Re-activating the Indio-Maiz Biosphere's Forest Ranger Program to Stop Illegal Cattle Ranching..Encroachment and Poaching

Project activities will stabilize illegal cattle ranching and poaching in the Indio-Maz Biosphere Reserve by coordinating with the Rama people, the national Ministry of Natural Resource and the Environment (MARENA) and the Autonomous Secretariat of Natural Resources (SERENA) to develop and implement a sustainable community-based forest ranger program.

Project will: 1) conduct stakeholder meetings to complete a threat-identification and priority setting exercise and establish patrol routes, 2) train and activate four groups of five indigenous forest rangers and an indigenous data manager for each group to process and analyze data then disseminate results, 3) set up a payment system for forest rangers and 4) work with authorities to monitor patrolling results and ensure follow-up enforcement action.