Transcript for guate

Guatemala, naturally, is a forest country

with a historical problem of access to land

The forest policies and programs in Guatemala

should take into account the basic needs of people

With people who do not have anything to eat

because the only thing they know is subsistence agriculture

The people who can no longer be invisible

are the indigenous people

We are learning our ancestors' customs

and the customs are to grow and conserve

In Guatemala, we are still talking about the fact that

community forest that has no recognition

We have already started productive projects

and social development projects as well

we are organised as a small enterprise

from the seed, to the cup of coffee

when we harvest macadamia, we let them fall from the tree

we get the shell and we use it as organic fertiliser

Now that we have experience, we work better.

Where people don't reforest, we cover it.

different types of plants, like coniferous, broad leaf, ornamental.

Men who criticized us before, now they asking us for work.

I encourage other women

because we have to keep on working.

Here, there are jobs for women now, we dont have to suffer anymore.

Sustainable management of forests is the method

that we are using here under the areas we manage

we guaranty the existence of the forest cover

We don't just take care of forests, if we take care of the forest

we have better water.

we have better land, and with better land, we have better production.

The only forest that are completely intact, are the ones

that the state has given to the communities

then people who get benefits from the forest, are saying:

"We defend the forest, and nothing will happen to it"

About traditional systems,

if we don't integrate the occidental technical approach

it's going to be impossible for one to make it without the other

Therefore, it's recognised and we are developing new plans

for the strengthening of governmental institutions

and we are looking for financial mechanisms

What we have protected is for the benefit of the world

Because, neither a community, or a municipality

or the private sector, or NGO

won't be able to conserve if they are no financial mechanisms

We are forming the national alliance of community forestry

The programs, the projects of the alliance

have to start from the bottom to the top

In this case, it's not a secret that being organised is essential

Therefore, allied we have force, united

we develop projects because we have a unified national vision