Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Conservation Planned for Yojoa Lake

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

TEGUCIGALPA, Sep 23 2006 (IPS) - The Honduran government has launched a three-year program to preserve the biodiversity of the northern lake of Yojoa — the country's largest. The plan, announced Sept. 16, will channel 1.8 million dollars towards supporting productive and environmental-conservation microenterprises, project head Marlon Pineda told Tierramérica.

Yojoa Lake, 16.2 kilometers long and six km wide, is the only freshwater lake in Honduras. It is home to 802 plant species, and boasts a wide diversity of aquatic and land animals.

However, toxic-waste pollution has led to its deterioration over the last decade, spurring ecological organizations to declare a state of emergency for the zone.