Journeys in Conservation co-founded and sponsors a group of young conservationists led by youth leaders Cristian Alexander Polanco, Jose Chen, Katherine Diaz, Evelyn Contreras, Shirely Vanesa, and Wilmer Osorio in one of the most critical conservation areas in all of Latin America, the area of Cruce Dos Aguadas. The group is called Proyecto Ecológico Chunyá.
Cruce Dos Aguadas is home to over 4000 Maya Q’eqchi farmers and Mestizo (European/indigenous mixed race) cattle ranchers and it is located in the heart of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, at a funnel point for road access to the whole of the reserve. 25 years ago this area was surrounded by vast forests on every side. Now there is only 1 hectare of primary forest left in the 10 square miles of the community. This last forest is also the source of one of the last natural springs for drinking water in the area. JIC is supports the three local conservationist who came to us seeking help, and now we have agreed with local authorities to place this last hectare of forest under permanent conservation as an ecological park for the community. The project began in April 2021 and will be completed for public use in August 2021
Journeys in Conservation and Proyecto Ecológico Chunyá also organized with JIC sponsorship, the reforestation of 2 hectares of public land in Cruce Dos Aguadas in September 2020. With the help of local authorities and over 70 students, youths and adults from the community, we planted over 700 native hardwood and fruit trees and put up a fence to protect the area from stray domestic animals that would eat and trample the seedlings.
These are among the first environmental projects undertaken with communities in this area, and we are now seeing a mindset change among the local. People who had never visited the nearby national parks, are now going there on weekends with their families. Farmers who never considered reforesting their land are now inquiring where they can find tree seedlings to plant. Be the change, see the change!
