Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize sign agreement to Protect and Preserve the Great Mayan Forest
This lagoon found in Calakmul is part of “Jaguar Camp,” where researchers, in partnership with Global Conservation, participate in Mexico’s National Jaguar Census led by Dr. Gerardo Ceballos.
The governments of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize signed an agreement to protect and preserve the Great Mayan Forest, a 5.7 million-hectare expanse shared by the three nations. It represents the second most important natural reserve on the continent, only after the Amazon.
From this historic region, very close to the Calakmul archaeological site, the leaders of the three countries signed the Calakmul Biocultural Corridor Declaration, the Great Mayan Forest.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. Photo ©shutterstock.com/Octavio Hoyos
"This is something extraordinary, and it is also being held at a historic meeting because the three heads of state have never met before. It is the first time that the three heads of state have met to work for the environment and the shared prosperity of our peoples," declared Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
This ancient area extends across the three territories: 0.6 million hectares in Belize, 2.7 million in Guatemala, and 2.4 million in Mexico, for a total of 5.7 million hectares. It was the land of the ancient Mayan civilizations and today is the home of their heirs.
The Mexican president described this agreement as "historic" and emphasized that today, bringing together the leaders of the three countries, "a beautiful goal. Perhaps a world example is the three countries joining together to jointly declare the Great Mayan Forest Biocultural Corridor."
In turn, Belizean Prime Minister Johnny Briceño emphasized, "Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize demonstrate once again that our political borders do not divide but rather unite efforts to preserve one of the last lungs of the planet and the living heritage of the Mayan peoples."
The Great Mayan Pyramids are famous world heritage sites located within the new corridor.
The ratification of this corridor, he said, is not only a commitment to biodiversity but also "represents a bridge to a future where sustainable development, regenerative tourism, and ancestral wisdom guide our path."
The three leaders met in a trilateral meeting at the Gran Mundo Maya Calakmul hotel—built during the last six-year term as part of the Mayan Train project.
For his part, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo emphasized that the three countries are collaborating "to respond together to common threats."
He added that the peoples of Mesoamerica come from a common root, "and we envision a shared future. We are also situated in the heart of one of the natural lungs of the world. The great Mayan jungle is a living history of the cultural heritage of all humanity and of humanity's natural heritage. This territory is an invaluable, infinite, and diverse source of life."
She explained that the design and execution of this initiative will be led by the Council of Protected Area Authorities, comprised of officials appointed by the three countries, and the proposed model will be supported by the participation of environmental organizations, the business sector, academia, and civil society.
Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize have one of the highest densities of jaguars in the world, but they are being poached at an extreme rate. The ratification of this new corridor will help endangered species like jaguars to gain bigger protections through anti-poaching efforts in partnership with Global Conservation.
“The three countries possess an immense heritage in this immense jungle, and consequently, we have an immense responsibility. Today, Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize, our three governments, are taking a step forward because by protecting the great Mayan jungle, we are protecting the lifeblood of life and diversity, and we are honoring history to protect the future,” she stated.
Sheinbaum Pardo concluded the presentations by stating that “today, we are united by a common purpose: to strengthen cooperation between our nations to build a more connected, more sustainable, more just region, deeply committed to the well-being of our peoples. We are faced with a historic opportunity; we can transform our geographical, cultural, and social similarities into a solid alliance that places the dignity of people, the defense of nature, and the shared vision of a sustainable future at its center.”
Within this framework, he announced that his government will launch a second phase of the Sembrando Vida program in neighboring and adjacent nations along the southern border.
"This second phase of the program seeks to regenerate soils, recover forest cover in areas where it has been degraded, and promote food self-sufficiency; but, above all, it seeks to improve the well-being of communities that have sustained their connection to the land for years."
