Three central Honduran municipalities — San Jerónimo, Ojo de Agua and Comayagua, in Comayagua department — approved a joint management plan to regulate and preserve forest and mineral resources. In the management plan, introduced for public input more than a year ago, the residents and local officials are committed to imposing fines of 150 to 500 dollars for violations of forestry and mining laws.

Agriculture Minister Héctor Hernández told Tierramérica that this pilot project is part of an effort “to give the municipalities a more active role in natural resource management, so that they are more vigilant about what they have and prevent its destruction.”