Development & Aid, Environment, Tierramerica - Ecobrief

Ecobreves – GUATEMALA: Deforestation Spreading

GUATEMALA CITY, Jul 22 2006 (IPS) - – In Guatemala, an average of 73,148 hectares of forest disappears each year. The figures come from a Forest Cover Dynamics map created by the state-run National Forestry Institute (INB) and National Protected Areas Council and the private University del Valle.

The project, whose results were released Jul. 17, is the second of its kind in Guatemala, and expands on the previous 2001 study (whose results were published in 2004). The model is based on satellite images, explained Gerónimo Pérez, coordinator of INB’s Forestry Information Systems.

“A comparison of the two periods showed that the country lost approximately 0.68 of its forest cover each year,” the expert told Tierramérica.

The northern department of Petén, bordering Mexico, suffered the highest deforestation rates — 65 percent — he added.

Two months ago the government launched the “Reverdecer Guatemala” (Reforesting Guatemala) program, which aims to plant 30 million trees.