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25 mount auburn Street
Suite 203
Cambridge, ma 02138
617.441.6300 Vo lu m e 1 9 • fa l l 2 0 0 7
Collaboration Efforts Continue to Expand
e
EcoLogic coLogic believes in expanding our partnerships
strategically across Latin America, while en-
Development
hancing our existing projects in the region.
Fund We’re excited to join with new partners in
Collaboration Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras who are crafting
for Community innovative solutions to environmental problems while
Conservation empowering local communities.
EnvironmEntaL Mexico
ConsErvation Veracruz, on the southern gulf coast of Mexico, is one
of the nation’s poorest areas. It has two important
We protect and restore natural resources that risk being lost to pollution
threatened ecosystems and overdevelopment—the Veracruz wetlands and
the Papaloapan River. EcoLogic is partnering with
through community- ProNatura Veracruz to conduct “community consul- A Maya Q’eqchi child on the the Sarstoon
led natural resource
tations” in these areas to help local communities build River, an ecologically rich area where EcoLogic
strategic plans. When community members deter- is helping to build collaboration between groups
management. mine their priorities—whether it’s better schools, a in Belize and Guatemala. Photo by todd ShaPera
community center, or more economic opportunity—
it allows them to take ownership of solutions that
PartnErshiP
can meet their needs while preserving the environ-
EcoLogic’s Growing Reach
We provide resources, ment. Armed with this roadmap, local residents and
ProNatura will be able to take action and effect
training, and accom- positive change. Veracruz, Mexico
(Pronatura-Veracruz)
paniment to help local Sarstun, Guatemala
(Ak’Tenamit) Sarstoon Temash
Guatemala National Park, Belize
(SATIIM)
people and organizations In Belize, it’s called the Sarstoon River. In Guate- Pico Bonito National
accomplish their goals. mala, it’s the Sarstun. The spelling difference is just Park, Honduras
(FUPNAPIB)
the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the massive Sierra de Guerrero,
communication challenges EcoLogic faces in uniting Mexico (CRESIG)
sustainabLE the two countries to preserve this critical river, which Sierra Cuchumatanes,
Guatemala (Mancomunidad)
CommunitiEs
flows between two wetland areas that have been for- San Miguel de los Altos,
We collaborate with our mally recognized as protected areas. EcoLogic has long Guatemala (Ulew Che’ Ja’)
partnered with the Sarstoon-Temash Institute for Atlántida, Honduras
(MAMUCA)
partners to develop Indigenous Management (SATIIM), an active NGO
sustainable, culturally in Belize that works to protect the river, including
paying to police it from overfishing. Lately, however,
appropriate livelihood they have been consumed with fighting oil explora- nous youth. In the next year, 18 of the youth will do
tion in their national park. a thesis project with EcoLogic related to economic
alternatives.
Clearly, SATIIM needed a strong Guatemalan and environmental issues in the region, especially
collaborator, especially since a lack of environmen- among the Mayan population. EcoLogic is also work-
tal regulations and deeper levels of poverty meant ing with the local fishermen’s association, with
that many of the problems needed to be addressed on whom we are investigating ways to further reduce
that side of the river. EcoLogic has begun working overfishing. This project enables us to do what we do
with two key groups on this issue. A group called best—bring together different parties (in this case,
Ak’Tenamit (New Village) focuses on development across national borders) to address regional environ-
and youth issues, and runs a high school for indige- mental and economic problems.
continued on page 3
DIRECTORS
William Green, MD, Chair
(Retired)
Nicholas Shufro,
Vice-Chair, Treasurer
Message froM the executive Director
PriceWaterHouse Coopers, LLC
Shaun Paul, President EcoLogic Grows and Deepens
EcoLogic Development Fund
Winstead (Ted) Rouse, Secretary
Healthy Planet Dear friends and colleagues,
I
Mark Bookman
Lovett Bookman Harmon Marks, LLP ’m pleased to report that in just the past few months, EcoLogic has taken several huge steps
Louise Bowditch forward. We joined with three new partners—in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras—
SEED Haiti Community
Development Loan Fund in strategic spots along the Meso-American Biological Corridor. Our work on innovative
David Bray projects such as Pico Bonito Forests, our for-profit affiliate that sells carbon credits, is drawing
Florida International University attention from key players like USAID and Dole Fruit, a major employer in the area. You’ll also
Janis Bristol Alcorn hear from our Mexico Program Officer Ramón Herrera—who explains in real terms why our work
Consultant
Elsa Chang
matters—and come along for the ride as two EcoLogic supporters visit Honduras to help study
Central America Program and save the endangered Emerald Hummingbird. On another note, we’d also like to thank Jocelyn
for Human Rights and Protection Gardner, our communications officer who departed this fall for a new chapter at Harvard
of the Environment
Center for International Policy, CIP Divinity School, and Josh Lichtenstein, our Belize program officer, who returned to the United
David Crocker States with his family. In turn, we’re welcoming two additions to our staff: Gina Rindfleisch, our
Salomon Smith Barney development associate/executive assistant, and Gabriela Artavia, our new communications
Lisa Leff
Trillium Asset Management
officer.
