Mesoamerica 

The hotspot harbors the highest montane forests of Central America, with the most extensive and best-protected cloud forests. Forming a land bridge between continents, the hotspot features species representative of North and South America, as well as its own unique wildlife.

Some of the most visible symbols of mammal diversity in Mesoamerica are its monkeys, including the Central American spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) and Mexican black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra), which produce impressive roars that can be heard for long distances. Among the best known birds from this region is the resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) pictured above. Its brilliant green and crimson plumage is the national emblem of Guatemala.

Mesoamerica also exhibits some of the highest deforestation rates in the world. Other direct threats to the region’s natural assets include illegal logging and occupation of land, uncontrolled tourism, oil drilling and pipelines, and unsustainable agricultural practices.

Our support to civil society here focuses on priority areas for conservation in both the northern and southern regions of this hotspot.

In Northern Mesoamerica, our support to civil society began in 2004 and focuses primarily on the highest priority areas for conservation in Belize, Guatemala and Southern Mexico.

We target two major landscapes: the Selva Maya biodiversity conservation corridor extending throughout the southeast of Mexico over the province of Petén in Guatemala and throughout Belize and the Selva Zoque and the Chiapas/Guatemala Highlands Corridor. The latter includes the key biodiversity areas of the Selva Zoque in Oaxaca; Chiapas and Veracruz; the Sierra Madre of Chiapas; and Cuchumatanes and the Sierra de las Minas in Guatemala.

Four strategic directions guide our approach in the northern region:

1. Foster civil society participation in regional decisionmaking on select policies and investments to promote the conservation and sustainable development of the Selva Maya and the Selva Zoque and Chiapas/Guatemala Highlands corridors.
2. Collaborate with other donor-funded projects to facilitate and operationalize successful conservation activities in Northern Mesoamerica’s eight most important key biodiversity areas.
3. Support priority conservation actions in three priority key biodiversity areas.
4. Prevent the extinction of Northern Mesoamerica’s 106 Critically Endangered species (including in El Salvador and Honduras).

In Southern Mesoamerica, we focus on three priority landscapes in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. These are the Cerro Silva-Indio Maiz-La Selva corridor between Nicaragua and Costa Rica; the southern Talamanca region connecting with the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica; and the northern Talamanca-Bocas del Toro corridor between Costa Rica and Panama.

Four strategic directions have guided our approach in the southern region since investment began in 2002:

1. Strengthen key conservation alliances and networks within integral corridors.
2. Integrate connectivity among key, critical areas through economic alternatives.
3. Promote awareness and conservation of flagship species.
4. Support improved management of key protected areas.

In 2008, we began implementing a fifth strategic direction in Southern Mesoamerica to reinforce and sustain gains made possible by our previous $5.5 million investment. This new strategic direction includes targeted grants to selected organizations based on a consolidation plan drawing from the original ecosystem profile and an assessment of our previous investment.

Northern Mesoamerica Priorities:

 
Southern Mesoamerica Priorities: