Forestry Cooperatives Should Be Given a Voice in the Management of Forests

According to Marco Tulio Cartagena of the National Farm Workers Council, a principal issue for the rural farm workers is having a say in the edicts regarding the protection of the forests that surround them, as well as having access to the resources they generate.

Cartagena adds that, people in these rural communities want to feel as though they are owners of their land. With titles to their land they can procure financial assistance to develop their businesses that contribute to agro-tourism and constitute a healthy utilization of resources.

The beneficiaries of the new law will include rural farm worker cooperatives that bring together some 600 rural farm businesses, agro-forestry cooperatives and the indigenous communities, all of which mount a solid base from which to launch the battle against poverty.

Cartagena also indicated another issue that concerns them are some of the forestry studies and the management plan that being set in place that small business will have to pay for. "The state must provide for these services."

Cartagena expressed his reservations regarding the structure of the new body in charge of managing the national forestry resources and the opportunity it presents for bureaucracy.
"Why not unite the sectors that share similar interests regarding land issues, forestry and protected regions."

Article:

New Forestry Law
proposal sent
to Congress

Law works to respond
to all concerns

Interviews:

Rural worker´s perspective

AJS lawyer -Gilda Espinal

Representative of Congress

Former Director of Honduran Forestry Development

President of the Honduran Federation of Agro-Forestry