More than 400 residents of three villages in El Porvenir municipality, located in the central Honduran department of Francisco Morazán, have protested forest exploitation on Pacaya Hill, which is the source of their water supply. It is not the first time that El Porvenir has seen people rise up to defend the forest. “They have a history, first against mining, and now to protect the water. They have a high level of environmental awareness,” Juan Almendares, leader of the environmental group Madre Tierra, told Tierramérica.

Beginning on Mar. 3, the residents have spoken out against the intention of two local families to carry out massive logging in the Pacaya forest, declared a protected area by the government, which restricts tree cutting and the use of the zone for agro-industrial activities.