Enabling effective Community-led Watershed Management

More information about the organisation

EcoLogic began working in northern Honduras, particularly in and around Pico Bonito National Park, in the wake of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, when torrential rains and mudslides devastated the entire eco-system. The efforts in the region started in partnership with the Pico Bonito National Park Foundation (FUPNAPIB) to establish a prototype water association that would develop and implement feasible microwatershed management activities in the park’s buffer zone to ensure po-table water for area communities while protecting and restoring the park.

EcoLogic works to design and implement projects that meet the needs and priorities of the local people. An essential element of this approach is to partner with local organizations that reflect the values and inter-ests of the communities. This helps EcoLogic to adapt its work to the people and culture of the area and promote the long-term sustainability of projects by establishing local leadership that can perpetuate its ef-forts.

Goal

1. To ensure the sustainable flow of potable water by creating a self-sufficient, community-led water association that designs, implements, and oversees reforestation activities, water delivery system maintenance, and public education initiatives; and that works with local institutions to gov-ern and finance sustainable water management.
2. To demonstrate that well-organized communities can serve as reliable stewards of resources to establish, maintain and enhance potable water access, offering a replicable model to be applied in other water-deficient, rural communities.

Project description

The project in northern Honduras aims to conserve 7,000 hectares of forested microwatersheds that provide drinking water to approximately 2,100 families in 27 rural communities. EcoLogic accomplishes this by establishing and strengthening the Association of Water Boards of the South-ern Buffer Zone of Pico Bonito National Park (AJAASSPIB).

The project aptly demonstrates that well-organized communities can serve as reliable stewards of resources to establish, maintain and enhance potable water access, offering a replicable model to be applied in other water-insecure, rural communities.

Country / Region

The Aguan River Valley, just south of Pico Bonito National Park in Honduras, sits in a rain shadow, where annual droughts are common and rainfall pat-terns are becoming increasingly unpredictable.

Information about local context

Pico Bonito National Park is located on the northern coast of Honduras near the Caribbean coastal town of La Ceiba. The third largest national park in the country, it comprises 265,000 acres and contains a wide range of habi-tats, including tropical broadleaf, conifer, and cloud forests, that host a great diversity of animals, such as jaguars, armadillos, wild pigs, monkeys, toucans, mountain lions, and many other endangered and endemic species. The park also houses 19 major watersheds that supply drinking water to more than 500,000 people in surrounding communities and nearby towns and cities.

Participation of the communities

EcoLogic plans, implements, and evaluates this project in partnership with AJAASSPIB, which is a legally recognized non-profit with a volunteer Executive Committee elected by village water board members. Through this partnership, we are able to ensure that our work empowers local villagers to become active participants in the conservation of their forests and water, while we assume a facilitation and advisory role.

Through learning exchanges with MAMUCA, AJAASSPIB members are playing a central role in the establishment and improvement of other water boards, deepening their sense of ownership over the project and their accountability to their surrounding ecosystem.

Long term viability

Financial stability and with it a lasting presence and impact, will be advanced through the PES program EcoLogic is initiating between AJAASSPIB and the Municipality of Olanchito.
Furthermore the project activities establish a sustainable process in which poor, rural people become effective stewards of their community’s natural resources.

Organisation

AJAASSPIB is responsible for the day to day project implementation. EcoLo-gic is supervising and collaborating in project activities.

Chances / Risks

Forest fires are a considerable risk: The Honduran Institute for Forest Con-servation (ICF) is providing training and equipment to AJAASSPIB members for fighting fires, and EcoLogic is working with AJAASSPIB to develop a pro-gram to prevent or minimize forest fires.
Non-Survival of trees due to climatic conditions: EcoLogic is working with AJAASSPIB to identify areas for planting trees which have a greater proba-bility of survival due to their location and topographical characteristics.
National political instability: EcoLogic collaborates with diverse local partners to enable the project within the given political climate.
Local farmers: AJAASSPIB and EcoLogic are proactively engaging land-owners for collaboration in pursuit of the common interest of clean water.

Project partners

Association of Water Boards of the Southern Bufer Zone of Pico Bonito National Park (AJAASSPIB) is a regional association of village water boards, that develops and implements feasible water management plans for 14 shared microwatersheds in the Aguan River Valley.

Status of project January 2011

- Institutional strengthening of AJAASSPIB
- Building 100 fuel-efficient wood-burning stoves with community members