by WCS Mesoamerica and Western Caribbean
The Darien Forest is a bastion of conservation and biodiversity worldwide and is also considered the best preserved American ecological corridor between countries and with excellent rates of species representative of South America and North America, product of geographical bridge of union of the continent.
Its reason is the non-existence of roads and the presence and care of the forest by the indigenous communities through their Comarcas assigned by Panamanian law. Undoubtedly, indigenous knowledge and their commitment to nature are what make the difference.
This note presents a series of reflections on the participation of the Comarcas, partners of the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests (AMPB), in the Small Grants initiative of the European Union project, within the framework of DeSIRA. Both Comarcas prioritize the protection of their forests and mainly the control of the advance of the cattle-agricultural frontier normally linked to the "Colonos and/or Latinos" (local colloquial name for non-indigenous mestizo outsiders).
At the end of January and beginning of February 2024, a series of meetings and local analysis workshops were held on the threats to the territories and how to efficiently invest the European Union funds allocated to WCS via grants. For its part, the Emberá General Congress, titled its project, "Strengthening the territorial protection processes of the Comarca" and the Gunayala General Congress / Research and Development Institute of Kuna Yala (IIDKY) named it, "Strengthening and Protection of the bordering areas of the Gunayala Comarca, Panama."
REFLECTIONS:
a. The Darien Forest has suffered the least deforestation in the last 20 years, among the forests within the 5 Great Forests of Mesoamerica Initiative. (WCS, The Human Footprint, 2020).
b. The organization and governance of the Comarcas has an impact on the co-responsibility of work, conservation and development of their territories. Community work towards forest protection is valuable, is valued and is being transmitted to the following generations.
c. In both Comarcas, the advance of the frontier occurs on the southern border, coming from areas with road access and cattle ranches in the process of expansion.
d. It is necessary to strengthen the Comarcas in the areas of state-of-the-art protection technology such as SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool), drones, mapping technology, access and equipment in geographic information systems, for better immediate control of their threats.
e. Regardless of the state-of-the-art technology, patrols, delimitation, demarcation, control booths, and gaps are necessary and permanent actions for conservation effectiveness.
f. It is necessary to strengthen its administrative and financial management processes, mainly in the Emberá Comarca. The AMPB is planning, together with the work axes, a strengthening and training in fund management, project monitoring and basic operational regulations. It is essential that the Emberá update the Foundation created some years ago, which is currently inactive.
g. It is important to update the tourism control measures in the Gunayala Comarca so as not to exceed the established carrying capacity, avoiding the destruction of the forests and their relationship with the ocean.