Regional Agreement on Conservation of Ecosystems and Forest Plantations

The main objective of the Regional Agreement for the Management and Conservation of Natural Forest Ecosystems and the Development of Forest Plantations is to establish concerted actions aimed at preserving the environment, ensuring balanced development and rational exploitation of the natural resources of the Central American region. It focuses on avoiding the change of use of areas with forest cover on land suitable for forestry and on recovering deforested areas. It promotes the reorientation of colonization policies on forest lands, discourages actions that promote the destruction of the forest and promotes sustainable territorial planning. The main actions include the creation of a National and Regional System of Protected Wild Areas, the orientation of agricultural and forestry programs under a comprehensive and conservationist vision, the reforestation of degraded lands with emphasis on native species and local participation, and the maintenance of a dynamic inventory of forest cover. In addition, emphasis is placed on popular participation in the planning and execution of policies, institutional strengthening, the creation of specific national funds to finance identified priorities, and the implementation of mechanisms to prevent illegal trafficking of forest species and products.