Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Indians to Fight Deforestation

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

TEGUCIGALPA, Nov 18 2003 (IPS) - Indigenous communities in western Honduras will take part in an initiative to conserve natural resources, halt deforestation and reduce poverty. Cabañas, Copán Ruinas, El Paraíso, Nueva Arcadia, San Antonio and Santa Rita, are some of the communities in the department of Copán, in the next two months will have the technical and financial resources needed to do so — donated by Finland, worth 5.4 million dollars.

The funds will be administered by the municipalities and will go towards management and protection of the valleys throughout the department that are being deforested for commercial, industrial and household purposes, Santa Rita Mayor Nery Castillo said.

The project, overseen by the United Nations Development Program, is to benefit directly some 163,000 people in Copán, cradle of the Maya civilization.