The situation of the pinabete (Abies guatemalensis R), an endangered tree in Guatemala, worsens every Christmas season due to the widespread use of its branches as decoration by the mostly Roman Catholic population. ''The branches are the main material that illegal vendors use to put together the famous Christmas trees that bring joy and holiday aroma to Guatemalan homes, but they are condemning this conifer, found only in Guatemala, to extinction,'' Pedro López, of the National Council on Protected Areas (CONAP), told Tierramérica.

At least 45,000 households bought a pinabete tree in 2000, according to the National Forests Institute.

The pinabete, which grows at altitudes up to 3,000 meters above sea level, is also threatened by abrupt changes in temperature, the advance of the farming frontier, and pests.

CONAP, with support from the National Civil Police, is pushing a program to stop the cutting of this conifer during the Christmas holiday season.