The Foundation for Maya Cultural and Natural Heritage (PACUNAM) is an organization of visionary corporations committed to the preservation of Guatemala's natural and cultural heritage through sustainable development for the benefit of future generations. One of PACUNAM's priorities is the conservation of the

Maya Biosphere Reserve The Maya Biosphere Reserve ( es, Reserva de la Biosfera Maya) is a nature reserve in Guatemala managed by Guatemala's National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP). The Maya Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 21,602 km², one-fifth of the c ...

. PACUNAM's main objectives are: * Provide financial support for the study of strategic archaeological sites within the Maya Biosphere Reserve in order to protect it as an ecological and cultural system. * Develop the Carmelita-Mirador route as a sustainable tourist circuit to provide revenue for local communities. * Support the Conservation Incentive Program in local communities, in order to make biodiversity conservation a viable choice for users of local resources. * Encourage international cultural exchanges through events, seminars, conferences, workshops, and exhibits. PACUNAM supports initiatives that promote sustainable development in the country in three strategic areas: archaeological research, environmental conservation and sustainable economic activities.

Strategic areas

Support to archaeological research, restoration and preservation

Program dedicated to the rescue, restoration, consolidation and preservation of archaeological sites, such as the Mirador Basin,

Holmul Holmul is a pre-Columbian archaeological site of the Maya civilization located in the northeastern Petén Basin region in Guatemala near the modern-day border with Belize. Location In spite of its relatively modest size, Holmul was important to ...

La Corona La Corona is the name given by archaeologists to an ancient Maya court residence in Guatemala's Petén department that was discovered in 1996, and later identified as the long-sought "Site Q", the source of a long series of unprovenanced limest ...

El Perú , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Cival Cival is an archaeological site in the Petén Basin region of the southern Maya lowlands, which was formerly a major city of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the present-day Department of Petén, Guatemala. The site flouris ...

and Naachtún. Also, they support expositions worldwide, such as the one in the Quai Branly museum in Paris, France, named "The Maya Civilization: From Dawn until Dusk". The archaeological discoveries that have been made in the archaeological field have expanded the information that is known of the Maya Civilization. The

is a tempting location for the people that do illegal activities: Mayan ruins not protected from looters, jungles filled with precious wood for woodcutters, virgin land for illegal occupiers and new routes for drug trafficking. The archaeological projects have proven to be a key component to stop these situations. PACUNAM is focusing its support in archaeological sites that contribute to having a physical presence during all year and generate scientific results and discoveries that attract global attention and show the value of the Mayan culture.

Sustainable economic activities

PACUNAM supports the development of economic activities linked to community development done in a sustainable manner. This is achieved through the support to the development and strengthening of sustainable forestry that contributes to the protection of natural resources through a controlled operation, and with the implementation of projects aimed to help develop the tourism potential of natural and archaeological resources, encouraging new productive activities in conjunction with the communities.

Conservation of the environment

Focused on the conservation of the

, taking into account the protection of tropical forest, flora and fauna of the region. In addition, they support national programs that have a positive impact in environmental conservation in Guatemala. Through partnerships, they host forums on strategic issues and implement projects aimed at conserving the environment through payment of environmental services and incentives for conservation, among others.

References

External sources

Official Site
{{Authority control Environmental organizations based in Guatemala Organizations established in 2006 2006 establishments in Guatemala