Timber, Tourists and Temples

by Primack, Richard B.; Bray, David Barton; Galletti, Hugo A.; Ponciano, Ismael

• ISBN13: 9781559635424
• ISBN10: 1559635428
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-12-01
• Publisher: Island Pr

Summary

Stretching across southern Mexico, northern Guatemala, and Belize, the Maya Forest, or Selva Maya, constitutes one of the last large blocks of tropical forest remaining in North and Central America. Home to Mayan-speaking people for more than 5,000 years, the region is also uncommonly rich in cultural and archaeological resources.Timber, Tourists, and Templesbrings together the leading biologists, social scientists, and conservationists working in the region to present in a single volume information on the intricate social and political issues, and the complex scientifc and management problems to be resolved there. Following an introductory chapter that presents GIS and remote sensing data, the book: considers perspectives on managing forest resources and the forestry and conservation policies of each nation examines efforts by communities to manage their forest resources explains the connections between resource conservation and use by local people highlights research projects that integrate baseline biological research with impact assessments explains the need to involve local people in conservation effortTimber, Tourists, and Templesexplores methods of supporting the biological foundation of the Maya Forest and keeping alive that unique and diverse ecosystem. While many areas face similar development pressures, few have been studied as much or for as long as the Maya Forest. The wealth of information included in this pathbreaking work will be valuable not only for researchers involved with the Maya Forest but for anyone concerned with the protection, use, and management of tropical forest ecosystems throughout the world.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Maya Forest
A Regional Approach to the Maya Forest	p. 1
A Regional Approach to Conservation in the Maya Forest	p. 3
One Forest, Two Nations: The Chiquibul Forest of Belize and Guatemala	p. 23
Forest Policy and Management and the Emergence of Community Forestry	p. 29
The Maya Forest of Quintana Roo: Thirteen Years of Conservation and Community Development	p. 33
Forest Management in Quintana Roo, Mexico	p. 47
Sustaining Harvests of Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) from Mexico's Yucatan Forests: Past, Present, and Future	p. 61
The Maya Forest in Campeche, Mexico: Experiences in Forest Management in Calakmul	p. 81
Forestry Policy and Protected Areas in the Peten, Guatemala	p. 99
Community Forest Concessions: An Economic Alternative for the Maya Biosphere Reserve in the Peten, Guatemala	p. 111
Forest Management and Conservation in Belize: A Brief Background	p. 125
Nontimber Forest Products in Conservation Strategies	p. 137
Nontimber Forest Products in Community Development and Conservation: Desmoncus sp. (Tie-tie) in Gales Point, Belize	p. 141
Governmental and Customary Arrangements Guiding Chicle Latex Extractions in the Peten, Guatemala	p. 155
The Impact of Hunting on Wildlife in the Maya Forest of Mexico	p. 179
Monitoring Nontimber Forest Product Harvest for Ecological Sustainability: A Case Study of Huano (Sabal mauritiiformis) in the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, Belize	p. 195
Buffer Zone Management: Lessons for the Maya Forest	p. 209
Biodiversity Research for Conservation	p. 223
Toward Sustainable Forestry in Belize	p. 225
The Peregrine Fund's Maya Project: Ecological Research, Habitat Conservation Efforts, and Development of Human Resources in the Maya Forest	p. 241
Dynamics and Ecology of Natural and Managed Forests in Quintana Roo, Mexico	p. 267
Community Development, Conservation, and Ecotourism	p. 283
The Global Environment and Galacia, the New Ejidal Population Center, Marques de Comillas Zone, Ocosingo, Chiapas	p. 287
What Is the Forest to a Small Farmer? Interview with Raymundo Terron Santana	p. 293
Organic Coffee Production and the Conservation of Natural Resources in Las Margaritas, Chiapas	p. 299
The Bio-Itza Reserve: History of an Indigenous Effort to Conserve the Itza Maya Community of San Jose, El Peten, Guatemala	p. 317
Community-Based Ecotourism in the Maya Forest: Problems and Potentials	p. 327
Community-Based Development As a Conservation Tool: The Community Baboon Sanctuary and the Gales Point Manatee Reserve	p. 343
Illuminating the Peten's Throne of Gold: The ProPeten Experiment in Conservation-Based Development	p. 365
The Belize Zoo: Grassroots Efforts in Education and Outreach	p. 389
Common Terms and Names	p. 396
Common Acronyms	p. 399
Contributors	p. 402
Name Index	p. 405
Subject Index	p. 411
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