Corporation As always, we could not do this work—helping local communities thrive in Latin America,
Gert Rosenthal and protecting environmental resources for them and for all of us—without your financial support.
Minister of Foreign Relations,
Republic of Guatemala
We are truly grateful for your help, and I encourage you to take a look at our “Ways to Give”
Marcela de Rovzar box on page 3 or visit our website, www.ecologic.org. Your contribution truly makes a difference.
Procura
Dan Tunstall Yours sincerely,
World Resources Institute
W. Russel G. Byers, Jr.
Chair Emeritus, W.R.G. Byers Ltd.
Shaun Paul
U.S. STAFF
Shaun Paul
executive director
Diane Carazas
managing director
Studying and Saving the Honduran Emerald
Deborah Fraize
director of development
Hummingbird: EcoLogic Supporters Take Action
P
Melissa Haley erforming aerial reconnaissance and conducting GPS tracking
operations manager
might sound like an episode of 24, but for two weeks, it was the rou-
Barbara Vallarino
Program officer tine for EcoLogic Development Fund supporters Deb Atwood and
David Kramer Robert Hyman, who were part of a team researching the critically endan-
Program officer gered Honduran Emerald Hummingbird. The bird’s unique, dry thorn-
Gina Rindfleisch forest habitat is threatened by the expansion of agriculture and livestock
development associate/ grazing.
executive assistant
The group took GPS data from the flights, transferred it to maps, and
Gabriela Artavia
Communications officer then drove through the territory in jeeps to verify it. In fact, team mem-
bers drove over 1,000 miles throughout Honduras in search of dry forest
REGIONAL STAFF habitat. The payoff of this painstaking research? Finding the bird in an
Sebastián Charchalac area it was not known to exist (a valley south of San Francisco de la Paz).
regional director This new data will be incorporated into an updated ecosystem map of
Claudia González Honduras. The endangered Emerald
regional Program director
While the bird’s population numbers may be revised upward thanks to Hummingbird, which Eco-
Ramón Alfonso Herrera Logic supporters studied on
Program officer—mexico
the new habitat discovered, the overall environmental degradation of the
area threatens its future. “We hope to go back annually and spend more a recent trip to Honduras.
Rosman Márquez
Photo by robert hyman
Program officer—honduras time in areas we identified as suitable habitat where the Honduran Emer-
Francisco Tzul ald may still exist,” says Hyman. “I also want to thank EcoLogic and all of
Program officer—Guatemala our team for their tireless efforts.”
Rafael Sambula
General Manager, Pico Bonito-
EcoLogic USA, LLC
EcoLogic Development Fund n Fall 2007
Mario Tuch
regional administrative assistant
Board’s Visit to Honduras Includes Briefing
to Business and Government Leaders Ways to Give
I
EcoLogic relies on your support
n June, EcoLogic’s board and supporters traveled to Honduras to visit Pico Bonito to help conserve the biological and
Forests, the site of a world-renowned program that sells carbon offset credits in a bid to cultural diversity of Latin America.
combat global warming. EcoLogic helped start the initiative, whose methodology was Here’s how you can help:
only the fourth approved under the Kyoto Protocol, and has spun it off into a for-profit • become an EcoLogic Ambassador
venture. and pledge to raise $1,000 or
Visitors encountered the amazing sight of 180,000 seedlings of local species such as more. you can fulfill your pledge
by making a personal contribution
Rosita, Redondo, and coffee trees. Some of these seedlings will be planted in local com- and reaching out to your network.
munities and others will expand the buffer zone of Pico Bonito National Park. One of our
goals for Pico Bonito Forests from the outset was to encourage other ventures like it—and • have your employer match your
contribution.
it’s clear from our June trip that key players are paying attention. Harry Brinholz—the
director for USAID in Honduras, which also contributed funds to a component of Pico • honor a birthday, wedding, or anni-
Bonito Forests—spent an entire day on a field visit learning about the project and how it versary with a donation to ecologic.
can be replicated. We were also accompanied by Raul Martinez, the general manager • make a gift of stock or other
of Dole Fruit’s Honduran operations. Dole, which owns many plantations close to Pico securities.
