A delegation from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (Defra) is in Guatemala 7-14 October to assess progress
of the UK's Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF).
Roger Heath, Senior Responsible Owner of the BLF and 30x30 and
Samuel Leigh, Regional Advisor for Mesoamerica and Andes Amazon
for the BLF, will meet with government representatives,
implementing partners, civil society and join field visits to
Peten and Chiquimula. Rachel Wilson, the Team Leader of the BLF's
Fund Management team at Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) will join
the delegation.
On October 7, the delegation will meet in Guatemala City with the
leader of the BLF consortium, the Wildlife Conservation Society
(WCS) to discuss the progress of the project and upcoming
activities. In Guatemala, the BLF is working in Peten (Mayan
Jungle) and Chiquimula (Trifino) to protect biodiversity, reduce
poverty and tackle the impacts of climate change with projects in
line with Guatemalan environmental priorities until 2029.
The UK delegation will also meet that day with representatives
from the Ministry of Environment, the National Council of
Protected Areas (CONAP) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to
welcome Guatemala's support of the BLF and share plans for
upcoming interventions in the field that will address ongoing
environmental pressures, including the loss of flora and fauna in
the Mayan Jungle and the prevention of forest fires in the
Trifinio region.
From 8-12 October, delegates Heath and Leigh will visit Peten to
engage with communities that are benefiting from sustainable
livelihoods while protecting the environment. These include
projects of xate classification, tree planting, bee keeping, and
sustainable forestry. They will also engage with local delivery
partners that are helping communities to achieve their
development and poverty reduction goals in coordination with the
Guatemalan authorities.
On 13 October, the UK delegation will travel to Chiquimula to the
area of Trifinio to learn about sustainable agricultural
practices to be supported through the BLF and to discuss with
local authorities how the Fund could support environmentally
sensitive areas to be managed sustainably.
The BLF is funding activities in six of the world's most
important biodiversity hotspots to help a create a world free
from poverty on a liveable planet, including Mesoamerica.
Approximately 40% of the funds destined to the Mesoamerica
landscape will be allocated in Guatemala (US$7 million) as a
commitment to our shared priorities on environment and social
development.
