Guatemala’s Maya reserve faces funding shift
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Communities within Guatemala’s Maya biosphere reserve are adjusting after the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) ended its support in February 2025.
For over two decades, USAID financed equipment, technical assistance, and wildfire mitigation for these communities, which sustainably manage nearly 55,000 hectares of forest under long-term agreements with the government. The loss of funding coincided with a severe fire season and increased land invasions by cattle ranchers, threatening the reserve’s ecological health.
The Petén Forest Communities Association (Acofop) and Rainforest Alliance, organizations that relied on USAID funds, had to cancel projects and reduce staff. Acofop lost USD 375,000 in annual funding, while Rainforest Alliance’s Prosperous and Resilient Landscapes project lost USD 6 million. Communities like Carmelita, which have diversified their income through timber sales, honey production, and tourism, are better positioned to cope with the change.
However, concessions like Cruce a la Colorada Integrated Forestry Association, lacking similar revenue streams, face significant challenges. To compensate, the reserve is relying on revenue from GuateCarbon, a carbon reduction project that recently received its first REDD+ payment of USD 3.6 million per concession for avoiding deforestation. While this provides some financial relief, securing ongoing buyers for carbon credits remains a challenge for long-term sustainability.
