The Maya Biosphere Reserve Initiative is a landscape restoration project located in the Buffer Zone and Multiple Use Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala. After 30 years of witnessing the degradation of the Maya Biosphere Reserve mostly by cattle farming and agriculture, Green Balam Forests was created to be the first private organization to work for the restoration of the area. Our goal is to create self sustainable and economically attractive restoration projects in order to create an economic alternative to cattle and traditional farming.
The Buffer Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve has around 500k Ha and has suffered degradation on 75% of its territory. There is a very good opportunity to create a restoration project at a landscape level. All land is private and can be bought and sold in this area which helps to create a safe investment environment.
Green Balam Forests goal is to buy available properties and create reforestation, carbon, agroforestry, ecotourism and conservation projects in order to create biological corridors which will help to restore and protect biodiversity. While creating this projects, Green Balam Forests will provide local communities with high quality and lasting job opportunities, training, environmental education, better and healthier nutrition and business opportunities.
Now, Green Balam Forests has 5 projects in different areas in the Multiple Use and Buffer Zones. This projects where selected by acquiring available land which was otherwise been deforested to be used as cattle pastures. Together, the 5 projects sum around 1,000 Ha in 2 years. In these 5 properties we have the following types of projects:

Reforestation/ Restoration - we have reforested 55 Ha of cattle pastures with native mixed tree species. By planting different native species we help restore biodiversity and reduce risks while restoring the landscape.
Carbon Sequestration - Together with Open Forest Protocol (OFP), we have developed our first carbon project. We started this year (2022) and hope to grow in the following months to include all 5 projects.
Agroforestry - Together with local NGO Regenera, we have developed an agroforestry pilot project to produce mainly breadnut (Bosimum Alicastrum) and other goods in order to replicate the idea with local small farmers.
Conservation - We have developed conservation projects in order to obtain biodiveristy credits. There is a constant wildlife monitoring program.
Ecotourism - As part of our self-sustainable goal, we have created Green Balam Ecotourism. A local ecotour operator that promotes ecotourism tours in our reserves and local archeological sites. In one of our projects we have an ecolodge which has been succesfully functioning for the last 30 years. (www.elsombreroecolodge.com).