Communities of the Sarstún River Strengthen their Resilience and Adapt to Climate Change https://grants.dudleytdoughertyfoundation.org/proposals-2021/communities-of-the-sarstun-river-strengthen-their-resilience-and-adapt-to-climate-change https://grants.dudleytdoughertyfoundation.org/@@site-logo/sitelogo-75x75.png

Communities of the Sarstún River Strengthen their Resilience and Adapt to Climate Change

Additional Information
Used for	The funds will be used to establish agroforestry parcels, home gardens, install fuel-efficient stoves, and carry out environmental education workshops. This holistic set of strategies will build resilience for participating families, while also reducing their dependence on natural resources which are being depleted due to unsustainable land-use practices. The funds will be spent on materials and supplies, seeds and inputs for plant production, and transportation costs associated with training opportunities and providing technical assistance.
Benefits	In the near term, the funds will improve the livelihoods and resilience of families in the Sarstun region in Guatemala through the implementation of community empowerment strategies, food security, entrepreneurship, environmental education, and access to forestry incentives. In the longer term, by shifting away from more damaging practices that are depleting the local resources in these communities, these economic alternatives will also contribute to the conservation and restoration of these degraded areas. The region in Guatemala where this project will be carried out is both ecologically and culturally rich, and we aim to preserve these ecosystems through our community-driven approach that incorporates and honors local knowledge, thereby contributing to a healthier planet.
Proposal Description	Introduction: EcoLogic respectfully seeks consideration from the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation for $7,500 in funding for our proposed project, which will provide sustainable economic opportunities to rural women living in several communities in Guatemala. The project would benefit communities in the municipality of Livingston, Izabal, where we have active environmental conservation projects in partnership with the local residents and local organizations. A grant from the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation would provide targeted funds for the economic opportunity components of this larger conservation project in Guatemala. We believe that this community-powered project with a focus on empowering marginalized groups would contribute toward the fulfillment of your mission of making a difference on our planet by recognizing and having respect for our ever-changing world. Moreover, with our commitment to listening to the needs of the communities we serve and honoring their local knowledge, your philosophy of looking ahead to the future while also giving the past its due deeply resonates with the way we work. Organizational Background: EcoLogic Development Fund (EcoLogic) is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to empower rural and indigenous peoples to restore and protect tropical ecosystems in Central America and Mexico. We work in partnership with local organizations and communities to provide access to 1) tools and training to build awareness, skills, and capacity within communities; 2) incentives that catalyze the adoption of sustainable practices; and 3) networks with local, regional, and international actors and initiatives. Our approach fosters holistic and sustainable development in which conservation, human wellbeing, and community development are mutually reinforced. Local leadership and participation are guiding principles for EcoLogic’s work. Our work is founded on the belief that people living in and around threatened ecosystems are in the best position to protect them. EcoLogic facilitates participatory processes for community-level design and application of practical, locally-contextualized strategies that address both conservation needs and the needs of community members. Our commitment to meaningful participation cultivates local ownership of initiatives and increases the likelihood that alternative practices are adapted and sustained over the long term. Geographic Area of Project: The Municipality of Livingston Izabal is situated in the Río Sarstún Multiple Use Area (AUMRS), which is home to extensive tropical broadleaf and mangrove forests. It constitutes one of the most fragile ecosystems and is facing degradation and loss due to landscape transformation and resource extraction. The main threats to mangrove forests in these communities are: (1) Use of mangroves in fishing and aquaculture activities, for firewood, and to produce charcoal; (2) pollution from agriculture and solid waste; (3) lack of knowledge about the importance of mangroves, particularly in the younger generations; and (4) mangrove degradation by coastal erosion and strong currents. EcoLogic is carrying out a larger project in the Livingston Izabal municipality focused on management, conservation, and restoration of the mangrove ecosystem, in partnership with the Asociación Maya Pro Bienestar Rural del Área Sarstún (APROSARSTUN), our local partner organization. Who Will Benefit: Between the four small communities of Barra Sarstún, Sarstoon Creek, Buena Vista Tapón Creek, and San Juan in the Municipality of Livingston Izabal, there are a total of 704 people, 345 of whom are women. Most of the residents in these communities earn their living fishing. Beneficiary Group (359 men and 345 women): San Juan: 100 women, 89 men, fishermen Sarstoon Creek: 120 women, 130 men, farmers Sarstún Bar: 100 women, 111 men, fishermen Buena Vista Creek: 25 women, 29 men, fishermen Objectives and Activities: The overarching goal is to protect, conserve, and restore the local ecosystems through a variety of strategies and activities, each developed and adapted with the local site’s people, culture, and unique geography in mind. To increase environmental awareness, reduce unsustainable consumption of forest resources, and provide sustainable alternatives to harmful current practices, both of these projects incorporate community empowerment strategies for conservation. Specific Objectives and Project Description Objective 1. Promote sustainable strategies to improve food security in four rural communities of the Sarstún River basin. Expected Result 1: 12 ha of agroforestry systems are established, 3 ha of monitoring in agroforestry systems, and 5 ha of reforestation, with community leadership. Activities: 1.1.1 Identification of area for the establishment of agroforestry systems. 