The Maya Biosphere Reserve (Reserva de la Biosfera Maya) is a nature reserve in Guatemala managed by Guatemala's National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP). It comprises Laguna del Tigre National Park, the Mirador Basin, the Sierra del Lacandón National Park, the Río Azul National Park, Tikal National Park, El Zotz Biotope, and the Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo, National Park. The park is home to several species of fauna including the Jaguar, the Puma, the Ocelot, the Margay, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, tapirs, crocodiles, the Red Brocket and the White-tail deers, the Harpy Eagle, several hawk species, the Scarlet Macaw, fresh water turtles, etc. It is also rich in flora including mahogany, Ceiba, cedar, etc. The area ranges from wetlands, to low mountain ranges, and has several bodies of water, including lakes, rivers, streams and cenotes. The size of the Maya Biosphere Reserve is about twice the size of Yellowstone National Park. Parts of the reserve are managed according to the Forestry Stewardship Council policy for sustainable logging. In 2005, 1.1 million acres (4500 km²) were certified.
References
- Parks Watch Web Site
- Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala from the The Nature Conservancy's website.
- At a store near you: ecofriendly lumber, from the April 22, 2005 edition of The Christian Science Monitor
