certified as Resource Guards with support from the Project. 

One of the lessons learned from this project is the importance of community participation to ensure forest protection and inter-institutional coordination to strengthen local governance. " We have achieved good synergy and coordination between sectors and organizations. This benefits governance and the maintenance of our conserved areas," says Karla López, Technician of the Geospatial Analysis Unit of the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP). 

The project of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources -MARN-,(www.marn.gob.gt ) Integrated Environmental Management of the Motagua River Watershed,  a non-reimbursable cooperation project financed with resources from the Global Environment Facility -GEF- ( www.thegef.org ),  and supported by the United Nations Development  Programme (UNDP), www.undp.org ). 

Protection and restoration of water recharge zones of the Cerro San Gil Springs Protective Reserve, Puerto Barrios, Izabal, Guatemala 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQH2-raHz9E 

About the project

The Integrated Management of the Motagua River Basin projects aims to reduce land-based sources of pollution and unintentional emissions of persistent organic pollutants (unintentional POPs) to mitigate impacts on coastal marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of the local population. The project will strengthen Guatemala's efforts to manage the Motagua River Basin (17,991 square kilometres).

The project will provide global environmental benefits related to maintaining water resources and regulating the Motagua River Basin. In particular, the project will contribute to reducing water pollution that negatively affects downstream ecosystems and livelihoods (1,799,080 ha under the Integrated Watershed Management approach in the Motagua River Basin). In addition, the global environmental benefits of the project include the reduction of unintentional POPs emissions produced by the burning of solid waste in open dumps, including the reduction from 109,500 metric tons (MT) / year to 87,600 MT / year of waste plastics and the reduction of 225.6 grams of toxic equivalents/year to 180.5 / year of emissions of unintentional POPs.

Words by Caroline Trutmann and  Juan Luis Sacayón (Translator). Photos by MARNMotaguaMuniEst.