Several conclusions emerge from the biological, threats and investment analyses conducted for the ecosystem profile to serve as guiding posts for developing the CEPF investment strategy:
- Perhaps most fundamentally, from a biological perspective, Mesoamerica ranks among the top hotspots in the world for diversity of species and endemism. From an investment efficiency perspective, CEPF support to Northern Mesoamerica will go far, proportionally speaking, to conserve species, sites and landscapes of global import. Eight key biodiversity areas that fall within two larger corridors emerge as the highest priorities for conservation due to the presence of globally threatened and endangered species.
- Although impressive strides have been made to conserve the region's biodiversity through collaborative efforts between governments, NGOs and donors, Mesoamerica also ranks among the most threatened hotspots in the world. Indeed, if current deforestation rates continue unabated, little forest cover will exist by 2015, and biodiversity will be lost. Urgent action is therefore needed to change this ominous trend.
- Although biodiversity is concentrated in specific sites, the causes of the most pernicious threats and obstacles to conservation are more systemic, political and regional in nature. For CEPF, the threats analysis suggests that reducing threats to biodiversity in Northern Mesoamerica will require a different investment strategy than that grounded solely in site-based conservation. As a result, actions to ameliorate threats to biodiversity must be targeted at a regional and political level, focusing on the most important threats: agricultural encroachment, forest fires, infrastructure development and large-scale tourism development.
- Interdependency exists between civil society and the large investments planned in the next few years. On the one hand, virtually all future investments will in one way or another depend on vibrant civil society participation to ensure their success. It is well recognized that civil society best reflects the needs and perspectives of local stakeholders, and that NGOs bring to bear unique expertise and experience gained from practicing conservation and the sustainable use of resources over the last two decades. Equally important, civil society will look to these new investments as providing the financial wherewithal to address the root causes and proximate threats to biodiversity loss.
While civil society has contributed significantly to advancing conservation over the last two decades, efforts now need to evolve further toward strengthening and unifying civil society in more strategic and collaborative ways in order to confront priority threats at a policy level and to engage in strong partnerships with implementers of large investments. CEPF therefore provides a platform in which civil society can develop the capacity and knowledge required to ensure that they fulfill their vital role for the future.
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