{"id":288535,"date":"2025-06-03T11:56:23","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T10:56:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=288535"},"modified":"2025-06-05T09:36:31","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T08:36:31","slug":"aesmo-in-honduras-about-25-years-land-acquisition-fund-it-was-a-turning-point","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/story\/aesmo-in-honduras-about-25-years-land-acquisition-fund-it-was-a-turning-point\/","title":{"rendered":"AESMO in Honduras about 25 years Land Acquisition Fund: \u2018It was a turning point\u2019\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In 2006, its early years, the IUCN NL Land Acquisition Fund supported an ambitious NGO in Honduras, which allowed the Asociaci\u00f3n Ecol\u00f3gica de San Marcos de Ocotepeque (AESMO) to purchase their first plot of land to safeguard biodiversity and watersheds. It marked the beginning of a new era: in the following decades, AESMO has been protecting an increasing amount of Honduras\u2019 forests while applying a unique co-management model. \u2018It was a turning point. It was the first purchase in this part of the TRIFINIO region; the plans we had been developing for a while, became reality,\u2019 shares Victor Saravia, Executive Director of AESMO.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Header photo: AESMO team working within the reserve. All photos on this page: \u00a9 Stephanie Broekarts \/ IUCN NL<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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How it all started<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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In 1987, the Honduran government established the G\u00fcisayote Biological Reserve. Through a legislative decree published in the official governmental newspaper La Gaceta, and without prior free and informed consultation with municipalities and communities, a new protected area of 14,081.80 hectares was created. \u2018Like most national protected areas, it became a \u201cpaper park\u201d. Life inside the reserve continued as usual: people continued to farm, deforest, and expand the agricultural frontier,’ says Saravia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In 1990, just three years after the reserve was established, AESMO <\/a>began organising activities to raise awareness among local people about the area’s important biodiversity. At a later stage, agroforestry and beekeeping with native stingless bees were added to the NGO’s work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In 2006, a unique opportunity arose when a local farmer offered to sell a property in the core area of the G\u00fcisayote Biological Reserve. This part of the reserve was \u2013 and still is \u2013 crucial for the water supplies of several communities in the area.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Text continues below the photos.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Victor Saravia, director of AESMO<\/em><\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Monitoring activities in G\u00fcisayote <\/mark><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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A turning point<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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When Saravia learnt about the Land Acquisition Fund, AESMO took the opportunity. \u2018We had to put together a funding proposal rather quickly, we did not have much time, but the Fund believed it in us,\u2019 he explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The grant allowed AESMO to purchase almost 100 hectares of tropical cloud forest in the G\u00fcisayote Biological Reserve. The impact, however, was even bigger, according to Saravia: \u2018It was a turning point. It was the first purchase in this part of the TRIFINIO region; the plans we had been developing for a while, became reality.\u2019 Numerous land acquisition projects funded by various donors, including World Land Trust, expanded the reserve in the following years. From a \u201cpaper park\u2019, the G\u00fcisayote Biological Reserve became a well-managed reserve with a unique co-management model.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u2018At the national level, we are still losing forest, but here we are gaining forest cover: land that until a few years ago was destined for cattle grazing is now protected forest undergoing natural restoration.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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