14 MILLION ACRE RESERVE IN MAYAN JUNGLE BUILD AFTER MEXICO, GUATEMALA AND BELIZE CAME TOGETHER

One of the planet's most biodiverse ecosystems is shared by Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. This tropical rainforest, often referred to as the Mayan jungle, is home to more than 7,000 species, including 200 endangered animals and an equal number of endemic species (found only in this area). The Great Mayan Jungle Biocultural Corridor is a 14-million-acre (5.7-million-hectare) protected area established by the three national governments to protect this region.

According to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, "this is one of Earth's lungs, a living space for hundreds of species with an invaluable cultural past that we should protect with our eyes on the future." The corridor will surpass the Amazon rainforest as the second-largest wildlife reserve in the Americas due to its size. With 2,673,726 hectares of protected natural areas, or around 5% of its entire area, Guatemala will provide the most, followed by Mexico with 2,426,451 hectares and Belize with 591,700 hectares.

Restoring degraded forest cover, encouraging food self-sufficiency, regenerating soils, and, most importantly, enhancing the welfare of Indigenous peoples and acknowledging their efforts as stewards of the environment are all steps being taken to guarantee the prosperity of this area. While advancing a sustainable development model that creates prosperity for communities in the three surrounding nations, the agreement will protect a valuable legacy.

This enormous undertaking is not without difficulties. The region is beset by illicit miners and loggers, as well as organised crime groups. The governments promised to bolster security personnel and engage inhabitants by providing them with alternate means of earning a living to properly secure the zone. One such project is the extension of Mexico's "Planting Life" program, which provides financial incentives to landowners for the planting and growth of specific fruit or wood trees.

Because of the reservoir, some environmentally hazardous infrastructure projects, including the extension of Mexico's Mayan train into Belize, must be reevaluated. A committee made up of Indigenous leaders and environmental experts will therefore provide advice on initiatives that can endanger the already vulnerable region.

"We are honouring the legacy of the civilisation that previously flourished in these lands, in addition to conserving an ecology," Belize Prime Minister John Briceño stated. "Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize are once again proving that our political boundaries do not separate us, but rather bring us together in our efforts to protect one of the planet's last lungs and the Maya people's living legacy."