Facing Climate Change in the Field: Models of Forest and Territorial Governance Working in a Positive Way in Mesoamerica

The Mesoamerican experience confirms that where territorial and cultural rights are recognized for the access and use of natural resources, the beneficiaries and holders of such rights assume the control and management of their forests and the biodiversity contained there by giving rise to a rich variety of forms of conservation and sustainable management of these resources. Indigenous lands in Panama, forestry concessions in Guatemala, Indigenous Territorial Governments in Nicaragua, among others, from their own worldview and enriched by the constant exchange of experiences, they have evolved to face the variety of current pressures on their territories. In summary, these right holders have become central authorities to defend and manage Mesoamerican forests. This experience offers important lessons and lessons for other tropical regions of the world which seek to implement reforms and promote governance based on land rights, as a key strategy to stop deforestation and tackle climate change.