1.1.2 Design and layout of agroforestry systems 1.1.3 Training small farmers in the establishment of agroforestry systems 1.1.4 Purchase of plants for the establishment of agroforestry systems. 1.1.5 Establishment of temporary nurseries in Inga Edulis and Santa María. 1.1.6 Establishment of 12 ha of agroforestry systems 1.1.7 Experience exchange tour to Ixcan el Quiche on agroforestry systems, to 5 promoters and 3 field technicians 1.1.8 Follow-up to 3 ha of agroforestry systems of Sarstoon Creek and San Juan 1.1.9 Georeferencing and mapping of 6 ha of agroforestry systems. 1.1.10 Implementation of 5 ha of reforestation. 1.1.11 Visits to assist temporary nurseries, agroforestry systems, and reforested areas 1.1.12 Preparation and management before CONAP and INAB of a management plan for reforestation purposes. Expected Result 2: 30 vegetable and medicinal gardens established to improve food security for at least 30 families. Activities: 1.2.1 Identification of families for the establishment of 30 vegetable and medicinal plant gardens in 2 communities. 1.2.2 Design, preparation, georeferencing and circulation of 30 vegetable gardens and medicinal plants in 2 communities. 1.2.3 Training for 30 women on the implementation of 30 gardens, as well as food preparation. 1.2.4 Purchase of seeds of medicinal plants and native vegetables for 30 gardens. Objective 2. Strengthen protection and conservation actions in 238 ha of tropical forest and mangrove ecosystem with the active participation of AUMRS grassroots community organizations. Expected Result 2.1: 3 communities of San Juan, Buena Vista Tapón Creek, and Barra Sarstún conserve 238 hectares of community forest with INAB forestry incentives. Activities: 2.1.1 Maintenance of firebreaks in 94.35 ha of conservation of tropical forest and mangrove ecosystem. 2.1.2 Community patrol for control and monitoring of 238.3 ha of conservation of tropical forest and mangrove ecosystem. 2.1.3 Request for lease contracts before OCRET for 6 files for 123 ha of tropical forest and mangrove ecosystem. 2.1.4 Preparation and management before CONAP and INAB of 6 forest management plans for the conservation of the tropical forest and Mangrove ecosystem. 2.1.5 Selection of community resource guard for the conservation of 238.3 ha of tropical forest and Mangrove ecosystem. 2.1.6 Management monitoring of 6 hectares of reforestation and 2 hectares of assisted mangrove regeneration. Expected Result 2.2: 60 families from San Juan and Barra Sarstún reduce their consumption of firewood from mangroves and tropical forests. Activities: 2.2.1 Follow-up of 50 firewood-saving stoves implemented and identification of 10 new families. 2.2.2 Purchase and transfer of 10 wood-saving stoves. 2.2.3 Training 60 women on the use, management, and maintenance of wood-saving stoves. 2.2.4 Georeferencing and mapping of 10 wood-saving stoves implemented. Expected Result 2.3: 30 young people are trained on the importance of the conservation of the Tropical Forest, Mangrove Ecosystem, and coral reefs. Activities: 2.3.1 Execute 4 training workshops for youth leaders from the communities of San Juan, Sarstoon Creek, Buena Vista, Tapón Creek, and Barra Sarstún. 2.3.2 Preparation of a training plan for youth leaders from the communities of San Juan, Sarstoon Creek, Buena Vista, Tapón Creek, and Barra Sarstún. 2.3.3 Systematization of the training process for youth leaders. Objective 3. Promote micro-entrepreneurship capacities in three community organizations in the Sarstún River basin. Expected Result 3.1: Groups of women and community fishermen from San Juan and Barra Sarstún generate economic income through micro-enterprises. Activities: 3.1.1 Experience exchange tour to the credit committee of the community bank of the community of San Juan, to learn about the experience of a cooperative in Ixcán, El Quiche. 3.1.2 Strengthening the Credit Commission of the community bank of the community of San Juan 3.1.3 Improvement of facilities for the preparation and marketing of bread to the women's committee of the Barra Sarstún community. 3.1.4 Improvement and strengthening of the Nixtamal mill project for the Barra Sarstún community women's committee. These activities will be carried out by our field staff located in Guatemala, in collaboration with our local partner organizations. The Livingston, Izabal project team includes EcoLogic’s field technician Samuel Coc Yat, Program Officer Mario Ardany de León, and our local partner organization, Asociación Maya Pro Bienestar Rural del Área Sarstún (APROSARSTUN). Because our work is continuing amidst the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, EcoLogic has developed a protocol for conducting modified training sessions and any other in-person project components, incorporating enhanced hygiene measures, physical distancing, and limits on group size. Our field technicians and facilitators will adapt the project activities above based on this protocol to ensure safety for both staff and community members. Measuring Progress: Progress at both project locations will be monitored by our local field staff in Guatemala. Our team will assess progress towards specific goals and activities by tracking the number of workshops held, number of local women trained on entrepreneurship skills and capacities, and number and types of different economic enterprises launched by participating women. Our field staff will also collect data on broader progress on local conservation, measuring success by careful tracking of tree production, reforestation efforts, and reduction in illegal logging and slash-and-burn agriculture. How Funds Will be Used: The funding would be spent on workshop expenses, including materials and supplies; transportation expenses for field staff to deliver training workshops and provide technical assistance to the project sites; and materials and supplies for the nurseries which will generate the plants used in these economic ventures. Other administrative expenses related to the project may include office supplies and payment of telephone service for our Guatemala project staff to communicate with the community members and document project advances.