Bonito Forests, is a major employer in the area. • Share your talents by donating
On their trip to Honduras, EcoLogic board members and supporters also visited other professional services.
agroforestry and microwatershed projects EcoLogic undertakes with our partners. They • Participate in workplace giving.
heard from Sumilda Duarte, who did not have access to fresh, clean water. She decided to federal or massachusetts state
take action, and with her neighbors and the help of EcoLogic created a “water board”— employees can give to ecologic
a community agency that obtains legal jurisdiction over the water supply and, for a small through earth Share’s yearly Com-
monthly fee from users, ensures it’s available and safe. Clean water would simply not bined federal Campaign (CfC)
by designating our code number
be available without the water boards. EcoLogic supporters and representatives from (11432) on the payroll pledge
USAID and Dole left with a clear sense of how EcoLogic’s work is benefiting families and form.
the environment in Honduras.
• donate via our website. We welcome
online credit card contributions.
Simply go to www.ecologic.org and
click on Donate Now to give through
our secure online donation form.
you can also sign up for recurring
USAID monthly donations on this page.
Director in
Honduras
Harry Brinholz To find out more about these
(center) learns options, please call Deborah
about Eco- Fraize, director of development,
Logic’s work at (617) 441-6300 ext. 105.
at Pico Bonito
Thank you!
Forests.
Collaboration Efforts Continue to Expand
continued from page 1
Honduras
Finally, our partner in Honduras stands out because is not an north and south of the region in Honduras, so this project
NGO—rather, it is the government. MAMUCA (the Municipali- allows us to connect the “corridor” and protect the steady strides
ties of the Central Atlantic Department) is made up of five cities we’re making regionally. Secondly, we couldn’t resist the opportu-
and towns, and was established in 2001 by their mayors. Their nity to work with local governments who are actively embracing
goal, like EcoLogic’s, is to reduce poverty and improve the lives of the values we share—and are committed to establishing the
the underserved in their communities. We were drawn to this legal basis for the protection of biodiversity, a step that would pay
project for two key reasons. First, we already have partners both huge dividends for their region and across Honduras.
3 EcoLogic Development Fund n Fall 2007
Voices from the field
Why Our Work Matters: Mexican Program Officer Ramón Herrera
r
amón Herrera started his journey ducting feasibility studies related to ex-
toward EcoLogic—and his “mis- tracting resins from certain tree species,
sion in life”—in 1993. He was producing livestock in a sustainable
working for the government and was fashion, and creating a network of com-
sent to collect defaulted loans from five munity-managed protected areas. The
indigenous community organizations plan’s initiatives also include estab-
in one of Mexico’s poorest regions. “I lishing “ecosystem service payments” in
went to visit the groups,” Ramón says, which Acapulco’s tourist industry
“and discovered that not only did they would pay for the clean water they can
not know how to read or write, but the access thanks to the conservation ef-
money that they supposedly had bor- forts of poorer, upland residents. Eco-
rowed from the government had never Logic will continue to work with the
even been delivered. They had been Regional Council, providing technical
viciously tricked and cheated. This real- assistance (on things like fundraising
ization caused a radical change in my and project management) to help them
thinking.” execute these plans.
He was able to help get the “debts” Ramón Herrera, Says Ramón, “Whenever I work
canceled and decided to devote him- EcoLogic Mexico Program Officer with a local organization, my overall
self to helping similar communities. goal is local self-sufficiency—for the
“This experience opened my eyes to the quality of life, and protecting forests. Ramón beneficiaries to take ownership of their
situation of extreme poverty in my and EcoLogic helped the Regional Council conservation efforts and, through their
country,” he says, “and opened my heart develop strategic plans for both economic participation, to generate income and
to offer what service I can to these development and environmental conser- develop their own capacities.” With
marginalized rural communities.” vation. Highlights of the plan include con- more than 90 communities and 1,300
One of Ramón’s major projects is local residents involved in the strategic
assisting the Regional Council of the “Whenever I work with a local planning process EcoLogic helped con-
Sierra de Guerrero, a local nonprofit duct, we’re already well on our way.
organization, my overall goal is
organization focusing on supporting
communal landholders, improving their local self-sufficiency.”
Nonprofit
Organization
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